R 152027Z APR 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 009/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/CANCELLATION OF BROADENED OPPORTUNITY FOR OFFICER SELECTION AND TRAINING (BOOST) PROGRAM//
REF/A/MSGID:CMC WASHINGTON DC/CG MCRC/260516ZNOV2008//
NARR/REF A IS MARADMIN 676/08, FISCAL YEAR 2009 BROADENED OPPORTUNITY FOR OFFICER SELECTION AND TRAINING (BOOST) PROGRAM NOTIFICATION//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2008, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY CANCELLED THE BROADENED OPPORTUNITY FOR OFFICER SELECTION AND TRAINING (BOOST) PROGRAM.  REFERENCE (A) ANNOUNCED THE NAVY DECISION AND THE FOLLOW-ON ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY HQMC.  BOOST HAD PROVIDED AN ENLISTED TO OFFICER OPPORTUNITY FOR MARINES THROUGH IMPROVEMENT OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND TEST SCORES DURING A TIME OF LIMITED COMMISSIONING OPPORTUNITIES.  MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS, RECRUITING COMMAND, AND TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND REVIEWED CURRENT ENLISTED TO OFFICER PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES AND DETERMINED THAT DEVELOPMENT OF A SEPARATE MARINE BOOST PROGRAM WAS NOT NECESSARY.  OTHER EXISTING PROGRAMS MEET THE REQUIREMENT TO ACADEMICALLY QUALIFY ENLISTED MARINES FOR OFFICER PROGRAMS. 
2.  THE LIFE LONG LEARNING (LLL) PROGRAM OFFERED THROUGH MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES (MCCS) IS A SYNCHRONIZED GROUP OF PROGRAMS PROVIDING PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.  THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, INCREASE TEST SCORES, QUALIFY FOR ENLISTED TO OFFICER PROGRAMS, AND EARN BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE DEGREES.  THIS PROVIDES MARINES A PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF THEIR DESIRE TO PURSUE A COMMISSION.  ALL BASES AND STATIONS HAVE AN LLL CENTER WITH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE MILITARY ACADEMIC SKILLS PROGRAM (MASP), WHICH IS INTENDED TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND TEST SCORES, SIMILAR TO BOOST.  MARINES ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE TO USE TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR COLLEGE COURSE COMPLETION.
3.  A FORTHCOMING MARADMIN WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDANCE ON BOOST CANCELLATION AND ENLISTED TO OFFICER PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES.  COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRIEF ENLISTED TO OFFICER PROGRAMS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AS PART OF MARINE CORPS ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.  LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS MUST CONTINUE TO MENTOR AND GUIDE THOSE ENLISTED MARINES WHO DESIRE TO PURSUE BECOMING AN OFFICER OF MARINES.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//