Marine Corps Removes Extra Review That Delayed Overseas Orders for EFMP Families

For military families, life is full of constant challenges, great and small. And few challenges are as complex and frequent as a permanent change of station (PCS). PCSing typically involves, at the very least, months of complicated logistical planning, hunting for a new home, arranging new schools for the youngsters, and making sure everyone can access the professional care (medical, dental, etc.) that they need. And for Marines whose family members have special medical or educational needs, those moves can involve additional hurdles before they can confidently begin the next chapter of their shared service.

The good news is that the United States Marine Corps is removing one of those metaphorical hurdles. Families enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) no longer have to clear a separate headquarters-level EFMP review before beginning the screening process for overseas assignments. The policy change aims to streamline the assignment process without removing the safeguards designed to ensure families can access appropriate medical, dental, and educational services at their next duty station. For Marines and their loved ones, this will likely prove a meaningful improvement to a process that has long attracted criticism for its complexity and delays.

What Is the Exceptional Family Member Program?

The EFMP is a Department of Defense (DoD) initiative that helps military families deal with the challenges associated with a dependent who requires additional support to meet their qualifying medical or educational needs. The program identifies families with members who require specialized services, coordinates assignments with those needs in mind, and connects those families with additional resources to help them successfully navigate the life of a military family.

Enrollment generally applies to families with a member who has a qualifying medical condition or special educational need, such as a chronic health condition requiring specialized treatment, developmental needs, or a requirement for special education services. Enrollment is mandatory when a family member meets the applicable criteria.

EFMP is not simply a medical program. It also helps families navigate available resources, understand their options during a PCS, and connect with support services at their current or future installation. For Marines and their loved ones, EFMP serves three primary functions: identification and enrollment, assignment coordination, and family support. Thus, the program helps ensure that a Marine with a qualifying family member has access to the resources they need to care for all their loved ones when transitioning to a new duty station. Families with eligible members can learn about enrollment, available services, and local assistance through Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS), which administers EFMP family support resources for Marines and their dependents.

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Why EFMP Enrollment Can Complicate a PCS

For families enrolled in EFMP, their service member (s) must consider additional factors when deciding on where they hope their next assignment takes them. In addition to factors like service requirements, career progression, and the availability of positions at each post, they also need to consider whether appropriate medical care and educational services are available at each and every potential duty station.

This additional factor is important, particularly for those considering or potentially in line for overseas moves. A family relocating to another country may need access to specialized services or accommodations that are not available at most installations.

What the Marine Corps’ EFMP Process Changed

The USMC’s policy change removes the separate headquarters EFMP review before overseas suitability screening for affected assignments. Rather than completing that additional review first, EFMP-enrolled families can proceed directly to the established screening process. Families still must undergo the required assessment to determine whether the proposed duty station can accommodate their medical, dental, and educational needs. But, in short, the goal of these changes is to reduce duplication and avoid putting EFMP-enrolled families at a disadvantage compared with families who do not require the separate assignment-coordination review.

By eliminating one administrative checkpoint, the Marine Corps seeks to make the process more direct without compromising the assessment of family needs. However, the change does not guarantee a more rapid issuance of orders in every case. Medical suitability decisions, the availability of services, incomplete records, and other administrative requirements can still affect the timeline.

Screening Procedures Still Determine Whether Families With an Eligible Member Can Accompany a Marine Overseas

While the new policy removes an additional step in the EFMP approval process, the military still needs to determine whether a family can safely and appropriately relocate to a proposed duty station.

Overseas suitability screening considers factors such as the severity of a family member's condition, the frequency of required treatment, the availability of appropriate medical and dental facilities, and access to specialized medical and educational services.

These considerations carry increased importance for families moving to locations where medical and/or specialized educational programs are limited.

A Response to Longstanding EFMP Frustrations

The Corps' decision came in response to a series of concerns about how EFMP operates across the military. Although the program is intended to support families, the offices and personnel putting it into practice have often faced criticism for inconsistent processes, confusing requirements, and delays that make life more difficult for those who need the program’s support.

In some cases, uncertainty about an assignment can make it difficult for families to plan ahead. Personnel may face uncertainty when considering housing arrangements, coordinating educational transitions, or scheduling medical/psychological treatment when facing a PCS move.

Eliminating a redundant review will not resolve every problem associated with EFMP. Families can still encounter difficulties locating specialized providers, coordinating services between installations, or obtaining timely answers about their assignments. Nevertheless, removing an unnecessary step may reduce one source of friction in an already complicated process.

What EFMP Eligible Families Should Know Before Their Next PCS

Although this policy change removes one potential stumbling block, Marines and their families should always prepare for any potential change of station with the utmost care and diligence. Families should update their EFMP-related documentation as often as needed.

Moreover, the Marine Corps established a Family Member Travel Screening Cell in December of last year to help Marines, families, assignment monitors, and commands navigate the screening process and address delays, which is a vital resource for any Devil Dog dealing with the complexities of any move. Marines encountering delays can also contact the cell directly via SMB_HQMC_FMTS@USMC.MIL.

A Step Towards Simplification of PCSing

For Marines whose families depend on specialized medical care or educational support, new duty station assignments can affect far more than where they live. They can determine whether a child continues receiving necessary services, whether a family member can continue with a needed treatment plan, and the smoothness with which a household transitions to a new community.

For EFMP families, even a relatively small administrative change can make a difference. When military life already requires families to adapt to frequent moves and changing circumstances, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy is a welcome development.