New dual-military coordinator aims to smooth assignments process

Photo By Lance Cpl. Joaquin Carlos Dela Torre | U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Wilson MenaGarcia, a special meals noncommissioned officer in charge with base food service, left, and Sgt. Kelly MenaGarcia, a personnel noncommissioned officer in charge with Security Battalion, right, take a group photo after their promotion ceremony to sergeant at The National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle, Virginia, July 5, 2023. Promotion ceremonies are a significant achievement in a service member’s career and are a testament to their commitment, mastery of duties and skills, and leadership capabilities. The Commandant's Retention Program (CRP) is focused on retaining the most talented first term Marines by streamlining the reenlistment process and offering meaningful incentives to reenlist. Marines take on greater responsibilities as Non-Commissioned Officers after showing exemplary leadership skills. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Joaquin Dela Torre)  

QUANTICO, VA, UNITED STATES

04.24.2024

Story by Capt. Sarah Eason 

HQMC Manpower and Reserve Affairs

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – Deployments, permanent changes of station, and long work hours are just some facets of military service that put a strain on a marriage. The pressure increases when both parties in the marriage are service members. Manpower Management Division, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, is creating a dual-military coordinator billet that liaises with monitors and Marines to alleviate stresses associated with dual-military couples’ orders assignments process.

Statistics show that as of March 20, 2024, there are 8,695 Marines are married to another service member. Approximately 2,500 Marines in a dual-military marriage execute PCS orders every year. Nearly 60 percent of married female Marines are married to another service member. Given these statistics, it’s no surprise that the Marine Corps recognizes that co-locating dual-service couples is complicated.

In the past, if complications arose, there wasn’t a single dedicated effort to tackle the issue. Manpower Management recognized the issue and acted, creating a dual-military coordinator to ensure that dual-military couples have a dedicated resource. The dual-military coordinator ensures couples' primary military occupational specialty monitors collaborate.

“The Commandant of the Marine Corps made the commitment to keep dual-military families together,” said Staff Sgt. Nancy Acuna, the Marine selected to be the dual-military coordinator with Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments. “Manpower Management created this billet to ensure that commitment is honored.”

The dual-military coordinator assists in various processes for dual-military couples. These include reporting marriages to administrative centers, requests for co-location, and streamlining the separation waiver process. Acuna will also serve as a resource for dual-military families on career options for geolocation selection, guidance on timeline execution, and available programs.

For inter-service dual-military couples and active-reserve Marine couples, the dual-military coordinator facilitates communication with Marine Corps officer and enlisted duty monitors, reserve monitors, and detailers or assignments personnel from other Services.

“My job is to ensure that dual-military families feel supported by the service,” said Acuna. “They’ve made the commitment to the Marine Corps, and we recognize them by making the orders assignments process as concise and easy as possible.”

The dual-military coordinator will help talented Marines stay in uniform while keeping their family together. It’s a professional and personal win for Marines. It demonstrates the service’s dedication to refining policies and processes to best serve the individual Marine and optimize the capability of our force.

Additional information will be released in an upcoming Marine Administrative Message.

• Date Taken: 04.24.2024
• Date Posted: 04.24.2024 14:07
• Story ID: 469409
• Location: QUANTICO, VA, US