R 072026Z NOV 17
MARADMIN 617/17
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG MCCDC QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/ACADEMIC YEAR 19-20 UNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT//
POC1/WILL KIRKBRIDE/CDET OPSO/LOC: QUANTICO/TEL: (703) 784-5971/EMAIL: WILFRID.KIRKBRIDE@USMCU.EDU//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Situation.  The United States Army War College (USAWC) annually solicits active component Marine Corps officers for participation in the United States Army War College Distance Education Program (USAWCDEP).  The USAWCDEP is a Top Level School (TLS) program that offers Marine Corps officers a unique opportunity for a high quality non-resident education.  The USAWCDEP is a two-year program that requires a significant level of personal commitment.  All prospective students should have a high level of confidence in their availability to attend the two mandatory resident summer sessions, as well as the ability to commit to the required hours for course work completion.
2.  Mission.  Education Command (EDCOM) facilitates the opportunity for active component Marine Corps officers to participate in the USAWCDEP in order to enhance our overall TLS professional military education efforts.
3.  Execution
3.A.  Commanders Intent.  To provide an opportunity for Marine officers to participate in TLS by soliciting applications to attend the USAWCDEP.  EDCOM will administer the program to screen the officers applications to ensure they meet all USAWCDEP prerequisites.  The end state is an increase in Marine Corps officers graduating from TLS.
3.B.  Concept of Operations.  The USAWCDEP is a managed program that commences annually in May.  The program consists of a series of eight primary online courses, an elective or directed research project, and two summer resident courses at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, taken over a two-year period.  Each course is composed of numerous lessons consisting of selected readings and other educational materials that support accomplishment of course objectives.  Course performance is evaluated through writing, forum participation, and exercises.  The initial resident phase is scheduled for the last two weeks in June, between the first and second Academic Year (AY).  The final resident phase is scheduled for the third and fourth week of July at the end of the second AY.  Attendance at both resident sessions is mandatory for successful course completion.  The course of instruction requires the student to have internet access.  A school package will be distributed to students the last week of April with the first work assignment due in May.
3.C.  EDCOM will convene a review board to screen and select those best qualified officers to participate in the AY 19-20 USAWCDEP.  Those officers selected as primary will be notified via email of their selection and their applications will be forwarded to the USAWC Registrar for official registration.
3.D.  Coordinating Instructions
3.D.1.  Program prerequisites are as follows:
3.D.1.A.  Lieutenant Colonels or Colonels.  Rank requirement is non-waiverable.  Selected Lieutenant Colonels must be promoted prior to the March 2018 screening board.
3.D.1.B.  Students must possess an adjudicated secret clearance.
3.D.1.C.  Successful completion of an Intermediate Level School (ILS) via resident or distance education program.
3.D.1.D.  Battalion/Squadron level command experience is desired but not required.
3.D.2.  Interested officers should closely coordinate participation with their commanding officer due to the significant time commitment required to complete this program.
3.D.3.  Officers previously enrolled then disenrolled or dropped on request from this program are not eligible to reapply.
3.D.4.  Deadline for completed applications is Friday, 23 March 2018.
3.E.  Submission Instructions
3.E.1.  Applications should be formatted as follows:
3.E.1.A.  Name, Rank, Electronic Data Interchange Personal Identifier / Military Occupational Specialty
3.E.1.B.  Current military mailing address
3.E.1.C.  Years commissioned service
3.E.1.D.  Security clearance
3.E.1.E.  ILS completed/date
3.E.1.F.  Background information:  i.e., current billet, date current tour began, command time.
3.E.1.G.  Essay.  250 words (maximum) essay should be in Portable Document Format or Word format.  The topic of the essay:  Why your selection for the USAWCDEP would bring value to the Marine Corps.
3.E.1.H.  Current Master Brief Sheet
3.E.1.I.  Commanding officer endorsement
3.E.2.  To safeguard personal identification information, applications should be sent via the Safe Access File Exchange website, https:(slant)(slant)safe.amrdec.army.mil/safe to the email address wilfrid.kirkbride@usmcu.edu.
4.  Administration and Logistics
4.A.  Commands outside Continental United States must fund student travel and per diem to a Continental United States (CONUS) Point of Entry (POE).  College of Distance and Education Training (CDET) will fund per diem and travel for the student from/to the POE or CONUS command to Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.  Submit travel requests via Defense Travel System to CDET in April of the AY required.  Rental cars will not be authorized.  Please direct all funding queries to Mr. Brian Real at (703) 432-0326 or (703) 784-2999.
4.B.  Upon completion of the USAWCDEP, a Masters of Strategic Studies degree will be awarded.  For Marine Corps Total Force System reporting the formal school code for the USAWCDEP is R2Q.
4.C.  Additional course information is available at website http:(slant)(slant)dde.carlisle.army.mil.
5.  Command and Signal.  CDET points of contact are Mr. Will Kirkbride, phone:  (703) 784-5971 or email:  wilfrid.kirkbride@usmcu.edu.
6.  This Marine Administrative Message is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
7.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command.//