R 051715Z APR 23
MARADMIN 174/23
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MM MRA WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND FISCAL YEAR 2025 SECURITY COOPERATION OFFICER SELECTION BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20130327//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20200429//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20210510//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20200706//
REF/E/MSGID: DOC/DOD/YMD: 20180403//
NARR/REF A IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1520.11F, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM. REF B IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 5710.6D, MARINE CORPS SECURITY COOPERATION. REF C IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1300.8 CH-1, PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY. REF D IS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF INSTRUCTION 1330.05, JOINT OFFICER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PROCEDURES. REF E IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) INSTRUCTION 1300.19, DOD JOINT OFFICER MANAGEMENT (JOM) PROGRAM.//
POC/CHRISTOPHER D. DELLOW/LTCOL/PLU-8/DSN: 312-224-4365/COMM: 703-692-4365/EMAIL: CHRISTOPHER.DELLOW@USMC.MIL//
POC/RONAL MORALES/CTR/PLU-8/DSN: 312-224-2168/COMM: 703-692-2168/EMAIL: RONAL.MORALES.CTR@USMC.MIL//
POC/ALLISON N. SMYCZYNSKI/MAJ/MMOA-3/COMM: 703-784-9211/EMAIL: ALLISON.SMYCZYNSKI@USMC.MIL//
POC/MICHAEL D. SCOTTO/MAJ/MMOA-3/COMM: 703-784-9284/EMAIL: MICHAEL.D.SCOTTO@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This messgae solicits applications to fill fiscal year 2024 (FY24) and fiscal year 2025 (FY25) Security Cooperation Officer (SCO) billet vacancies. The International Affairs Program (IAP) seeks qualified officers to serve in Joint SCO billets with respective geographic Combatant Commands (CCMD). The board will select officers based on their specific political-military and security cooperation experience, language, regional expertise, and cultural (LREC) skills, and performance as Marine Air Ground Task Force officers. Per ref (b), SCOs serve in influental strategic-level positions where they are the foremost points of contact between the Department of Defense and the host nation Ministry of Defense, other government agencies, small businesses, and academia. SCOs are located in or associated with U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide and are responsible for overseeing and implementing in-country security cooperation, to include security assistance programs, and for facilitating cooperation in research, development, and acquisition with allied and partner nations.
1.a. The board will select the best and most fully qualified Marine for each available SCO billet. The board will carefully consider the career path of each applicant during the selection process. Selection board results will be published via MARADMIN.
1.b. Major timeline milestones are (read in three columns):
Date Milestone Note
31 Jul 2023 Applications due 1
31 Aug 2023 Board convenes
18 Sep 2023 Release of results
Note 1: Refer to paragraph 7 of this message for application procedures and requirements.
2. Eligibility.
2.a. Applicants must be on active duty.
2.b. Time on station requirements.
2.b.1. Applicants must meet minimum time on station requirements and be eligible for permanent change of station orders in FY24 or FY25 respectively, based upon current prescribed tour length.
2.b.2. Applicants may request a waiver to the requirement in 2.b.1. to be screened if scheduled to complete prescribed tour length in 2025 or beyond if applying for FY24 SCO billet vacancies or 2026 or beyond if applying for FY25 SCO billet vacancies. To request a waiver, applicants must submit an adminstrative action (AA) form to Manpower Management Officer Assignments Branch (MMOA). Requests must be endorsed by the first O-6 or equivalent in the chain of command and therein acknowledge a potential gap in staffing should the requesting Marine be selected for service as a SCO and a replacement is not supportable. MMOA will adjudicate the waiver request separately from the board process and waivers must be approved by MMOA before an officer will be considered for a SCO billet vacancy.
2.c. Applicants must possess the career timing to serve a full tour of duty in the grade of the billet for which they are applying. Officers serving in a Standard Joint Duty Assignment (S-JDA) will be eligible for full joint duty credit after 24 months of service.
2.d. Applicants must meet the grade criterion (or be selected for promotion to that grade) of the associated duty for which they are applying. Officers applying for positions other than their current grade will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
2.e. Applicants selected for or currently attending programs that have a designated utilization assignment are ineligible.
2.e.1. Examples include, but are not limited to the Commandant's Career-Level Education Board, Commandant’s Intermediate-Level Education Board, Marine Attaché program, or any other Marine Corps education program that requires an utilization tour.
2.e.2. Study track Foreign Area Officers (FAO) and Regional Affairs Officers (RAO) are eligible to apply. If selected to a position within their regional designation, this tour will count as their utilization assignment.
3. Application requirements. Interested applicants must submit an application according to the timeline and method in paragraph 6 containing the the following requirements:
3.a. Email correspondence from PMOS monitor confirming eligibility for this assignment with regards to time on station and obligated service. The board will not consider any application without PMOS monitor confirmation of eligibility. Certain manpower considerations may preclude eligibility per ref (c).
3.b. Applicants must have a command endorsement from the first O-6 commander, or higher, in the applicant’s chain of command.
3.c. Applicants and family members must complete an overseas suitability screening, be found eligible for an overseas tour, and be fully deployable prior to submitting an application.
3.d. Families are an important element of SCO assignments. Applicants with dependents enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program are eligible to apply, but may not be able to participate pending availability of required care.
3.e. Applicants must already have a completed Tier Five (T-5) investigation and have Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) eligibility. Application to serve as a SCO is not sufficient justification for an investigation eligibility determination. T-5 investigation requests will not be submitted as part of the SCO application.
3.f. Security cooperation experience and language proficiency are highly desirable but are not prerequisites to submit an application.
4. The FY24 and FY25 SCO selection board will screen for the following SCO positions. This list is subject to change before the selection board based on IAP and CCMD requirements. For the most current list, visit the website listed in paragaph 6.a.
4.a. FY24 SCO billet vacancies.
Grd BMOS Country Language Rpt Date MCC JDAL Note
O5 0402/8247 Norway Norwegian Jul 24 NA8 00009921 1, 3, 6
O4 8241 Brazil Portuguese Jul 24 TBD 00006093 1, 3, 6
O5 7506 Spain Spanish Jul 24 NBB 00009900 1, 3, 6
O5 8248 Thailand Thai Jul 24 NAM 00007233 1, 3, 4
4.b. FY25 SCO billet vacancies.
Grd BMOS Country Language Rpt Date MCC JDAL Note
O5 0302/8241 Colombia Spanish Jul 25 N04 00006147 3, 5
O4 8248 Indonesia Indonesian Aug 25 NCL 00147076 1, 3, 4
O4 8006/8245 Kenya English Aug 25 N3A 00108929 1, 2
O4 8248 New Zealand English Jul 25 NWC 00129209 1, 3
O4 8241 Mexico Spanish Jul 25 NCH 00009633 1, 2, 5
O5 8243 Taiwan Chinese Aug 25 NVG 00147085 1, 3, 6
Note 1: TS/SCI security clearance is a mandatory requirement.
Note 2: Joint tour length for this position is 24 months.
Note 3: Joint tour length for this position is 36 months.
Note 4: Language proficiency is not required, but highly desirable.
Note 5: Language proficiency at the 3/3 level is a mandatory requirement.
Note 6: Language proficiency at the 2/2/2 level is a mandatory requirement.
5. The language requirement is based on Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) and Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) scores, as required. If the selected candidate does not meet DLPT and OPI requirements, language training will take place at the Defense Language Institute (DLI).
5.a. Applicants requiring foreign language training must have a minimum Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) score for the respective language as follows:
5.a.1. 95 for category I languages: Norwegian, Portuguese and Spanish.
5.a.2. 100 for category II languages: Indonesian.
5.a.3. 105 for category III languages: Tagalog and Thai.
5.a.4. 110 for category IV languages: Chinese.
5.b. Applicants requiring language training must take into consideration DLI course length to ensure minimum time on station requirements will be met before applying. DLI course length are as follows:
5.b.1. Category I languages: Norwegian, 26 weeks.
Spanish, 36 weeks.
5.b.2. Category II languages: 35 weeks.
5.b.3. Category III languages: 48 weeks.
5.b.4. Category IV languages: 64 weeks.
6. Application timeline and method.
6.a. Interested officers must submit their application to the IAP Office. Applications must arrive to the IAP Office no later than 2359 Eastern Standard Time on 31 July 2023 to be considered by the board. Applicants can find templates and additional information on the IAP website at: http:(slash)(slash)www.hqmc.marines.mil/ppo/Units/Strategy-and-Plans-Division-PL/International-Affairs-Branch-PLU/International-Affairs-Programs/IAP-Resources.
6.b. Applications must be submitted in portable document format (PDF) to IAPMarine@usmc.mil and to POCs listed above with the following naming convention EDIPI_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_MI_RANK (e.g.1234567890_SMITH_JOHN_A_CAPT).
6.c. The application will include the following:
6.c.1. Command endorsements through the first O-6 level commander.
6.c.2. Application for the SCO positions listed in paragraphs 4.a. and/or 4.b. Interested officers can find an application template at the website listed in paragraph 6.a. This application will include all billet preferences, previous political-military, security cooperation, LREC experiences, DLAB scores, and DLPT scores.
6.c.3. At least one letter of recommendation. Any letters of recommendation shall include an assessment of the applicant's potential to serve in joint billets as part of the CCMD staff and U.S. embassy country team.
6.c.4. Correspondence from PMOS monitor confirming eligibility.
6.c.5. Certification of security clearance from security officer.
6.c.6. NAVMED 1300/1 for applicant and dependents.
6.c.7. Certificate of suitability for overseas assignment.
6.d. The board will not consider incorrect or incomplete packages.
7. Officers selected to serve as SCOs may be eligible to receive the FAO or RAO additional MOS (AMOS) for their respective regions. Upon meeting the criteria for experience track AMOS designation, officers must notify the IAP Office to request designation of appropriate AMOS. The assignment of this AMOS will make officers eligible for further service utilization of their political-military, security cooperation, and LREC skills gained through their joint SCO assignments.
8. Completion of a tour of duty in a Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) position that meets all statutory requirements will result in joint credit. Those positions not considered an S-JDA with an assigned JDAL will require an experience-based joint credit submission via separate correspondence within the corresponding calendar year. A separate message will address the Experience-based Joint Duty Assignment requirements.
9. Points of Contact:
LtCol C. D. Dellow, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-4365/COMM: 703-692-4365
EMAIL: christopher.dellow@usmc.mil
Mr. C. J. Fisher, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-0322/COMM: 703-614-0322
EMAIL: clayton.fisher@usmc.mil
MSgt J. Riveromontes, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-4366/COMM: 703-692-4366
EMAIL: jorge.riveromontes@usmc.mil
Mr. R. Morales, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-2168/COMM: 703-692-2168/
EMAIL: ronal.morales.ctr@usmc.mil
10. Release authorized by MajGen Michael J. Borgschulte, Director, Manpower Management Division.//