FY19 PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM (PEP) AND LIAISON OFFICER (LNO) SOLICITATION
Date Signed: 5/23/2018 | MARADMINS Number: 285/18
MARADMINS : 285/18
R 231455Z MAY 18
MARADMIN 285/18
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/FY19 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 312-664-0030/703-604-0030/CLAYTON.FISHER@USMC.MIL//
POC/2/KEVIN ZASTROW/CTR/CMC DC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC/DSN 312-664-5122/703-604-5122/KEVIN.ZASTROW.CTR@USMC.MIL//
POC/3/RONAL MORALES/MGYSGT/CMC DC PPO PL WASHINGTON DC/DSN 312-664-0118/703-604-0118/RONAL.MORALES@USMC.MIL//
POC/4/THOMAS A. BROWNE/LTCOL/CMC I IO WASHINGTON DC/703-693-1762/THOMAS.BROWNE@USMC.MIL//
POC/5/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 2019 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 FY19.
      GRD BMOS  Billet            Partner Unit      Date    MCC Note
3.A.  O4  0302  Operations Off.   Argentine Marines Aug 19  KBE
3.B.  O4  0302  Operations Off.   Brazilian Marines Jun 19  TCO 3
3.C.  O3  0206  Intel Officer     Canadian Army     Jun 19  MCK 1
3.D.  O4  0302  Operations Off.   Chilean Marines   Oct 19  UF1
3.E.  E6  0861  Fires SME         Chilean Marines   Nov 18  UF1
3.F.  O4  0302  Combat Arms Inst. Colombian Marines Sep 19  TP7
3.G.  O3  0302  Operations Off.   Dutch Marines     Jun 19  MAJ
3.H.  O3  0302  Royal Marine Exch UK Royal Marines  Jun 19  K02
3.I.  O4  0302  Operations Off.   UK Royal Marines  Jun 19  K02
3.J.  O3  0202  Intel Officer     UK Joint HHQ      Jul 19  TL4 1
3.K.  O3  0202  Intel Officer     UK Joint HHQ      Dec 19  TL4 1
3.L.  E7  0369  Mtn/Artic Inst.   UK Royal Marines  Jun 19  K02 2
Note 1:  HQMC Intelligence Department is the sponsor for this billet and will screen and select applicants. Note 2:  Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center is the liaison for this billet and will screen all packages prior to selection panel.  Note 3:  1803 AAV Officers will also be considered.
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 Dutch.  If selected candidate does not meet DLPT requirements, Spanish language training will take place at the Defense Language Institute - Monterey and Dutch language training will take place at the Defense Language Institute – Washington, 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.  Argentina   Spanish        29 Oct 18   15 Aug 19
4.B.  Brazil      Portuguese     Fall 18     Spring 19
4.C.  Chile       Spanish        29 Oct 18   15 Aug 19
4.D.  Colombia    Spanish        29 Oct 18   15 Aug 19
4.E.  Netherlands Dutch          Fall 18     Spring 19
5.  Submission requirements.  Eligible Marines can apply by submitting an application in Naval letter format to the International Affairs Branch NLT 15 July 2018.  Final packages for officers will be emailed in PDF format to the POCs listed above.  For enlisted applicants, the completed packages must be submitted electronically using the Special Duty Assignment/Miscellaneous Reenlistment Extension Lateral Move (RELM) in the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) via the normal RELM routing chain to CMC (MMEA-25). Unit Career Planners have access to the TFRS program.  Additionally, enlisted applicants must submit entire package 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.A, 3.B, 3.D, 3.E, 3.F or 3.G, include DLAB, DLPT, OPI scores and dates of most recent tests.
5.A.4  Contact information.
5.A.5  For officers, a statement from PMOS monitor that the Marine meets TOS requirements, is not in receipt of orders, career timing supports, and is eligible to apply. This is included in the RELM application for enlisted applicants.
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 July 2018.
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.
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.  For Intelligence billets, contact LtCol Browne or Maj Knight, listed above.
14.  Release authorized by GS15 Jeffrey L. DeWeese, Acting Director, Strategy and Plans Division, Plans, Policies and Operations, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps.//