FY26 CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR OFFICERS AND STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS SELECTION PANEL RESULTS
Date Signed: 9/5/2025 | MARADMINS Number: 417/25
MARADMINS : 417/25

R 041317Z SEP 25
MARADMIN 417/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FY26 CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR OFFICERS AND STAFF
NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS SELECTION PANEL RESULTS//
REF/A/MSGID: MSG/CMC: 20250609//
REF/B/MSGID: MSG/CMC: 20250805//
REF/C/MSGID: MSG/CMC: 20161012//
REF/D/MSGID: MSG/CMC: 20210510//
REF/E/MSGID: MSG/CMC: 20100908//
REF/F/MSGID: MSG/CMC: 20190530//
NARR/REF A IS MARADMIN 265/25, FY26 CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
FOR OFFICERS AND STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS.  REF B IS MARADMIN
362/25 FY26 CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR OFFICERS AND STAFF
NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS SELECTION PANEL RESULTS.  REF C IS DOD
(TWI) DIRECTIVE 1322.6 FELLOWSHIP, SCHOLARSHIPS, TRAINING WITH
INDUSTRY AND GRANTS FOR DOD PERSONNEL.  REF D IS MCO P.1300.8 W/CH1,
MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY.  REF E IS MCO 1040.31
ENLISTED RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.  REF F IS MCO
1524.1, MARINE CORPS GRADUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM.//
POC/S. D. GRODEK/LTCOL/RAM-3/TEL (703) 784-0531/
EMAIL:  STEPHEN.GRODEK@USMC.MIL//
POC/D. T. DUMANOVSKY/MAJ/USMC/MMOA-3/
EMAIL:  DELANEY.T.DUMANOVSKY.MIL@USMC.MIL//
POC/R. CUMMINGS/MAJ/OLA/TEL (703) 692-0198/
EMAIL:  RACHEL.CUMMINGS@USMC.MIL//
POC/S. DECKER/GYSGT/OLA/TEL (703) 692-7692/
EMAIL:  SEAN.C.DECKER.MIL@USMC.MIL//
POC/L. JAIME/GYSGT/MMEA/TEL (703) 784-3358/
EMAIL:  LETTY.JAIME@USMC.MIL//
POC/B. S. WILKINS/GYSGT/MMEA-25/TEL (703) 432-9473/
EMAIL:  BRANDON.WILKINS@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  The Fiscal Year 2026 Congressional
Fellowship Program (CFP) selects Marines to obtain first-hand,
senior-level experience with the workings of the U.S. Congress to
acquire additional skills, relationships, and knowledge that enables
the Marine Corps to sustain and improve its efforts to inform and
educate the legislative branch.  The FY26 CFP Panel is conducted in
three parts: screening, interviews, and final selection.  The
screening panel concluded on 17 July 2025.  The interview panel by
the Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) concluded on 14 August 2025.
The FY26 CFP Panel selected 13 active-duty officers and two enlisted
Marines as primaries as well as three active-duty officers, one
active-duty enlisted Marine and one enlisted active reservist as
alternates.
1.a.  Major milestone timeline (read in two columns):
NLT Date                Milestone
15 June 2026            CFP no later than Report Date
31 December 2026        Complete professional development tour
01 January 2027         Begin 1 year Capitol Hill Fellowship
01 January 2028         Begin 2 year utilization tour
01 January 2030         Receive PCS/A Orders from PMOS monitor
                        to complete remaining service obligation
                        (MMOA/EA)
2.  Panel Results 
2.a.  The panel selected the following active duty members as
primary selects for CFP (read in four columns):
Name                      Rank      PMOS      MCC
Bong, Sharon C.           Maj       3002      1Y9
Elkhader, Omar A.         Capt      0602      1PB
Huerta, Christopher R.    Capt      3002      1Y3
Kaiser, Jessica L.        Capt      0202      124
Parker, Phillip           Capt      4502      TNL
Shelton, Zachary D.       Capt      0402      1DX
Stewart, Julia R.         Capt      4402      U44
Whitley, Scott L.         Capt      0802      1NG
Zepeda, Roman I.          Capt      0202      114
Arndorfer, John           1stLt     0302      V17
Barge, Samuel H.          1stLt     4502      139
Bobrowski, Sarah A.       1stLt     4502      124
Boyle, Elissa M.          1stLt     0402      1UR
Richie, Leroy N.          MGySgt    1371      SWB
Duncan, Demetrius M.      GySgt     0369      KA9
2.b.  The panel selected the following active duty members as
alternate selects for CFP (read in four columns):
Name                      Rank      PMOS      MCC
Huxtable, Kenneth C.      Maj       0202      J64
Adams, Cade A.            1stLt     0302      V36
Walker, Dominic A.        1stLt     0202      145
SotoBarcenas, Alvaro A.   MSgt      3152      023
2.c.  The panel selected the following enlisted active reservist
as an alternate select for CFP (read in four columns):
Name                      Rank      PMOS      MCC
Banks JR., Allen J.       MSgt      3047      1FZ
3.  Coordinating Instructions
3.a.  Primary selectees
3.a.1.  Acceptance of selection.  This message serves as
notification of orders for Marines listed in paragraph 2.a.
Selected Marines are directed to contact MMOA-3 via email at
smb_mmoa_grad_edu@usmc.mil NLT 10 days from the release of
this MARADMIN.  
3.a.2.  Primary selects, unable to participate in the
program beginning in FY26 due to extraordinary circumstances, may
request a deferral.  Primary selects requesting a deferral must do
so via administrative action form, endorsed by the first O-6
commanding officer in their chain of command, forwarded to HQMC
(MMOA-3) NLT 10 days from the release of this MARADMIN.
4.  Officer selects
4.a.  Acknowledging selection and assignment to CFP also
acknowledges that the officer select agrees not to tender
resignation or request retirement while enrolled in the program.
Officer selects further agree to remain on active duty after
completion of degree requirements or upon separation from the
program.  Service obligations incurred for this program are in
accordance with references (c) and (f).
4.b.  Upon successful completion of their development tour,
officer selects will serve a one year Capitol Hill Fellowship at the
Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) followed by a two year
utilization tour.
4.c.  PCS/PCA orders to the Congressional Fellowship Program
(MCC K20) will be coordinated via separate correspondence by the
Officer Assignments Branch (MMOA).
4.d.  Officer selects are directed to report no earlier than
16 May 2026 and NLT 15 June 2026 to the CY26 Congressional
Fellowship Program (MCC K20), Marine Corps Office of Legislative
Affairs, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. for duty in billet MOS/
description 8018/Congressional Fellow.
4.e.  Alternates will be contacted in the event that a primary
select cannot attend.
5.  Enlisted selects
5.a.  Acknowledging selection and assignment to CFP also
acknowledges that the enlisted select agrees not to tender
resignation or request retirement while enrolled in the program.
5.b.  PCS/PCA orders to the Congressional Fellowship Program
(MCC K20) will be coordinated via separate correspondence by
Enlistment Assignments Branch (MMEA).
5.c.  Enlisted selects are directed to report no earlier than
16 May 2026 and NLT 15 June 2026 to the CY26 Congressional
Fellowship Program (MCC K20), Marine Corps Office of Legislative
Affairs, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. for duty in billet MOS/
description 8018/Congressional Fellow.
5.d.  Upon successful completion of their development tour,
enlisted selects will serve a one year Capitol Hill Fellowship at
the Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) followed by a two year
utilization tour.
5.e.  Enlisted selects must gain additional obligated service
in order to report with a minimum of 54 months beginning 1 July
2026.
5.f.  Enlisted selects must submit a Reenlistment Extension
Lateral Move (RELM) in the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) NLT
30 day from the release of this message in order to gain the
required obligated service.  Unit Career Counselors have access to 
the TFRS program.  If selectees have already submitted a RELM prior
to this MARADMIN, a new RELM is not required.
5.f.1.  Requests for voluntary separation while on the program will
not receive favorable consideration.
5.g.  Alternates will be contacted in the event that a primary
select cannot attend.
6.  Incurred Obligation
6.a.  Participation in the CFP incurs two concurrent obligations:
one for the legislative fellowship per reference (b), and one for
the graduate degree program per reference (f).  Per reference (c),
Marines incur a 36-month obligation for their 12-month legislative
fellowship.  Per reference (f), Marines completing the graduate
degree program as part of the CFP will incur a separate service
obligation based on the length of their graduate degree program.
6.a.1.  If Marines incur a service obligation from both the graduate
education and the legislative fellowship during the CFP, they will
overlap with any previous obligations.  When obligations overlap,
the one with the latest end date will be the primary obligation.
6.a.2.  If the graduate degree program is completed in less than one
calendar year, obligated service will be 36 months upon successful
degree completion.
6.a.3.  If the graduate degree program takes longer than one
calendar year to complete, obligated service will be 48 months upon
successful degree completion.
6.a.4.  Most fellows typically take 18 months to complete their
degree.  This means fellows completing the degree program as part of
the CFP can expect to have a four-year service obligation from the
time they complete the degree program.  This obligation would run
concurrently with the three-year obligation incurred for the
fellowship itself per reference (c).
7.  Studies and tuition
7.a.  Selects must maintain a full-time student status
with George Mason University during their development tour.  Selects
are strongly encouraged to complete all degree requirements prior to
the completion of their one-year legislative fellowship on Capitol
Hill, and are required to complete all degree requirements prior to
completion of their two-year utilization tour.  If the select
anticipates not completing program requirements, they must notify
MMOA-3 immediately.
7.b.  Tuition.  In general, George Mason University coordinates
directly with Education Command (EDCOM) for tuition and billing for
the Master’s in Public Policy program associated with the CFP.
However, if selects receive any tuition bills from the university,
they must contact the Education Command (EDCOM) Office at
mcu_fiscal_team@usmcu.edu to obtain a third-party billing letter
after they receive the tuition bill from the university.  When
contacting the office, the email must contain the Marine's name, DOD
identification number (EDIPI), and this message showing selection.
Additionally, the email must contain the school's name, physical
address, phone number, and email address for the schools'
third-party billing office.  EDCOM will provide a third-party
billing letter with instructions for tuition payments to the student
and the school's third-party billing office.  If students receive
tuition bills directly from the university, it is the student's
responsibility to ensure the school receives the letter and that the
tuition is paid.
8.  Program points of contact:
8.a.  Reserve Affairs Management - 2 (RAM)
         Lieutenant Colonel Stephen D. Grodek
         Email:  stephen.grodek@usmc.mil
8.b.  Congressional Fellowship Program
         Major Rachel E. Cummings
         Email:  rachel.cummings@usmc.mil
         Gunnery Sergeant Sean Decker
         Email:  sean.c.decker.mil@usmc.mil
8.c.  Graduate Education Manager (MMOA-3)
         Major Delaney T. Dumanovsky
         Email:  delaney.t.dumanovsky.mil@usmc.mil
         MMOA-3 OMB:  smb_mmoa_grad_edu@usmc.mil
8.d.  Enlisted Education Programs Monitor (MMEA-25)
         Gunnery Sergeant Letty Jaime
         Email:  letty.jaime@usmc.mil
8.e.  Third-party Billing, EDCOM
         Email:  mcu_fiscal_team@usmcu.edu
9.  Release authorized by BGen Fridrik Fridriksson, Director,
Manpower Management Division.//