When a request is made by an organization for Marine Corps assets, you are designated as the “sponsor” on the DD-2536. Please complete the information requested in the DD-2536 completely, as incomplete requests will not be processed. The process is as follows: Submit your request 30-90 days in advance of your event. Once your request is submitted, it is goes through a legal review process (which takes 1-2 weeks), after this time the request is either approved or denied. If it is approved, it is sent to an office which will assign a unit to this task. The assigned unit will reach out to the Sponsor to coordinate the details of the request.  If the request is denied, you will receive an email to notify you/your organization. You should receive contact about your request within 3-4 weeks after you have submitted it. Please allow an additional week of time around holidays (especially Armed Forces Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day) as certain holidays tend to be the busiest in terms of requests. If you have not received a call or email regarding your submission, please send an email to hqmc.comrel@usmc.mil or call 703-614-1034. Please note that even though a request may be approved at the Headquarters level, it is not confirmation of participation in your event. You will be contacted by the assigned unit for particulars. If the unit that receives the request is not able to participate in your event, either another local unit will be assigned your event or a designee from the unit will call you to let you know your event will not be covered. Please understand that events are covered based on availability of the unit to participate and will only be authorized when such support does not interfere with mission or training programs. In all cases, operational commitments take priority and can cause previously scheduled appearances to be cancelled. It is the Sponsor’s responsibility to coordinate and keep a dialogue with the unit to ensure that circumstances don’t change and the unit is still able to attend the event in the days prior to your event. 

Department of Defense policies require that Armed Forces participation in public events will be provided at no additional cost to the Government. The sponsor is required to pay, when necessary, the standard Military Services allowance for quarters and meals for all Armed Forces participants and for other services which have been determined in advance by the Military Services and agreed to by the Sponsor. Transportation and meal costs are not usually incurred when support is provided from a local military installation. However, circumstances may dictate that reimbursement for any or all of these costs may be necessary. All costs are binding after a unit, personnel, or exhibit has arrived at an event site even though weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances force the event to be cancelled. Please note, Armed Forces musical units are organized for ceremonial and traditional purposes and to support recruiting activities. However, they may be authorized to provide certain specified presentations, such as patriotic ceremonies, for public programs. Armed Forces musical organizations are not permitted to provide entertainment, background, dinner, dance or other social music at public or private events in competition with the customary or regular employment of local civilian musicians.