Marine Corps Combat Instructor
Military Ribbon

RMKS/1. The Marine Corps Combat Instructor Ribbon (MCCIR) is established to recognize U.S. Marine Corps personnel who meet the eligibility criteria below.

a. General eligibility. To earn the MCCIR, a Marine must meet both the following criteria:
(1) Serve in an eligible billet as described in para 1.c.(1) below.
(2) Complete a successful prescribed tour as described in para 1.c.(2) below.

b. Definitions. For determining eligibility for this award *billet* refers to the Marine*s primary duty description as listed in the table of organization published in the Total Force Structure Management System. This normally corresponds to the billet identification code under which the unit accounts for the individual.

c. Eligibility requirements
(1) Eligible billets
(a) Marines serving in an MOS 0913 billet (formerly known as 8513) who possess the 0913 MOS.
(b) Marines serving in billets at the School of Infantry (SOI) East or SOI West containing the word *Instructor.* These individuals must possess MOS 0913 and remain qualified as a Combat Instructor for the duration of the time serving in the billet.
(c) Additional advanced Infantry Training Battalion billets.
1. Reconnaissance Training Company Staff Noncommissioned Officer In Charge (SNCOIC).
2. Reconnaissance Training Continuum Manager.
3. Light Armored Vehicle Crewman Course Vehicle Operator.

(d) Marines serving in SOI East or SOI West, including subordinate battalions, in the following leadership billets:
1. Commanding Officer / Company Commander
2. Sergeant Major
3. Executive Officer
4. Marine Gunner
5. First Sergeant
6. Operations Officer
7. Assistant Operations Officer (S-3A)
8. Future Operations Officer
9. Operations Chief*
10. Assistant Operations Chief*
11. Platoon Commander
12. Officer In Charge (OIC) (does not include SNCOICS)
13. Mobile Training Company Team Leader
14. Director, Combat Instructor School (CIS)
15. Assistant Director, CIS
*note: operations, training, and command sections only.
(2) Prescribed tour of duty
(a) Combat Instructor. Marines serving in billets outlined in paragraphs 1.c.(1)(a) through 1.c.(1)(c) must serve 36 months to complete a prescribed tour of duty.
(b) Leadership billets. Marines serving in billets outlined in paragraph 1.c.(1)(d) must serve 18 months to complete a prescribed tour of duty.
(c) Marines who execute a tour extended (voluntarily or involuntarily) beyond the originally projected detachment date are continuing a single prescribed tour of duty. Their prescribed tour of duty continues to the new projected detachment date.
(d) Subsequent tours. Marines who return for subsequent tours as Combat Instructors are eligible for additional awards upon the completion of each subsequent tour, provided all eligibility requirements are met in each subsequent tour.
(e) Successful tour

(3) The Commanding Officers of SOI East and SOI West have been delegated authority to determine if a tour is *successful.* This authority may not be further delegated.

(4) Personnel who are transferred due to relief for cause or relief for the good of the service will be considered to have failed to complete a successful tour of duty. d. Waivers
(1) The Commanding Officers of SOI East and SOI West may waive the length of a prescribed tour of duty by up to 6 months (e.g., may approve a 30-month tour for a Combat Instructor or a 12 -month tour for other eligible billets).
(2) Posthumous awards. On a case-by-case basis, the Commanding Officer of SOI East or SOI West may posthumously award the MCCIR without regard to the prescribed tour of duty for Marines serving in an eligible billet.
(3) The Commanding General, Training Command, may approve waivers for billets not addressed by paragraph 1.c.(1) and tour length waivers of greater than 6 months.
(4) Approved eligibility waivers must be recorded with the substantiating documentation in the Marine*s Official Military Personnel File.
e. Award elements
(1) The award consists of a ribbon bar only.
(2) Subsequent awards will be denoted by a 3/16 inch bronze star. A 3/16 inch silver star is worn in lieu of a sixth award.
(3) No citation or certificate will be issued.
(4) Approval of the award will be substantiated through an administrative entry in the Marine*s Service Record Book / Officer Qualification Record. Only approved awards require administrative entries. Marines without an entry are presumed not to have met the criteria for the MCCIR.
f. Retroactive awards. The MCCIR may be awarded retroactively to all Marines with qualifying service beginning on or after 9 October 2002.
g. Awarding authority. Authority to award the MCCIR is delegated to Commanding Officers of the Schools of Infantry and may not be further delegated.
h. The Marine Corps will publish detailed coordinating instructions for substantiating entitlement for current and retroactive cases as soon as the ribbons have been produced. Please refrain from inquiries until the guidance is published. HQMC anticipates release of amplifying information within 30 days of the release of this message. 2. Released by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy.//

Authorized Devices: Bronze Star, Silver Star,