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Corps may reach 202K goal two years early

The Corps may reach its goal of expanding to 202,000 active-duty Marines as much as two years early, officials said Friday.

A Congressional mandate calls for the Corps to complete its expansion by the end of fiscal 2011, but officials say they could hit that mark by the end of fiscal 2009.

“If the Marine Corps continues at the current rate of accessions (bringing folks in) and retention of those already in the Corps, we COULD be at 202K (plus or minus 500) by the end of FY 09, barring no major rise in attrition from recruit training, EAS, retirements, disciplinary infractions, etc,” Capt. Amy Malugani said in an e-mail.

Formally, the annual targets remain the same: 194,000 Marines by the end of fiscal 2009; 199,000 by the end of fiscal 2010; and 202,000 by the end of fiscal 2011.

Plans for new construction to house the larger force, with an emphasis on bachelor enlisted quarters, are on track for completion by 2014.

The total expansion is a 13 percent increase from the previous end strength of 179,000 Marines.