Your official photo just changed. Here's what's on it now.

The Marine Corps quietly updated what goes on your OMPF photo title board.

If you're heading into a selection board cycle, or due for a new photo, this affects you directly.

Here's what changed and what you need to do.

Reference: MARADMIN 127/26, signed 24 March 2026. Amends MARADMIN 582/25. Tied to MCO 1070.1 (Official Military Personnel File) and the new waist-to-height ratio body composition policy.

The old problem

Your OMPF photo title board used to display your height and weight.

That made sense when height and weight was the measurement that mattered.

But the Marine Corps just replaced the semiannual height-and-weight standard with a waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) methodology.

So the old data field became outdated the moment that change took effect.

Boards would have been looking at a measurement that no longer drives the standard.

That needed to be fixed.

The new rule in one line

Your OMPF photo no longer shows your height and weight. It now shows your body composition status in one of four plain-English categories.

What the title board looks like now

The format stays mostly the same. Name, rank, MOS, DoD ID, billet, unit, date, certifying leader.

One field changed. The body composition line now reads one of four things:

✦ WITHIN BC STANDARDS — you passed WHtR, or you passed body fat, or your PFT/CFT scores qualify you for the additional body fat allowance and you met that standard.

✦ NOT WITHIN BC STANDARDS — you exceeded both WHtR and body fat evaluation standards.

✦ EXEMPT — you're currently exempt due to pregnancy, postpartum status, or a temporary medical exemption.

✦ WAIVED — you have an approved waiver from the Body Composition Program, signed off by a General Officer in your chain of command or the CG, Training and Education Command (or their delegee).

That's it. Four options. One line.

(Yes, it's this simple.)

The format, spelled out

Every new OMPF photo title board should follow this structure:

Last name, first name, middle initial(s), name suffix
Rank and primary MOS
DoD ID number
One of the four BC status lines above
Abbreviated billet and unit
Date the photo was taken (YYYYMMDD format)
Certification by senior leadership

The certifying leader line includes their name, title, and unit. Your I&I, your CO, or your 1stSgt depending on your situation.

The clock on your current photo

Here's the part that matters most if you have a board coming up.

You do not need to rush out and retake your photo just because it still shows height and weight.

Old photos with height and weight displayed are still valid, as long as they were taken within 365 days of a selection board's convene date.

So if your photo is current and your board hasn't convened yet, you're fine for now.

When your photo expires or you need a new one, the updated format applies.

Effective date for the new format: the day this MARADMIN was released, 24 March 2026.

Why this is a big deal

The body composition system just changed underneath the photo requirement.

Height and weight is no longer the standard. WHtR is.

Boards making promotion and selection decisions need to see the right measurement reflected in your record. Showing them an old data point from a retired methodology is noise, not signal.

This update cleans that up.

It also simplifies the field. Instead of raw numbers, boards see a clear status. You're either in standard, out of standard, exempt, or waived. Less room for ambiguity.

For Reserve Marines, this matters every time a non-promotion selection board convenes. Augmentation boards, retention boards, promotion boards. Your OMPF photo is part of the package boards see.

Getting the format right is basic records hygiene.

A smaller note for active-duty Marines

This MARADMIN applies to the Total Force, so active-duty Marines are equally affected. The photo format change and the 365-day validity rule apply to you as well. Same four BC status categories, same timeline. Check with your S-1 or personnel shop if you have a board approaching.

The bottom line

Your OMPF photo title board no longer shows height and weight.

It now shows one of four body composition status labels.

Old photos are still valid for boards within 365 days of when the photo was taken.

New photos taken after 24 March 2026 must use the updated format.

What to do with this

If you have a selection board coming up in the next year: Check when your current OMPF photo was taken. Count 365 days from that date. If you're inside the window for your board's convene date, you're covered. If not, coordinate a new photo now.

If you're due for a new photo anyway: Make sure your unit S-1 or I&I knows about the updated format. The title board needs to reflect one of the four BC status categories, not your height and weight.

If you're EXEMPT or WAIVED: Confirm your exemption or waiver documentation is current and on file before the photo is taken. The certifying official needs to reflect the correct status.

If you're NOT WITHIN BC STANDARDS: That status will show on your photo. Make sure your record accurately reflects where you are in the process. Talk to your I&I or unit career planner.

If you're an I&I or S-1 professional: Brief your Marines on the format change. Update any photo prep checklists or SOPs your office uses. Verify the certifying official line is complete and correctly formatted before photos are submitted.

If anything here is unclear for your specific situation, take it to your command or unit S-1 before acting.

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.

Need a shorter version of this? A one-paragraph drill weekend brief? Or a deeper breakdown of the WHtR body composition changes that drove this update? Let me know and I'll put it together.

CHANGE 1 TO REQUIREMENT UPDATE ON OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS FOR NON-PROMOTION SELECTION BOARDS