R 201352Z JUL 17
MARADMIN 379/17
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/FY18 PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM (PEP) AND LIAISON OFFICER (LNO) SOLICITATION//
REF/A/DOC/CMC PPO/20130327//
REF/B/DOC/CMC PPO/20070116//
REF/C/DOC/CMC MRA/20121015//
REF/D/DOC/CMC MPO/20140918//
NARR/REF A IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1520.11F, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM (IAP), CHAPTER 5 APPLIES TO THE PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM. REF B IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 5710.7, USMC FOREIGN AND MARINE LIAISON OFFICER PROGRAMS. REF C IS MARINE CORPS ORDER P1326.6D W/CH2, SELECTING, SCREENING, AND PREPARING ENLISTED MARINES FOR SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENTS AND INDEPENDENT DUTIES. REF D IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1300.8, PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY.// 
POC/1/CLAYTON J. FISHER/CIV/CMC DC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC/DSN 224-0322/703-614-0322/CLAYTON.FISHER@USMC.MIL//
POC/2/BRITTANY A. PATTERSON/CTR/CMC DC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC/DSN 224-0322/703-614-0322/BRITTANY.PATTERSON.CTR@USMC.MIL//
POC/3/RONAL MORALES/MSGT/CMC DC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC/DSN 224-4366/703-692-4366/RONAL.MORALES@USMC.MIL//
POC/4/ZACHARY M. KNIGHT/MAJ/CMC I IO WASHINGTON DC/571-256-9334/ZACHARY.M.KNIGHT@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  This MARADMIN seeks qualified Marines to represent the Marine Corps abroad by serving in PEP and LNO billets overseas embedded with foreign partner services.  Selected Marines will be assigned on two- to three-year tours with foreign partner services in order to advise, facilitate interoperability, and exchange professional skills and tactical expertise.
2.  Eligibility.
2.A.  Candidates must be on active duty.
2.B.  Candidates must meet minimum time on station requirements.
2.C.  Candidates must have sufficient obligated service remaining upon completion of PEP tour to fulfill a two-year follow-on assignment per page 5-13 of ref A.
2.D.  Candidates must not be in receipt of orders or selected/slated for other programs.  Examples include CCLEB, CPIB, Attache, etc.
2.E.  Marines attending resident PME and graduating in the summer of 2018 are encouraged to apply.  These individuals will not be available for language training until completion of their slated CPIB/CCLEB program.
2.F.  Candidates must have at minimum an O-6 command endorsement.
2.G.  Candidates must complete overseas screening for OCONUS tours, be found eligible for overseas tour and be fully deployable.
2.H.  Enlisted candidates must complete independent duty screening.
3.  The following PEP and LNO billets will be selected for overseas assignment in FY18.
     Grade  BMOS  Billet         Partner Unit      Date    MCC Note
3.A.  O4    8006  Exercise Plans Australian JHQ    Jan 18  TF2
3.B.  O4    8006  MAGTF SME      Australian Army   Jul 18  TF2
3.C.  O3    0202  Intel Plans    Australian Army   Jun 18  TF2 1
3.D.  O3    0202  SIGINT EW Ops  Australian Army   Jun 18  TF2 1
3.E.  E6    2621  RadBn Chief    Canadian Forces   Jun 18  MCK 1
3.F.  E6    0231  Intel Chief    Canadian Forces   Jun 18  MCK 1
3.G.  E7    08XX  Fire Supt SME  Chilean Marines   Jun 18  UF1
3.H.  E6    0369  Infantry SME   Chilean Marines   Aug 18  UF1
3.I.  E6    0369  Mrkshp Instr   UK Royal Marines  Dec 17  K02 2
3.J.  O4    8006  III MEF LNO    Japanese GSDF     May 20  119
Note 1:  HQMC Intelligence Department is the sponsor for this billet and will screen and select applicants.
Note 2:  Weapons Training Battalion (WTBN) is the liaison for this billet and will screen all packages prior to selection panel.
4.  Billets with the following partner nations require language proficiency.  The language requirement is minimum Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) score (2-2) in target languages, with Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) score of at least 1 plus.  Candidates with current DLPT scores are strongly encouraged to apply.  Candidates requiring foreign language training must have a minimum Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) score of 95 for Spanish and 110 for Japanese.  If selected candidate does not meet DLPT requirements, language training will take place at the Defense Language Institute and is estimated to begin and end on the following dates.  Report dates in country will be modified as required to meet language training requirements.
Country          Language       Start       End
4.A.  Chile       Spanish       8 Jan 18    4 Oct 18
4.B.  Japan       Japanese      24 Sep 18   13 Feb 20
5.  Submission requirements.  Eligible Marines can apply by submitting an application in Naval letter format to the International Affairs Branch NLT 15 September 2017.  Final packages will be emailed in PDF format to the POCs listed above.  Application forms will include the following:
5.A.  Enclosure 1 - Naval letter with endorsement through first O-6 level commander.  For billets requiring an off-cycle departure for language training, commands should acknowledge the likely gap in staffing in the endorsement.  The letter will also include:
5.A.1  Rank, Full Name, EDIPI, PMOS.
5.A.2  Preferences listed in order of priority.
5.A.3  If applying to billets listed in paragraphs 3.G, 3.H, or 3.J, include DLAB, DLPT, OPI scores and dates of most recent tests.
5.A.4  Contact information.
5.A.5  Copy of email statement from PMOS monitor stating the Marine meets TOS requirements, is not in receipt of orders, career timing supports, and is eligible to apply.
5.B.  Enclosure 2 - Summary of training, education and experience.  Note status of PME for grade.  Note any language proficiency, pertinent regional, academic, personal or professional experience or skill capability that may be pertinent for consideration by the panel.
5.C.  Enclosure 3 - Letter(s) of recommendation.  Endorsements and recommendations shall include an assessment of the applicants potential to serve as a representative of the Commandant of the Marine Corps on independent duty overseas.  Applications from enlisted Marines shall include completed independent duty screening and financial worksheets for OCONUS tours (ref C, appendices E and F).
5.D.  Enclosure 4 - Applicants with dependents shall include a certificate of suitability from overseas screening per ref D.
5.E.  Applicants are responsible for ensuring applications arrive at HQMC (PLU) NLT 15 September 2017.
6.  Selection Panel.  The selection panel will be composed of representatives from Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Manpower Management Officer and Enlisted Assignments, Deputy Commandant for Plans, Policies, and Operations, Director, Intelligence, and the geographic MARFORs.  The panel will select the best and most fully qualified Marines for each assignment.  Each applicants career path will be carefully considered during the selection process.  Panel results will be published via MARADMIN.
7.  Interested Marines must contact their PMOS monitor to identify themselves for consideration and validate their eligibility to participate in the PEP or LNO programs.
8.  One primary and one alternate may be selected for these billets.  Alternates will be contacted in the event the primary candidates are unavailable for assignment.  Notification will be via separate correspondence.  Applicants will be chosen based on requirements of the host unit, career development, potential and suitability as a representative of the USMC.
9.  PEP tours with partner nations may involve austere locations without access to the community services and U.S. military health care services that are normally available to personnel assigned to USMC bases and stations.  Routine healthcare will be reimbursed via the Tricare Overseas program.  Non-emergency travel to U.S. military treatment facilities will not be authorized at government expense.
10.  PEP personnel may qualify for special allowances which will defray many of the costs associated with independent, international duty.  These may include cost of living allowance, temporary lodging allowance, and overseas housing allowance.  These allowances may not cover all costs in all situations.  All prospective PEP personnel must be financially stable and prepared to incur potential unexpected costs.  Note:  for PEPs serving with foreign partner nations, all pay and allowances (except travel expenses incurred on behalf of the host nation) will be paid by the USMC.  PEPs will not receive host nation allowances or special pay.
11.  Primary candidates can expect permanent change of station (PCS) orders to coincide with coordinated language training dates or assumption of PEP and LNO tour as indicated above.  Each tour will be a three-year assignment inclusive of language training, and a maximum of three years in English-speaking countries.
12.  Upon successful completion of PEP and LNO billet, Marines will be assigned the Foreign Area Officer (FAO), Regional Affairs Officer (RAO), or Foreign Area SNCO (FAS) additional MOS (AMOS) for their respective region.  The assignment of this MOS will make PEPs eligible for further service utilization of their subject matter expertise with counterpart forces, regional and linguistic capabilities.
13.  Interested Marines may contact the POCs for detailed billet descriptions and information.
14.  Release authorized by GS15 Jeffrey L. DeWeese, Acting Director, Strategy and Plans Division, Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps.//