MCO 12301.1C governs foreign area employment and overseas tour extensions for Civilian Marines.
View MCO 12301.1C on armypubs.army.mil
It covers civilian tour rotation, extension approval authorities, business cases, succession plans, checklists, and extension request forms. It requires rotation agreements, documented justification, written recommendations, and compliance with overseas employment limits.
Applies to: This Order is applicable to all Marine Corps appropriated funded civilian positions.
Reference (a) limits Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employment in foreign areas to a period of five (5) continuous years without further review. (paragraph 4)
Employees hired into competitive service positions, or appointed to positions leading to employment in the competitive service (e.g. Veteran’s Readjustment Act appointees), must, as a condition of their employment, sign an appropriate rotation agreement acknowledging the five-year limitation on foreign area employment. (paragraph 4)
Extensions beyond the five year limitation will be based on compelling operational criteria and clearly articulate the specific reason(s) and rationale why the extension is necessary. (paragraph 1)
You must notify the employee in writing of this decision as soon as possible but no later than 180 days before the expiration of his/her current tour of duty. (paragraph 7)
A succession plan should be initiated one year prior to any extension request. (paragraph 1)