ACADEMIC YEAR 23-24 UNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Date Signed: 1/27/2022 | MARADMINS Number: 032/22
MARADMINS : 032/22

R 262200Z JAN 22
MARADMIN 032/22
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/ACADEMIC YEAR 23-24 UNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20080125//
AMPN/REFERENCE A IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1553.4B THAT DEFINES THE REQUIREMENTS, OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MARINE CORPS PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION.//
POC/MR. WILL KIRKBRIDE/GS14/CDET OPSO/LOC: QUANTICO/TEL: (703) 784-5971/EMAIL: WILFRID.KIRKBRIDE@USMCU.EDU//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Situation
1.A.  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.  The USAWCDEP is designed to be provocative, demanding, and rigorous.
2.  Mission
2.A.  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 pre-requisites.  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.  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 the accomplishment of course objectives.  Course performance is evaluated through writing, forum participation, and exercises.  The initial resident phase is scheduled for 18-30 June 2023, between the first and second Academic Year (AY).  The final resident phase is tentatively scheduled for 15-26 July 2024 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.  3.C.  EDCOM will convene a review board to screen and select those best qualified officers to participate in the AY 23-24 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 2022 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.  Those that were approved for deferment do not have submit another package, but do have to notify the CDET POC of returning status by submission deadline in section 3.E.1.K.
3.E.  Submission Instructions
3.E.1.  Applications should be formatted on command letterhead as follows:
3.E.1.A.  Name, Rank, Department of Defense Identification/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.  Two hundred fifty words (maximum).  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.1.J.  Military email address and phone number.
3.E.1.K.  Application submission deadline is 2359/8 March 2022.
3.E.2.  To safeguard personal identification information, applications must be sent in Portable Document File (PDF) format via the Department of Defense Secure Access File Exchange (DoD SAFE) website (https:(slash)(slash)safe.apps.mil/) to the email address wilfrid.kirkbride@usmcu.edu.  A confirmation email will be sent to the applicant when application is received.
4.  Administration and Logistics
4.A.  Commands Outside Continental United States (CONUS) must fund student travel and per diem to a 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 (DTS) to CDET cross organization in April of the Academic Year required.  Rental cars will not be authorized.  Please direct all funding/DTS inquiries to Ms. Kristina Creger at kristina.creger@usmc.mil or (703) 784-0692.
4.B.  Upon completion of the USAWCDEP, a Master of Strategic Studies degree will be awarded.  The USAWCDEP is also accredited by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, as a program for Joint education, Phase I Senior Level (JPME I) and conditionally accredited for Phase II JPME (JPME II).
4.C.  For Marine Corps Total Force System reporting, the formal school code for the USAWCDEP is R2Q.
4.D.  Additional course information is available at the website https:(slash)(slash)ssl.armywarcollege.edu/dde/default.cfm
5.  Command and Signal
5.A.  The CDET point of contact is Mr. Will Kirkbride, phone:  (703) 784-5971 or email:  wilfrid.kirkbride@usmcu.edu.
5.B.  Questions regarding the AWCDEP can be emailed to mike.semrau@armywarcollege.edu or amos.myers@armywarcollege.edu.
6.  This Marine Administrative Message is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
7.  Release authorized by Brigadier General Walker M. Field, Commanding General, Education Command.//