The Royal Marines Terms of Service Regulations 1988

Continuance in Service

11.—(1) A person in Royal Marines service may, at any time during the term for which he is enlisted, give to his commanding officer notice of his desire to continue in Royal Marines service after the end of that term for such a period not exceeding 15 years as may be specified in the notice; and, if the competent authority approve, he may, after the end of that term, be continued as a person in Royal Marines service for the period specified in the notice in all respects (but subject to paragraph (4) of this regulation) as if that term were still unexpired, and he shall not then be entitled to be discharged at the expiration of his original term unless he has previously given 18 months notice in writing to his commanding officer of that intention, or in the case of a person within 12 months of completing his original term, a period of notice equivalent to the unexpired portion of the original term plus 6 months.

(2) A person in Royal Marines service for the time being continued in service under paragraph (1) of this regulation may, before the date on which the period for which he is continued will end, give to his commanding officer notice of his desire to continue further in Royal Marines service after that date for such period not exceeding 15 years as may be specified in the notice, and, if the competent authority approve, he may after that date be further continued as a person in Royal Marines service for the period specified in the notice in all respects (but subject to paragraph (4) of this regulation) as if the term for which he was previously continued were still unexpired.

(3) Paragraph (2) of this regulation shall apply to persons in Royal Marines service continued in service thereunder as it applies to such persons continued in service under paragraph (1) of this regulation.

(4) Where a person is continued in Royal Marines service under this regulation he may, subject to paragraph (5) of this regulation, give 6 months notice in writing to his commanding officer of his desire to be discharged and he shall, upon the expiration of such notice, be so discharged.

(5) A person who, in consideration of—

(a) being permitted to undergo a course of instruction of a duration of not less than 8 weeks, or

(b) receiving any other benefit or advantage,

consents in writing to be restricted in the exercise of his right to give 18 months notice conferred by paragraph (1) of this regulation or to give 6 months notice conferred by paragraph (4) of this regulation shall not exercise such rights before the expiration of the appropriate period which shall be specified in such consent and shall begin with the date on which he completes such course of instruction or such other date as is mentioned in the consent.

(6) For the purposes of paragraph (5) of this regulation “the appropriate period” shall be—

(a) in relation to permission to undergo a course of instruction, a period of not more than 18 months, and

(b) in relation to the receipt of any other benefit or advantage, a period of not more than 4 years 6 months.