State of FORCECOM March 2016

Good evening, Marines.
Here at Caldwell Station spring has finally stuck it’s confused head up among the the remaining piles of snow and dead leaves. It is still to be determined if it’s going to stick around or go back into hiding for another month or so. I’m waiting to see the true harbingers of Spring – the brightly colored ‘Yard Sale’ signs that begin to pop up everywhere.
Then I’ll know the weather has truly changed.

FWIW, it’s the beginning of Summer when the Shaved Ice Shacks start showing up.
Right off the bat I can’t stress enough “PRTM” : my polite acronym for Please Read The Manual. [You may find that Gunny Hawk’s is a bit more ‘earthy’ in his replies.] I’d say 90% of the answers to your basic questions are found in the pages of the Marine Force Manual or, for Officers in Charge, the Policy Manual. They’re on the SFMC website for download and worth the read. These are the two ‘working manuals’ for the administrative side of the SFMC. They can be found here:
[Link Removed – Old Post] So please! Read, then ask.

[And just a moment for a FORCECOM Reporting pet peeve. There’s a portion of the Unit report that allow the Reporting individual to request changes to the database unit roster: either recruits or individuals discharged from the unit. Please, for the Love of Little Green [or Gray] Aliens, tell us which one you mean.]

With various Musters taking place and the SFMC Muster coming in a few months I want to touch on awards.
It’s real simple: no one can submit you for anything if they don’t know something happened. Make sure your Unit OIC makes note of what you and the rest of your unit members have done in their Unit reports. The world of records and reports run on the theory of ‘If it ain’t in writing, it didn’t happen’. Make sure things get written down so your BDE OICs and the General Staff can find out what you’ve been up to.

Please know that both the Commandant, COINFOCOM and myself are aware that they online award nomination forms occasionally acts up. If you’ve submitted someone for an award, and did not receive the auto-generated reply in your email inbox, it’s your responsibility to follow up to make sure that it got to the correct individual. FORCECOM has blank forms in text and document format that you can fill in and submit as an email attachment. And please, let FORCECOM or INFOCOM know things didn’t work so we can try to figure things out.
Can’t fix things if we don’t know they’re broken.

For those already wondering, the submission window for the SFMC Honor Awards is not yet open. Rest assured an announcement will be made when it is, but look for it someone where around the end of May.
Always remember if you’ve got questions, remember to use your chain of command. Everyone from your Unit OIC up to the members of the General Staff are here to help you. Just run your thoughts and concerns up the chain and we’ll help you out.
Keep it safe out there and be nice to each other..
Stand Easy, Marines.

BGN Jari “Gato” James
COFORCECOM