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How PERSTEMPO tracking works and what Reserve Marines need to know

MARADMIN 436/26·September 22, 2026·3 min read·Official source

The Marine Corps published MARADMIN 436/26 to consolidate and clarify the rules around Personnel Tempo (PERSTEMPO), which is the official tracking of how many days individual Marines spend away from where they normally live due to official duties. Several older ALMARs and MARADMINs on this topic are cancelled by this message. The rules themselves have not dramatically changed, but this is now the single authoritative summary of how the program works and what both commands and individual Marines are responsible for doing.

★ Affects all reservists: If you are ever on active duty orders that take you 100 or more miles (or 3 or more hours of travel) from your civilian home, those days count toward your PERSTEMPO total, and exceeding 400 days in a two-year window requires a waiver before you hit that limit.

Who it affects

All RC Marines, including SMCR and IMA, who perform active duty at a location that is not their permanent training site AND is either 100 or more miles or 3 or more hours of travel from their permanent civilian residence. IDT at your normal drill site does not count. This is about active duty orders that take you away from home.

What you need to do

For most reservists, this is awareness-only. You are not expected to calculate anything yourself, but you should know the rules and check your own record.

  1. Log into MOL and navigate to Personal Information, then Personal Reports, then PERSTEMPO Report. Review your history for accuracy.
  2. If something looks wrong, an order is missing, or a TDY period is not showing up, contact your S-1 or unit admin section immediately. Do not wait.
  3. If you are an IMA or SMCR Marine receiving extended active duty orders that could push you toward high cumulative away-days, flag it with your gaining command. The waiver is the gaining command's responsibility to submit, but you need to be the one paying attention.

How the 400-day threshold works: Only PERSTEMPO deployment-type events count toward the 400-day limit. These include operations, exercises, unit training, and mission-support TDY away from your permanent duty station. Individual training, IDT, muster duty, and funeral honors duty are tracked but do not count toward the 400-day cap.

The "day away" rule: A PERSTEMPO event must span more than one calendar day. The day you depart counts. The day you return does not. If you leave Monday and return Tuesday, only Monday counts.

If a waiver is needed: The gaining command submits it through the chain of command up to the first General Court-Martial Convening Authority (GCMCA), then to DC, M&RA via the Manpower Military Policy Branch (MPO) SharePoint. The waiver must go in at least 120 days before the projected date you would cross the 400-day threshold. The waiver has to explain why you specifically are essential to the mission and what the command will do to limit and mitigate the impact on you.

Key dates

  • 120 days out: Commands must identify and submit PERSTEMPO waivers at least 120 days before a Marine is projected to exceed the 400-day threshold.
  • Effective now: MARADMIN 436/26 is published and the older guidance (ALMAR 026/01, ALMAR 052/01, MARADMIN 481/03, MARADMIN 484/04) is cancelled.

The official version

This guidance is published as MARADMIN 436/26. The underlying policy is DOWI 1336.07, Management of Personnel Tempo. The governing law is Title 10 U.S. Code, Section 991.

POC for Reserve-specific questions: smb_rap@usmc.mil

MPO SharePoint (waiver submissions): https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/dcmra_mra_mp_mpo

MPO email (exceptions only): SMB_HQMC_MPO@usmc.mil

Data and reporting questions: mrahelpdesk@usmc.mil

This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.

Resources & references

The documents this bulletin points to, with a plain-English note on why each matters. Links marked CAC required need a government login.

  • PERSTEMPO Management Instruction (DOWI 1336.07)Reference

    This is the Department of the Navy instruction that governs the entire PERSTEMPO program. This MARADMIN summarizes it, so it is the authoritative source for the policy details described here.

  • Delegation of Authority to DC M&RA on PERSTEMPO Waivers (CMC Letter, 4 Apr 2025)Reference

    This letter formally delegates waiver approval authority to the Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. It is the basis for the waiver routing and format requirements described in paragraph 6.

  • ALMAR 026/01 – Marine Corps Deployment Tempo Policy GuidanceMARADMIN

    A prior DEPTEMPO policy message that is officially cancelled by this MARADMIN. Reservists should no longer rely on it.

  • ALMAR 052/01 – Marine Corps Deployment Tempo Policy Guidance AmplificationMARADMIN

    A prior DEPTEMPO amplification message that is officially cancelled by this MARADMIN. Reservists should no longer rely on it.

  • MARADMIN 481/03 – Deployment Tempo and Overseas Control Date PolicyMARADMIN

    A prior DEPTEMPO and OCD policy message that is officially cancelled by this MARADMIN. Reservists should no longer rely on it.

  • MARADMIN 484/04 – Deployment Tempo Under-Reporting Corrective ActionMARADMIN

    A prior message addressing DEPTEMPO under-reporting that is officially cancelled by this MARADMIN. Reservists should no longer rely on it.

  • Marine Corps Total Force System Personnel Reporting Instructions Users' Manual (MCTFSPRIUM)Reference

    This manual provides instructions for reporting and tracking PERSTEMPO events in MCTFS, the official system of record. Commands and Marines use it to ensure events are correctly entered and monitored.

  • Title 10 U.S. Code Section 991Reference

    This is the federal law that establishes the statutory basis for the PERSTEMPO program. It defines the legal framework within which the 400-day threshold and waiver requirements operate.

  • Military Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence Instruction (DOWI 1327.06)Reference

    This Department of the Navy instruction covers military leave and related absence policies that can intersect with PERSTEMPO tracking and calculations.

  • MPO SharePoint – PERSTEMPO Waiver Submission PortalCAC required

    This is the official portal where commands submit PERSTEMPO waiver packages to DC M&RA. Commands must use this site rather than email unless an exception applies, and waivers must be submitted at least 120 days before a Marine is projected to cross the 400-day threshold.

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