Marine Corps FITREP: Complete Writing Guide and Examples 2025
The Fitness Report (FITREP) is the Marine Corps’ primary evaluation system for assessing officer and Staff NCO performance. A well-written FITREP can accelerate your career, while a poorly crafted one can stall promotions for years. This comprehensive guide covers everything Marines need to know about writing, submitting, and understanding FITREPs in 2025.
Whether you’re a reviewing officer writing your first FITREP or a Marine preparing for your upcoming evaluation, this guide provides practical examples, common mistakes to avoid, and insider tips for creating competitive evaluations.
What is a Marine Corps FITREP?
The Fitness Report (NAVMC 10835) evaluates Marines in grades E-6 through O-6 on their performance, leadership, and professional attributes. FITREPs serve multiple critical purposes:
- Promotion Boards: Primary factor in selection for promotion
- Career Progression: Determines assignments and career opportunities
- Performance Feedback: Provides developmental guidance
- Permanent Record: Follows Marine throughout career
Unlike the Army’s NCOER or Air Force EPR, the Marine FITREP uses a mark range system (from 0.0 to 7.0) and relative value (RV) rankings to assess performance against peers.
FITREP Reporting Periods and Deadlines
Standard Reporting Periods:
- Annual: Once per calendar year (typical)
- Observed Period: Minimum 60 days required
- Due Date: Within 30 days of period ending
Special FITREPs:
- Change of Reporting Senior (COR): When RS PCS/retires
- Promotion: Required for promotion to next grade
- Transfer: When Marine PCS to new unit
- Special Requested: After significant achievement
- Adverse: For misconduct or substandard performance
2025 Important Dates: Most annual FITREPs cover 1 January to 31 December and are due by 31 January of the following year.
FITREP Grading System Explained
Mark Range System (0.0 to 7.0):
| Mark Range | Performance Level | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | Perfect | Unprecedented performance (extremely rare) |
| 6.5 – 6.9 | Outstanding | Exceptional performer, top 5% of peers |
| 6.0 – 6.4 | Excellent | Significantly above average, top 20% |
| 5.5 – 5.9 | Above Average | Solid performer, ready for promotion |
| 5.0 – 5.4 | Average | Meets standards, competitive but not standout |
| Below 5.0 | Below Standards | Not recommended for promotion |
Relative Value (RV):
The Reviewing Officer assigns a Relative Value ranking comparing the Marine against all others in the same grade:
- RV 1: Top performer in grade (highest recommendation)
- RV 2-5: Above average to outstanding
- RV 6-10: Average to slightly above average
- RV 11+: Below competitive threshold
Critical Insight: A high mark range (6.5+) with a poor RV (15+) creates a conflicting message. Promotion boards heavily weight RV rankings.
FITREP Sections Breakdown
Section A: Administrative Data
Basic information including Marine’s name, rank, EDIPI, reporting period dates, and type of report. Ensure accuracy – errors here can delay submission.
Section B: Mission Accomplishment & Billet Description
Describes the Marine’s assigned duties and scope of responsibility. Be specific about leadership levels, personnel supervised, and mission criticality.
Example:
“Platoon Commander, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. Led 42 Marines in combat operations, responsible for $12M in equipment, conducted 87 combat patrols resulting in zero friendly casualties.”
Section C: Evaluation Categories
Fourteen attributes rated on the 0.0-7.0 scale:
- Leadership
- Professional Competence
- Tactical/Technical Skills
- Decision Making
- Individual Character
- Initiative
- Judgment
- Courage (Moral and Physical)
- Mission Accomplishment
- Endurance
- Loyalty
- Cooperation
- Intellect
- Personal Appearance/Bearing
Marking Strategy: Don’t mark all 7.0s unless truly warranted. Boards look for differentiation. Strategic 6.5-6.9 marks with strong narratives are more credible than across-the-board perfection.
Section D: Comments on Performance
This narrative section is where FITREPs are won or lost. Use specific achievements, quantifiable results, and impact on mission.
Writing Effective FITREP Comments
The B-C-D-R Formula:
- Background: Set context for the achievement
- Challenge: Describe the difficulty or stakes
- Delivery: What the Marine did
- Result: Quantifiable impact and outcome
Strong FITREP Bullet Examples:
Leadership:
“Led 35-Marine platoon through 7-month Afghanistan deployment, planned and executed 94 combat patrols covering 2,400 km, directly engaged enemy forces 12 times, zero Marines WIA/KIA. Exceptional tactical leadership under fire earned Navy Achievement Medal with Combat V.”
Mission Accomplishment:
“Company Logistics Officer, managed $18M equipment/supply account with zero loss or discrepancy. Coordinated 47 convoy operations delivering 340 tons supplies during Operation Inherent Resolve, sustaining battalion operations across 4 forward operating bases. Promoted ahead of peers.”
Professional Development:
“Completed Expeditionary Warfare School (top 10% of class), earned 4.0 GPA in MBA coursework, qualified Combat Water Safety Instructor. Self-initiated development demonstrates dedication exceeding requirements. Select for resident career-level PME.”
Initiative:
“Identified critical gap in urban warfare training, designed and implemented 6-week Close Quarters Battle course training 180 Marines. Program adopted battalion-wide, directly contributed to 32% reduction in room-clearing casualties during pre-deployment workup.”
Weak FITREP Comments to Avoid:
❌ “Outstanding Marine. Performed all assigned duties. Recommend for promotion.”
Why it’s weak: Vague, no specifics, could apply to any Marine.
❌ “Completed all required training on time.”
Why it’s weak: Meeting minimum standards isn’t noteworthy.
❌ “Great personality, well-liked by peers and subordinates.”
Why it’s weak: Personality isn’t a measurable performance indicator.
FITREP Red Flags That Hurt Promotion Chances
- Adverse FITREP: Automatically disqualifying for promotion in most cases
- Below 5.0 Marks: Indicates failure to meet standards
- High RV Number: RV above 15-20 signals below-competitive performance
- Qualified Recommendations: Phrases like “recommend for promotion when more mature” are damaging
- Faint Praise: “Adequate” and “satisfactory” are kiss-of-death words
- Short Narratives: Brief comments suggest lack of notable achievements
- Typos/Errors: Signals lack of attention to detail
FITREP Submission Process
- Marine Self-Assessment: Provide reporting senior with accomplishments list
- Reporting Senior Drafts: Completes marks and narrative comments
- Reviewing Officer Review: Assigns RV and comparative assessment
- Marine Counseling: Marine acknowledges FITREP (must occur within 10 days)
- Submission: Upload to FITREP System via MCTFS
- Verification: Check MOL to confirm FITREP posted correctly
Timeline: FITREPs must be submitted within 30 days of reporting period ending. Late FITREPs can be flagged by promotion boards.
Disagreeing with Your FITREP
If you receive a FITREP you believe is inaccurate or unjust, you have options:
Informal Resolution:
Request a meeting with your Reporting Senior before signing. Professionally present facts supporting your case. Many issues resolve at this level.
Formal Appeal (BCNR):
Submit appeal to Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR) within 3 years. Requires substantial evidence of error, injustice, or irregularity.
Success Rate: Appeals rarely succeed without compelling evidence. Focus prevention efforts on continuous communication with your chain of command.
FITREP Tips for Junior Officers
- Document Everything: Keep a performance journal of achievements, awards, and key events
- Seek Feedback: Regular check-ins with your RS throughout the reporting period
- Volunteer for Visibility: High-profile assignments create FITREP-worthy achievements
- Quantify Impact: Track numbers (personnel led, missions completed, resources managed)
- Professional Development: Complete PME early, pursue civilian education
- Support Your RS: Provide your RS with draft bullets highlighting your top 3-5 accomplishments
FITREP Tips for Staff NCOs
- Own Your MOS: Be the go-to expert in your occupational specialty
- Mentor Junior Marines: Document measurable results from your mentorship
- Solve Problems: Identify and fix systemic issues, don’t just report them
- Deploy/Volunteer: Competitive FITREPs often require operational experience
- Professional Certifications: Civilian credentials demonstrate initiative
Comparing Marine FITREPs to Other Services
| Service | Evaluation | Key Difference from FITREP |
|---|---|---|
| Army | NCOER / OER | Uses “boxes” (Highly Qualified, Qualified, Not Qualified) instead of numeric marks |
| Navy | FITREP / EVAL | Nearly identical system (Marines use Navy forms) |
| Air Force | EPR / OPR | Forced distribution – limits number of top ratings per unit |
| Coast Guard | OER / EPR | Numeric marks 1-7 scale, similar to FITREP |
Resources and Tools
- FITREP System: Access via MCTFS (Marine Corps Total Force System)
- MARADMIN Guidance: Annual MARADMIN updates FITREP policies
- MOL: Check Marine Online for posted FITREPs
- MCO 1610.7: Complete FITREP order and instructions
Common FITREP Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting until deadline to draft FITREP (rushed writing shows)
- Inflating all marks to 7.0 (loses credibility)
- Using generic language from previous FITREPs
- Failing to proofread for typos and grammatical errors
- Omitting major achievements due to poor memory
- Not seeking input from the Marine being evaluated
- Submitting late (flags report for promotion boards)
Conclusion: Your FITREP is Your Career
In the Marine Corps, your FITREP is the single most important document in your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). Promotion boards spend less than 2 minutes reviewing your entire career – your FITREPs tell that story.
Whether you’re writing FITREPs for your Marines or preparing for your own evaluation, invest the time to make it exceptional. Document achievements continuously, communicate regularly with your reporting senior, and always quantify your impact.
Semper Fidelis.
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