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Red Ribbon Week and Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Oct 23–31

MARADMIN 477/26·October 7, 2026·2 min read·Official source

The Marine Corps has put out its annual Red Ribbon Week notice covering October 23–31, 2026, with Prescription Drug Take Back Day falling on October 24. This is an awareness bulletin, not a policy change. It applies to all components, including SMCR Marines and their families.

★ Affects all reservists: No action is required, but commands are encouraged to participate in awareness activities and point Marines to available drug and suicide prevention resources.

Who it affects

All Marines across all components, SMCR included, plus family members and civilian personnel. This is not SMCR-specific, but the MARADMIN explicitly names the Selected Marine Corps Reserve.

What you need to do

Nothing mandatory. This is an awareness and participation notice. That said, a few things worth knowing:

  • Commands are encouraged to share resources, run awareness activities, or host events during the week.
  • Marines with unused, unneeded, or expired prescription medications can drop them off anonymously at local collection sites on October 24. Find a site near you at the DEA's take-back locator: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/takeback.html
  • Your installation's Drug Demand Reduction Coordinator (DDRC) and Substance Assessment and Counseling Program (SACP) Director are the local leads for questions or events.
  • Suicide prevention resources are available at https://www.usmc-mccs.org/protect. The MARADMIN notes that roughly half of all Marine Corps suicide attempts involve overdose, so the drug take-back effort doubles as a lethal means safety measure.

If your unit wants more information on Red Ribbon Week programming, the National Family Partnership can be reached at (305) 856-4886.

Key dates

  • October 23–31, 2026: Red Ribbon Week
  • October 24, 2026: Prescription Drug Take Back Day

The official version

Full text: MARADMIN 477/26

Referenced guidance: USD P&R memo dated December 18, 2024 (not publicly linked in the MARADMIN).

POC: Milton Young III, GS-13, MFC. Phone: 703-784-9129. Email: milton.young@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.

  • USD P&R Memo for Senior Pentagon Leadership on Drug Prevention (REF A)Reference

    This is the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness memo that provides higher-level guidance underpinning the Marine Corps Red Ribbon Week and Prescription Drug Take Back Day campaign. It sets the policy context commanders and coordinators should be aware of.

  • Marine Corps Community Services Suicide Prevention Resources

    This document lists Marine Corps suicide prevention resources, including crisis line numbers, steps to secure firearms and medications, and unit contacts like Chaplains, OSCAR Team Members, and Suicide Prevention Officers. It also walks through how to recognize warning signs in a fellow Marine and what to do if you or someone you know is in crisis.

  • DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day Collection Sites

    This document lists DEA-sponsored collection sites where you can safely drop off unused or expired prescription medications, with the next event scheduled for October 24, 2026 from 10 AM to 2 PM. It also includes a search tool for year-round disposal locations if you cannot wait for the scheduled event.

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