R 110930Z APR 23
MARADMIN 186/23
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM PRES MCU QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/CONVENING OF ACADEMIC YEAR 2023-2024 COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AND EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SCHOOL BLENDED SEMINAR PROGRAM SELECTION BOARD FOR RESERVE OFFICERS//
REF/A/DOC/CMC/YMD: 20131126//
REF/B/DOC/CMC/YMD: 20080125//
REF/C/MSG/CMC/YMD: 20081211//
REF/D/MSG/CMC/YMD: 20190716//
REF/E/MSG/CMC/YMD: 20201229//
NARR/REF A IS MCO P1900.16G, MARINE CORPS SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT MANUAL. REF B IS MCO 1553.4B, PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION. REF C IS MARADMIN 703/08, OFFICER PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION SUMMARY. REF D IS MARADMIN 396/19, EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SCHOOL DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM CURRICULUM TRANSITION FROM 8660 TO 8670 SERIES. REF E IS MARADMIN 772/20, EXCESS BILLET IDENTIFICATION CODE FOR SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE MARINES ENROLLED IN NON-RESIDENT PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION.//
POC/TAYLOR ADAMS/MAJ/RESERVE LIAISON OFFICER/COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING/-/TELEPHONE: 703-784-3015 POC/MR. JOHN PAPIS/CIV/MARINE FORCES RESERVE (G-3/5)/-/TEL: 504-697-7375/DSN: 647-7375/EMAIL: JOHN.PAPIS@USMC.MIL//
POC/MR. BRENNETT FORD/CIV/RESERVE AFFAIRS/-/TEL: 703-432-9410/DSN: 278-9410/EMAIL: BRENNETT.FORD@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This Marine Administrative Message (MARADMIN) announces the convening of the Academic Year (AY) 2023-2024 Command and Staff College (CSC) and Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) funded Blended Seminar Program (BSP) selection board for reserve officers. The intent of this MARADMIN is to solicit applications from those reserve officers desiring to attend the funded BSP Distance Education Program (DEP) and to detail the application process.
2. Application
2.a. All applicants must submit their application via the Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) and Manpower and Reserve Affairs website. Officers that are board selected for a BSP will be registered in the Marine Corps Training Information Management System by the College of Distance Education and Training (CDET) Reserve Liaison Officer (RLO). Officers who meet any of the following criteria are ineligible to apply for the funded BSP DEP:
2.b. Officers who are in the above zone on the next scheduled promotion board.
2.c. Officers that have completed an equivalent Formal Level School (FLS) or DEP.
2.d. Officers with approved retirements, resignations, or pending conditional release.
2.e. Officers applying for FLS who have a mandatory removal date of 1 October 2025 or earlier.
2.f. Officers who have more than 18 years of creditable service towards a reserve retirement.
3. Requirements
3.a. Reserve officers participating in any funded Professional Military Education (PME) program of study (excluding two week staff training courses) will incur a selected reserve (SELRES) drilling affiliation obligation for 24 continuous months following the completion of the program of study. This requirement is to ensure that the reserve component effectively realizes a return on the investment made in funding the education of officers through these programs. To more effectively enforce this requirement, the following applies:
3.a.1. Officers will sign a Separate Written Agreement to Train (SWAT) at the time of application to all funded DEP PME programs of study to acknowledge and accept the SELRES drilling affiliation requirement. DEP applications submitted without a signed SWAT will not be accepted.
3.a.2. Ninety days following graduation, officers must be joined to either a Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) drilling unit or an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Billet Identification Code (BIC) that matches his or her grade and military occupational specialty.
3.b. Subsequent failure to affiliate following graduation will be handled in accordance with the SWAT signed at the time of application.
4. BSP prerequisites. Officers in the ready reserve (SMCR and IMA) or Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) are eligible for consideration if they meet the specific eligibility criteria listed for each respective program below:
4.a. Intermediate level course: CSC BSP
4.a.1. Eligibility. Major, captain (complete with professional military education for grade and three years time in grade), chief warrant officer 5, chief warrant officer 4, and chief warrant officer 4 (select).
4.a.2. Format. CSC BSP is designed for delivery in three stages: stage one is a 4-week resident period, stage two is a 28-week online period, and stage three is a 6-week resident period.
4.a.3. CSC BSP class dates (read in three columns):
Class Number/Location Report 1st Report 2nd
Resident Period Resident Period
401-402/QUAN 19 Jun 23(401) 28 Apr 24(402)
403-404/CLNC 23 Jul 23(403) 7 Apr 24(404)
405-406/CPCA 26 Jul 23(405) 7 Apr 24(406)
407-408/CLNC 21 Jan 24(407) 15 Sep 24(408)
409-410/CPCA 23 Jan 24(409) 15 Sep 24(410)
4.b. Career level course: EWS BSP
4.b.1. Eligibility. Captain, captain (select), chief warrant officer 3, and chief warrant officer 3 (select).
4.b.2. Format. EWS BSP is designed for delivery in three stages: stage one is a 29-day resident period, stage two is a 12-week online period, and stage three is a 6-week resident period.
4.b.3. EWS BSP class dates (read in three columns):
Class Number/Location Report 1st Report 2nd
Resident Period Resident Period
401-402/CLNC 9 Jul 23(401) 29 Oct 23(402)
403-404/CPCA 9 Jul 23(403) 29 Oct 23(404)
405-406/QUAN 7 Jan 24(405) 28 Apr 24(406)
407-408/CLNC 7 Jan 24(407) 28 Apr 24(408)
409-410/CPCA 7 Jan 24(409) 29 Apr 24(410)
5. Course prerequisites. Prospective students must complete the 8670 prerequisite described in reference (d) prior to applying to the EWS BSP. Students will submit enrollment requests for the 8670 prerequisite through MARINENET, Course Code: EWSDEPPREQ.
6. Application process
6.a. The deadline for submitting the application and updated material for the BSPs is 1 May 2023, 2359 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The online website for submission of all applications and materials is https:(slant)(slant)www.manpower.usmc.mil/application_noncac/. Officers with a Manpower and Reserve Affairs portal account will proceed to the login process. Officers who do not have a Manpower and Reserve Affairs portal account will receive a 404 access error. Within the error message are instructions on how to register for a Manpower and Reserve Affairs portal account. Any active or reserve component Marines requesting a portal account will be automatically approved. Upon login, the system will validate the application for which the officer is qualified. Click "RPME-C" and complete the Reserve Professional Military Education (RPME) application for the desired program. Officers are strongly advised to read the instructions in their entirety before completing the application form. The web-based application allows for the attachment of documents and offers RPME preference options via drop-down boxes. Ensure upload of documents into the proper document type (e.g., Reserve Qualification Summary (RQS) documents upload into RQS file type). Officers must complete, sign (digitally or physically), and attach their RQS NAVMC 10476 (Rev. Sep 2016), which is the current version located on the online application and on the Reserve Affairs Management-3 webpage in order for their application to be considered. All applicants applying for funded BSP must also attach a signed SWAT which is located on the application website, in order for their application to be considered. Once submitted, officers will receive a confirmation email that their application has been received. Hard copy applications will not be accepted. All submitted material will be destroyed upon completion of the selection process. If unable to access the portal, email the CDET RLO at mcu_cdet_rlo@usmcu.edu.
6.b. Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) material. Any documents that an officer feels should be part of his or her OMPF, other than fitness reports, must be forwarded to HQMC (MMRP-20) by 30 April 2023, 2359 EDT. Email is the preferred and fastest way to update the OMPF. Email updated material to smb.manpower.mmsb-20@usmc.mil. In the text of the email, indicate AY 23-24 RPME-C selection process as the program being considered for. A single black and white multi-page attachment in Adobe Portable Document Format will expedite filing. Ensure all materials contain full name and electronic data interchange personal identifier (EDIPI). Personally identifiable information privacy is the responsibility of the sender.
7. Administration
7.a. Ensure email addresses and telephone numbers are current and are provided on the application. Update any changes to point of contact information promptly.
7.b. Excess BIC. To avoid a break in SELRES affiliation while enrolled in nonresident PME, SMCR Marines may elect to request transfer to an excess BIC within their unit in accordance with reference (e).
8. Notification of selection. The selection panel will select a number of officers as primaries equal to the number of school seats available. The selection panel will also select a sufficient number of officers as alternates to meet quota requirements when officers decline or otherwise cannot accept. Once the results are approved by CDET, primary selectees for the BSP will be notified via email. The email will provide administrative guidance for orders processing and issuance.
9. Withdrawal from course. Officers withdrawing from a course for which they were selected must do so 60 days prior to the commencement of the course. Withdrawal within 60 days of the commencement of the course will be documented in the officer’s OMPF with a non-punitive page 11 entry.
10. This MARADMIN is applicable to the Reserve Component (SMCR, IMA, and IRR) and has been coordinated with Marine Forces Reserve. Active Reserve program members must apply via the CDET RLO.
11. Release authorized by Brigadier General Maura M. Hennigan, President, Marine Corps University.//