FISCAL YEAR 2026-01 (FY26-01) TEST PILOT SCHOOL (TPS)  SELECTION PANEL ANNOUNCEMENT
Date Signed: 1/16/2025 | MARADMINS Number: 020/25
MARADMINS : 020/25

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.//