R 161948Z JAN 25
MARADMIN 020/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2026-01 (FY26-01) TEST PILOT SCHOOL (TPS)
SELECTION PANEL ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20190530//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20210510//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1542.3E, UNITED STATES NAVY/UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE TEST PILOT SCHOOLS. REF B IS MCO 1300.8 CH 1, MARINE CORPS
PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY.//
POC/J. KENNEDY/LTCOL/EXECUTIVE OFFICER/MARINE AVIATION DETACHMENT
(MAD) PATUXENT RIVER/
TEL: (301) 342-1421, DSN: 342-1421/
EMAIL: MAD_XO@US.NAVY.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. The FY26-01 TPS Selection Panel will convene on
or about 27 February 2025.
1.a. Major timeline milestones are:
Date Milestone Note
Release of this message TPS questionnaire open 1
17 February 2025 Completed questionnaire due 2
27 February 2025 FY 26-01 TPS Panel convenes
Note 1: Refer to paragraph 10 of this message for additional
details regarding questionnaire completion.
Note 2: Applicants must complete the questionnaire by 2359 EST on
13 February 2025.
2. The FY26-01 TPS Selection Panel will consider applicants for
assignment to United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) Class
169, convening January 2026. The panel will consider the best and
most fully qualified aviators for primary and alternate selection.
3. Aviators from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and fixed-wing
MOSs are highly encouraged to apply. One (1) prospective test pilot
will be selected and should expect to test unmanned aircraft systems
(UAS) on the UX-24 test team. MOSs by order of desired background
are: 7318, 7315, TACAIR pilots/naval flight officers (NFO), all
other fixed wing aviators.
4. If the selectee is not MQ-9 qualified, they will complete an
approximate two-month UAS qualification course after TPS.
5. Eligibility
5.a. Eligibility criteria
5.a.1. Active component commissioned officers on active duty.
5.a.2. Regular commissioned officers in the rank of First
Lieutenant and above.
5.a.3. Designated Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers.
5.a.4. Fixed-wing pilots who have a minimum of 750 military flight
hours by 31 January 2026.
5.a.5. UAS officers who have a minimum of 500 UAS flight hours by
31 January 2026.
5.a.6. Must have successfully completed college physics or
mechanics and college level mathematics through calculus. Although
not a requirement, a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering,
physical science, computer science, or mathematics fields is highly
desirable.
5.a.7. Must meet anthropometric requirements for TPS syllabus
aircraft. Applicants that fall outside the below requirements may
contact the Marine Aviation Detachment for additional guidance.
5.a.7.a. Weight: 103-245 lbs.
5.a.7.b. Sitting height: 32.0" through 40.9".
5.a.7.c. Buttock-knee length: 21.0" through 27.4".
5.a.8. All Captain candidates shall be Professional Military
Education (PME) complete for grade by 31 January 2026.
5.a.9. Security clearance: All selected officers must have at
least a Secret clearance that will not expire during the next four
fiscal years, and must be eligible and apply for a Top Secret-
Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI).
5.a.10. Must meet the time on station requirements described in
paragraph (6).
5.b. Ineligibility criteria
5.b.1. Reserve component commissioned officers.
5.b.2. Officers in the above-zone for promotion.
5.b.3. Officers serving in a joint billet that have not met their
minimum time on station requirements by 1 July 2025.
5.b.4. Officers pending any medical or legal action that would
preclude successful completion of the period of instruction and
subsequent tour of duty.
5.b.5. Officers who have not completed their Commandants Career-
Level Education Board (CCLEB) utilization tour by 1 July 2025.
6. Time on station requirements:
6.a. Applicants must meet the minimum 24-months time-on-station
requirement for continental United States (CONUS) assignment or be
able to complete their tour control factor for outside the
continental United States (OCONUS) assignments. If an applicant
does not meet time-on-station requirements, they must submit a
command-endorsed waiver, via NAVMC 10274 (AA-Form), with the
application. Transfer inside of the normal 24-months permanent
change of station time-on-station obligation will result in a gap
for that command until the 24-month period has concluded. If an
officer is selected prior to his/her normal rotation date, Manpower
Management Officer Assignments Branch will attempt to provide a
backfill. A commander's endorsement of the applicant’s letter of
intent is considered acknowledgement of this situation.
6.b. Those officers in a joint billet must meet their minimum time
-on-station requirements by 1 July 2025.
6.c. Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTIs) must serve a minimum of
18-months in their unit upon successful completion of WTI Course
prior to executing a permanent change of station or permanent change
of assignment. This requirement does not preclude WTIs from
applying to TPS, and orders can be adjusted on a case-by-case basis
to ensure this prerequisite is satisfied.
7. Because of extensive pre-arrival training associated with this
curriculum, prospective test pilots should expect to report for duty
prior to the class convening date listed in paragraph (2) IAW the
below approximate timelines:
T/M/S Months Prior to Convening Date
UAS Officers 2
NFOs 2
Fixed Wing Pilots 5
8. Officers should plan to report with a current Naval Air Training
and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) and instrument
check in their primary T/M/S.
9. Eligibility Waivers. If a waiver is required for section (5.a)
requirements, it shall be annotated on the online questionnaire
mentioned in paragraph (10.a). All waivers will be processed during
the selection panel. The requirement for a waiver should not be
considered a disqualifier for favorable endorsements by the chain of
command.
10. Application Requirements
10.a. Complete the entire online questionnaire by navigating
to: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/B30nmjt24H
10.a.1. Applicant shall disclose if they were subject to a Field
Flight Performance Board and the results of the board.
10.a.2. Applicant shall include a scanned "Letter of Intent" to
apply for TPS endorsed through the first colonel (or O-6 equivalent)
in standard letter format. A letter of intent template is provided
via the questionnaire.
10.a.3. Command endorsements should specifically address the
flying abilities and aviation leadership qualities of the
applicant. In cases where the endorsing officer has no firsthand
knowledge of the applicant's flying ability, a letter of
recommendation shall be included from one or more officers who
have supervised the applicant in an operational flying billet
within the past three years.
10.a.4. In the event an officer submits an application and is
subsequently transferred, endorsements from the gaining command
shall also be forwarded.
10.b. Digital copies of the following documents shall be submitted
in a single PDF document, in the following order, to MMOA-3 via
SMBMMOAPLANSO@USMC.MIL.
10.b.1. Letter of intent (refer to paragraph 10.a.2) and all
endorsements.
10.b.2. Email correspondence from PMOS monitor confirming
applicant's eligibility.
10.b.3. 1-page applicant military biography without photograph.
Biography should summarize military school experience,
operational, flight and leadership experience, as well as other
noteworthy personal experiences that would be of interest to the
selection board.
10.b.4. Legible copies of official college transcript(s). There
is no requirement to have official copies sent directly to the
selection board from the educational institutions. Transcript(s)
shall show type of degree conferred and date conferred. Do not
submit copies of diplomas.
10.b.5. Letters of recommendation (optional, maximum of three).
10.b.6. As required, legible copies of Field Flight Performance
Board material and/or any other legal matters.
10.b.7. All digital documents shall be combined into a single PDF
document and saved as "EDIPI_LastName_TPS169" and emailed to
SMBMMOAPLANSO@USMC.MIL.
10.b.8. OMPF update material. Officers should submit OMPF update
requests via OMPF-Records Management Application (O-RMA). If
assistance is required, contact your unit S-1 or local IPAC.
Officers are responsible for ensuring their OMPF and Master Brief
Sheet is accurate at all times. Panel members will have access to
the OMPF during the panel.
11. Application procedures
11.a. The application deadline is 2359 Eastern Standard Time on
17 February 2025.
12. Prospective applicants should contact the MAD Patuxent River
Executive Officer using point of contact information at the
beginning of the MARADMIN if assistance is needed during the
application preparation process.
13. All applicants shall submit a complete application package.
Information contained in previous applications is not retained
after the selection panel.
14. Points of contact:
Fixed Wing Majors Monitor
Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Simmermon
Comm: (703) 784-9267
Email: jesse.simmermon@usmc.mil
Fixed Wing Company Grade Monitor
Captain Maverick Santamaria
Comm: (703) 784-9267
Email: maverick.santamaria@usmc.mil
Rotary Wing Majors Monitor
Major Brandon Thompson
Comm: (703) 784-9267
Email: brandon.k.thompson@usmc.mil
Rotary Wing Company Grade Monitor
Major Anthony Emberger
Comm: (703) 784-9268
Email: anthony.emberger@usmc.mil
15. Release authorized by MajGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director,
Manpower Management Division.//