Increase in Marines Remaining in the Corps After Initial Enlistment

More Marines are staying in the Corps after completing their first contract than at any time in the past 14 years.

The Marine Corps is approaching the end of fiscal year 2024 with the highest number of Marines entering service for the first time since 2010, Corps officials announced Monday.

The increase in retention reflects a shift in the Marine Corps’ strategy from “recruit and replace” to one focused on “investing and retaining” the most capable Marines, according to a Corps press release.

Traditionally, about three-quarters of Marines who enlist do not stay in the Corps beyond their initial contract. But in recent years, the Marine Corps has tried to create a more mature force by convincing more first-term Marines to re-enlist.

“One of the goals of Talent Management is to mature the force, which starts with ensuring that our highly qualified, first-term enlisted Marines have the opportunity to re-enlist and ‘stay Marine,’” said Maj. Melissa Spencer, a spokeswoman for Manpower & Reserve Affairs.

So far this fiscal year, a total of 7,947 first-term Marines have reenlisted, meaning the Marine Corps has met 114% of its retention goal for Marines on their first contract, Spencer told Task & Purpose on Monday. Fiscal year 2024 ends Sept. 30.

By comparison, the Marine Corps retained a total of 7,082 new-enlisted Marines in fiscal year 2023, she said.

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The Marine Corps’ first-term reenlistments helped the Corps exceed its overall retention goals for this fiscal year, according to Monday’s press release. The Corps also retained about 5,700 Marines who have reenlisted multiple times, known as “Marines for their next term.”

The Marine Corps has created several incentives this budget year to promote retention, including selective retention bonuses for certain military occupational specialties and expanded opportunities for Marines to advance their careers, the press release said.

“We continue to maintain our high standards and exceeded our end strength requirements through successful retention and recruitment efforts,” said Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, the deputy commandant for Manpower & Reserve Affairs. “Our retention success has improved the health of our deferred entry program for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Retaining high-quality Marines and civilians is a key part of the Marine Corps’ strategy to transform itself into a fighting force that can compete with near-peer adversaries such as China, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith wrote in his most recent planning guidance, issued in August.

The Marine Corps has made significant changes to the way it recruits and retains Marines as part of its Talent Management 2030 plan, Smith wrote.

“A key component of this is our Talent Management Engagement Platform (TMEP), which provides our Marines with a more personalized, responsive, and transparent system for assignments,” Smith wrote.

“I am proud of the initiatives currently underway that provide Marines with greater predictability during the order process, transparency with their monitors, improved personnel management systems, financial incentives for those who volunteer for special assignments, and bonuses for lateral moves into certain military occupational specialties.”

Smith noted in his planning guidelines that both active duty and reserve officers may choose not to be considered for promotion without harming their careers, allowing them to pursue other educational and career opportunities.

“This effort will be expanded to the entire force in the years to come,” Smith wrote. “We will continue the Talent Management journey and continue to remind our Marines why they decided to join our Corps in the first place.”