Want to Serve as a Drill Instructor, Recruiter, or Combat Instructor? The FY28 Campaign Is Open Now.

The Marine Corps just announced the Fiscal Year 2028 Active Reserve Special Duty Assignment Campaign.

If you are an Active Reserve Marine and you have ever thought about serving as a Drill Instructor, Prior Service Recruiter, or Marine Combat Instructor, this is your window.

The campaign runs now through mid-2027. Miss it, and you wait another year.

Reference: MARADMIN 272/26, signed 10 June 2026. Underlying screening criteria live in MCO 1326.6 Change 1 (SCREENMAN).

The old problem

Every year, the Corps needs bodies in SDA billets. Drill Instructor and recruiter tours do not fill themselves.

When not enough Marines volunteer, the Corps fills the gap through involuntary assignments. Nobody wants that letter.

The voluntary period exists specifically to make involuntary assignments unnecessary. The more Marines who raise their hand early, the fewer who get assigned against their will later.

The new rule (in one line)

The FY28 SDA Campaign is now open for volunteers, and your package must be received at HQMC before 12 February 2027 to count as a volunteer.

How the campaign works

There are two phases. Phase I is where you want to be.

Phase I: Voluntary Assignment Period

Opens: 15 June 2026
Closes: 12 February 2027
During this window, HQMC (RAM) reviews all volunteer packages
Goal is to fill every FY28 billet with volunteers before Phase II begins

Phase II: Involuntary Assignment Period

Begins: 1 March 2027
Ends: 31 July 2027
Only used to fill whatever billets remain after Phase I
Marines not flagged for involuntary screening can still volunteer during this phase, but they lose priority and may face MOS restrictions

(Yes, volunteering late puts you behind Marines who submitted on time.)

FY28 class report dates will fall between 1 October 2027 and 30 September 2028.

Who is eligible

The full criteria list is in MCO 1326.6 Change 1, but here are the key gates:

✦ Corporals through Gunnery Sergeants (Corporals may only volunteer for MCI or PSR, not DI)

✦ Must not exceed Enlisted Career Force Controls limits before 30 September 2031

✦ Minimum 24 months time on station before your FY28 class report date

✦ If you did a lateral move into your current MOS, you need at least 36 months in that MOS before class start

✦ If you already completed one SDA tour, a second tour is possible depending on PMOS population, with at least 24 months back in your PMOS first

If you are unsure where you stand on any of these, talk to your career counselor before you do anything else.

How to submit your package

Work with your unit career counselor to submit an "SDA Reenlistment (RELM)" in the Total Force Retention System (TFRS)
Your counselor can note preferences in the RELM including SDA type, duty locations, and class dates
The completed RELM must be received at HQMC (RA Retention) no later than 12 February 2027

One critical note: package signature dates do not determine your volunteer status. Receipt date does. Submit early.

If you are volunteering for PSR duty, there is an extra step.

You must complete an in-person interview (telephonic is authorized but in-person is preferred) with the PSR Career Recruiter nearest you, using the PSR screening addendum. The last page must be signed by the career recruiter and the full addendum must be attached to your RELM.

PSR District Headquarters contacts:

✦ PSRS-1, Brooklyn, NY: (516) 824-3091 ✦ PSRS-4, Columbus, OH: (614) 809-2886 ✦ PSRS-6, Parris Island, SC: (423) 802-6539 ✦ PSRS-8, Fort Worth, TX: (817) 738-6260 ext. 23/24 ✦ PSRS-9, Great Lakes, IL: (847) 688-7130 ext. 772 ✦ PSRS-12, Camp Pendleton, CA: (760) 763-6218

The money

SDA tours come with real financial incentives.

✦ Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP): paid after you complete required training and meet qualifications ✦ Assignment Incentive Pay (AIP): same conditions apply ✦ Voluntary Supplemental Incentive (VSI): available to DI and PSR volunteers on top of SDAP and AIP

Current pay rates are posted on the Manpower Military Policy Branch Military Compensation page.

One warning on lump-sum payments: if you do not complete the number of months specified in your lump-sum agreement, the unearned portion gets recouped. The Corps will not pursue recoupment for circumstances beyond your control, but do not sign up expecting an easy out.

Corporal-to-Sergeant PSR promotion path

This one is worth reading carefully if you are a Corporal considering PSR duty.

Active Reserve Corporals attending the Basic Prior Service Recruiter Course are eligible for non-competitive promotion to Sergeant. Here is what you need:

✦ 12 months time in grade as Corporal ✦ 30 months active duty time in service based on your Armed Forces Active Duty Base Date (AFADBD) ✦ PME complete, including Command Sponsored Corporals Course

If you meet all criteria when you check into your new duty station, your date of rank is the first of that month.

If you do not meet criteria at check-in, the date of rank becomes the first of the month after you satisfy them.

Recruiting District Commanders submit the promotion roster to Enlisted Promotions (MMPB-11) at smb_manpower_enlisted_promotions@usmc.mil. MMPB-11 enters the diary. Commanders prepare the certificates.

Why this is a big deal

SDA tours are one of the clearest accelerants for an enlisted career in the Marine Corps.

They come with meritorious promotion opportunities, pay incentives, and a reputation marker that follows you on every fitness report and evaluation for years afterward.

The Active Reserve component runs this campaign annually, but the window to be treated as a volunteer is finite. A Marine who misses 12 February 2027 is not just submitting late. That Marine is no longer a volunteer in the eyes of HQMC.

And the involuntary period exists for a reason. If you are in the eligible grade range and you have not raised your hand, there is a non-zero chance your hand gets raised for you.

A smaller note for active-duty Marines

This MARADMIN applies specifically to the Active Reserve category of the Reserve Component. It does not govern active-duty SDA assignments. Active-duty Marines should monitor their own SDA campaign messages through their career counselors.

The bottom line

The FY28 SDA Campaign is live. The volunteer window runs through 12 February 2027. Drill Instructor, Prior Service Recruiter, and Marine Combat Instructor billets are on the table. The money is real. The career impact is real. The deadline is fixed.

What to do with this

If you are an Active Reserve Marine considering volunteering:

Talk to your unit career counselor this week
Check your eligibility against MCO 1326.6 Change 1
If you want PSR duty, contact the nearest PSR District HQ and schedule your screening interview
Get your SDA RELM submitted in TFRS well before 12 February 2027
Do not wait on signature dates. Receipt date is what counts.

If you are a unit career counselor:

Identify eligible Marines in your unit now
Brief them on Phase I versus Phase II implications
Help them build complete packages and get them into TFRS early
Note their preferences in the RELM comments

If you are a Corporal weighing PSR duty:

Confirm your PME status and time-in-grade before submitting
Understand the non-competitive Sergeant promotion path and what you need to complete it
Ask your career counselor to walk through the timeline with you

Questions go to:

✦ General SDA questions: MGySgt W. R. Maley at william.maley@usmc.mil or (703) 432-9411 ✦ Retention and RELM: MGySgt J. E. Deneve at ra-retention@usmc.mil or (703) 784-0583 ✦ PSR screening: MGySgt D. B. Samperisi at mcrcpsr@marines.usmc.mil or (703) 768-9868 ✦ Promotions: MSgt D. T. Mills at enlistedpromotions@usmc.mil or (703) 784-2765

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.

Want a shorter version of this for a unit brief or a longer breakdown of SCREENMAN eligibility criteria? Both are possible. Just ask.

FISCAL YEAR 2028 ACTIVE RESERVE SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT CAMPAIGN