R 281547Z MAR 25
MARADMIN 168/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM PRES MCU QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/APPLICATION PROCESS FOR RESERVE OFFICERS APPLYING TO THE COLLEGE
OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AND
EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SCHOOL FUNDED WEEKEND SEMINAR PROGRAM WITH
START DATES IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2026//
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 MARINE ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE 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 NONRESIDENT PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION.//
POC/T. D. ADAMS/MAJ/COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING/-/
TELEPHONE: 703-784-3015/DSN: 278-3015/E-MAIL:
TAYLOR.ADAMS@USMCU.EDU//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This Marine Administration Message (MARADMIN)
explains the format, eligibility criteria, application process, and
prerequisite requirements for reserve officers applying for funded
orders for Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) or Command and Staff
College (CSC) Weekend Seminar Program (WSP).
2. EWS WSP.
Officers in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) and Individual
Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) or Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) are
eligible for consideration for the EWS WSP if they meet the specific
eligibility criteria. EWS WSP is conducted one weekend every month
for two Academic Years (AYs); the first AY will cover 8671 and 8672
followed by the second AY which will cover 8673 and 8674.
2.a. The following personnel are eligible to participate in EWS WSP
(in order of priority).
2.a.1. Captains (unrestricted and limited duty)
2.a.2. Captain selects and Chief Warrant Officer (CWO)3s
3. Command and Staff College Weekend Seminar Program (CSCWSP):
Officers in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) and Individual
Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) or Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) are
eligible for consideration for the CSC WSP if they meet the specific
eligibility criteria. CSC WSP is conducted one weekend every month
for two AYs; first AY runs from October to May covering 8901 through
8904 followed by the second AY that runs the following year from
October to May covering 8905 through 8908.
3.a. The following personnel are eligible to participate in CSC WSP
(in order of priority).
3.a.1. Majors (unrestricted and limited duty)
3.a.2. Major selects
3.a.3. Captains (complete with Professional Military Education (PME)
for grade and two years time in grade)
3.a.4. CWO5s, CWO4s, and CWO4 (selects)
3.a.5. CWO3s (complete with PME for grade and three years time in
grade)
4. Officers who meet any of the following criteria are ineligible
to apply for funded WSP:
4.a. Officers who are in the above zone on the next scheduled
promotion board.
4.b. Officers who are above grade for PME (e.g., Lieutenant Colonels
are ineligible for funded CSC WSP).
4.c. Officers that have completed an equivalent Formal Level School
(FLS) or Distance Education Program (DEP).
4.d. Officers with approved retirements, resignations, or pending
conditional release.
4.e. Officers applying for funded WSP whose mandatory removal date
is within four years of the date of application.
4.f. Officers who have more than 18 years of creditable service
towards a reserve retirement.
5. Reserve officers participating in any funded 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:
5.a. 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.
5.b. 90 days following graduation, officers must be joined to either
a SMCR drilling unit or an IMA Billet Identification Code (BIC) that
matches their grade and military occupational specialty.
5.c. Subsequent failure to affiliate following graduation will be
handled by Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) Reserve Affairs (RA)
in accordance with the SWAT signed at the time of application.
6. Program Prerequisites.
6.a. EWS WSP: Students enrolling in EWS WSP for the first time are
required to complete the 8670 prerequisite course prior to the first
seminar. Students will submit enrollment requests for the 8670
prerequisite through MARINENET, Course Code: EWSDEPPREQ.
6.b. CSC WSP: None.
7. Application Process
7.a. The application window is continuous and rolling. The deadline
for submitting an application for the AY 25 WSP is 1 July 2025, and
is on a first come first served basis as long as funding is
available.
7.b. The application package for the WSP can be found on the College
of Distance Education (CDET) website at
https:(SLASH)(SLASH)www.usmcu.edu/CDET/funded-seat. The package
includes:
7.b.1. CDET WSP student application.
7.b.2. SWAT, initialed and signed by the applicant, and witnessed by
a commissioned officer.
7.c. All application packages will be submitted in Portable Document
Format (PDF) via email to MCU_CDET_RLO@usmcu.edu.
8. Administration
8.a. 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.b. Ensure email addresses and telephone numbers are current and
are provided on the application. Update any changes to personal
contact information promptly to the CDET Reserve Liaison Officer
via email to MCU_CDET_RLO@usmcu.edu or via phone at (703) 784-3015.
8.c. Notification of selection. All applications will be screened
and selected based off a first-come, first-served policy. The number
of funded seats available in an AY will be determined by Marine
Forces Reserve. Applications screenings and selectee notifications
occur monthly. In September of each year, all selected applicants
will be provided administrative guidance via email for orders
processing and issuance.
8.d. Seminar Location. Each selectee will be assigned a seminar
location based on current CDET business practices.
9. This MARADMIN is applicable to the reserve component (SMCR, IMA,
and IRR members) and has been coordinated with MFR.
10. Release authorized by Brigadier General Matthew W. Tracy,
President, Marine Corps University.//