b. Eligibility Requirements. Awarded to members of the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) who, effective 1 January 1996, fulfilled designated service requirements within any three-year period of service in the Organized Marine Corps Reserve. For the period 1 July 1925 through 31 December 1995, inclusive, a four-year period of service is required. The following are specific eligibility requirements for this medal:

(1) Attendance with an SMCR unit, including duty in an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) billet in Training Category A, at three consecutive annual field training periods. A period of active duty for training which was authorized to be performed in lieu of a regular annual field training period will fulfill this requirement.

(2) Effective 24 April 1961, attendance with an SMCR unit, including duty in an IMA billet in Training Category A, of 90 percent of all scheduled drills each year for four consecutive years. Eligibility for the medal prior to that date is based on 80 percent attendance of all scheduled drills. (Appropriate duty or equivalent instruction-or-duty may be credited in lieu of drills.)

(3) In the case of officers and noncommissioned officers (sergeant or above), the commanding officer (or the Commander, Marine Corps Mobilization Command (MOBCOM) in the case of IMA Category A) is responsible for determining whether the individual's service and performance of duty warrant the award. Enlisted personnel in the grade of corporal and below must have obtained a combined average of conduct and proficiency markings of 4.0 or above for the first three-year period. For subsequent three-year periods, enlisted personnel must have obtained a combined average of conduct and proficiency markings of 4.5 or above. When it is evident an individual who otherwise fulfills the eligibility criteria is not deserving of this award because of a repeated record of valid indebtedness or other acts which are not in keeping with the high moral standards required of all Marines, the commanding officer (or Commander, MOBCOM in the case of IMA Category A) will make an appropriate recommendation to CMC (MMMA) stating the reasons.

(4) When called to active duty in time of war or national emergency, SMCR members (including IMA Category A) may be credited, while on active duty, with the annual field training and required drill attendance, provided they have served not less than one month on active duty during each qualification year. Such active service may be credited only for the purpose of qualification for the medal or bronze star toward which the reservist is working at the time of mobilization. When the reservist's three-year period is completed, active duty subsequently performed may not be credited toward the issuance of a medal or star. If the period of active duty is of such duration that the reservist is ordered to 'inactive status prior to completion of the reservist's three year period, the time spent on active duty may be credited toward the award of the medal, but credit for active duty will not be allowed for any three-year period which began with the reservist on active duty. Once the award is earned after mobilization, the reservist must return to drill and training status in the SMCR (including IMA category 'A") before a new qualification period begins.

(5) When a member of the SMCR is unable to attend drills due to absence from the place of drill, or for causes beyond his/her control, exclusive of sickness, the reservist should request a leave of absence for such period, in order that the absence from the regular drill period will not count against the record of attendance for eligibility for the Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal.

(6) Retroactive to 12 January 1961, the medal will be awarded to officers prohibited by the rotation system, due to the lack of billets, from serving in the SMCR (including service as an IMA category A) for a three-year period, provided they have completed any continuous five anniversary years of satisfactory Federal service in the Marine Corps Reserve (including IMA Training Categories A, B, C, and D) as defined by regulations. This must include a minimum of two consecutive years of satisfactory participation as a member of an SMCR unit, or as an IMA Category A, during which attendance at drills and periods of annual field training meets the requirements cited above.

(7) Any period of qualifying service beginning with SMCR membership, interrupted by duty with the Active Reserve (AR) Program, shall not be considered a break in said period of three consecutive years for eligibility. Furthermore, any such period of active duty may be credited with the annual field training and required drill attendance for the purpose of completing qualification only for the medal or bronze star toward which the reservist was working at the time of active duty in the AR Program.

(8) When enlisted Marine Corps reservists are assigned to active duty in the AR Program, they must elect whether to continue their eligibility for the SMCRM for which they have accumulated qualifying service, or commence qualifying service for the MCGCM. Officers may continue to earn qualifying service toward SMCRM. Under no circumstances may a Reservist commence an eligibility period for the SMCRM while on the AR Program. MCO P1070.12K (IRAM) contains administrative instructions.

(9) Individual Ready Reservists mobilized for three continuous years may elect the MCGCM in lieu of continuing their eligibility for the SMCRM. Administrative units should make an appropriate entry in the Marine's official military record (OMPF), which indicates the Marine was mobilized under Title 10, specifies the dates of the mobilization period, and that the Marine elected to receive the MCGCM for the period of active duty. A copy of the Marine's orders and the award certificate should be filed in his/her OMPF for historical purposes.