The Marine Corps has replaced the old monthly NCO promotion MARADMINs with a single annual message. MARADMIN 503/26 is now the governing document for RC LCpl and Cpl promotions for FY27, covering AR, SMCR, and IRR Marines. Commands no longer wait for a monthly release. They work from this message and MCO P1400.32D W/CH2.
Heads up: The monthly NCO promotion MARADMIN is discontinued. Commands use this annual message and MCO P1400.32D W/CH2 going forward.
Who it affects
All USMCR LCpls and Cpls competing for promotion to Cpl or Sgt, including AR, SMCR, and IRR. Commands and unit S-1s responsible for submitting promotion warrants are directly affected by the procedural change.
What you need to do
For individual Marines: Nothing changes about how you compete. Your JEPES score is still what drives selection. Know your record cutoff date for the quarter you're targeting.
For commands and S-1s: Stop expecting a monthly MARADMIN. Use this message and MCO P1400.32D W/CH2 as your authority when building promotion warrants. Pull cutting scores from MCTFS or the Enlisted Promotions website after each month's grades post, and keep a record of them.
For full details on cutoff score lookup, time in grade, time in service, PME requirements, commander responsibilities, and the Junior Remedial Process, go to:
manpower.marines.mil then navigate: Manpower Management > Performance Branch > Promotion Section > Enlisted Promotions > Sergeants and Below Promotions
Key dates
FY27 promotions run on a quarterly cycle. Your JEPES record is evaluated as of the cutoff date, not the effective date.
| Promotion Effective Date | Record Cutoff Date |
|---|---|
| 1 October 2026 | 31 August 2026 |
| 1 January 2027 | 30 November 2026 |
| 1 April 2027 | 28 February 2027 |
| 1 July 2027 | 31 May 2027 |
The official version
This guidance is published in MARADMIN 503/26.
The two governing references are MCO P1400.32D W/CH2 (Enlisted Promotion Manual) and MCO 1616.1 (Junior Enlisted Performance Evaluation System, or JEPES).
For questions, call (703) 784-9635 or email SMB_Manpower_Enlisted_Promotions@usmc.mil. The MARADMIN POCs are Maj William C. Griffin and MSgt Dathan Mills at MMPB-11.
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.