R 232000Z JUN 26
MARADMIN 286/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2027 TEST PILOT SCHOOL (TPS) SELECTION PANEL 
ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/YMD/20241115//
REF/B/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/YMD/20250307//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1542.3E, UNITED STATES NAVY/UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE TEST PILOT SCHOOLS.  REF B IS MCO 1300.8 W/ADMIN CHANGE 2,
MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY.//
POC/M. REITH/MAJ/EXECUTIVE OFFICER/MARINE AVIATION DETACHMENT 
(MAD) PATUXENT RIVER/
TEL:  (301) 342-1421, DSN:  342-1421/
EMAIL:  MATTHEW.D.REITH.MIL@US.NAVY.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. The FY27 TPS Selection Panel will convene
on or about 17 September 2026.
Major timeline milestones are:
Date                        Milestone                    Note
Release of this message     TPS questionnaire open       1 
3 September 2026            Completed questionnaire due  2
17 September 2026           FY 27 TPS Panel Convenes
Note 1:  Refer to paragraph (9) of this message for additional 
details regarding questionnaire completion.
Note 2:  Applicants must complete the questionnaire by 2359 EST on 3
September 2026.
2.  The FY27 TPS Selection Panel will consider applicants for
assignment to United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) Class
172 and U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAFTPS) Class 27B,
convening July 2027. Additionally, applicants will be
considered for USNTPS Class 173 commencing January 2028. The panel
will be considering the best and most fully qualified aviators for
primary and alternate selection.  If no applicants are selected, a 
subsequent panel will be held. 
3.  Aviators from the type-model-series MOSs listed below this 
paragraph (read in four columns) are highly encouraged to apply to
support the test team types listed.  Any selected prospective test
pilot should expect to fly and test their primary platform after
graduation, unless selected for Unmanned Aerial System programs or 
the VH-92. Applicants will be selected and assigned a class
according to program schedules and priorities that may change. The
list of test team types screening is subject to change up until 
conclusion of the panel. 
MOS                TYPE   CLASS                QUANTITY
RW MOS (7563/65)   H-1    USNTPS CLASS 172     1
RW MOS (7566)      H-53   USNTPS CLASS 172     1
RW MOS (7532)      V-22   USNTPS CLASS 172     1
FW MOS (7315/7318) MQ-9   USNTPS CLASS 173     1
RW MOS (7505/7532) VH-92A USNTPS CLASS 173     1
RW MOS (7566)      H-53   USNTPS CLASS 173     1
FW MOS (7518)      F-35   AFTPS  CLASS 27B     1
4.  Eligibility
4.a.  Eligibility criteria
4.a.1.  Active component commissioned officers on active duty.
4.a.2.  Regular commissioned officers in the rank of first
lieutenant and above.
4.a.3.  Designated Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers.
4.a.4.  Rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing pilots with a 
minimum of 750 military flight hours by the projected class 
convening date.
4.a.5. Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) officers with a minimum of 500
UAS flight hours by the projected class convening date.
4.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.
4.a.7.  Must meet anthropometric requirements for TPS syllabus 
aircraft.  Applicants who fall outside the requirements below may
contact the Marine Aviation Detachment for additional guidance.
4.a.7.a.  Weight:  103-245 lbs.
4.a.7.b.  Sitting height:  32.0 in. through 40.9 in.
4.a.7.c.  Buttock-knee length:  21.0 in. through 27.4 in.
4.a.8.  All captains shall have completed Professional Military
Education (PME) for grade by the projected class convening
date.
4.a.9.  Security clearance:  All selected officers must have a 
current Tier 5 investigation or Tier 5 reinvestigation with 
eligibility for Top Secret/ Sensitive Compartmented Information
(TS/SCI) before transferring to this command.  
4.a.10.  Must meet the time on station requirements described in
paragraph (5).
4.a.11. Must be medically cleared for flight in USNTPS aircraft.
4.a.11.a. Applicants from manned pilot MOSs must have a current 
Class I medical clearance within Service Group 1 or 2 (SG1 or SG2).
4.a.11.b. Applicants from NFO or UAS pilot MOSs must have a current
Class II medical clearance.
4.a.11.c. For UAS pilot applicants, commanding officers’ endorsement
should specify applicant has received a Class II or better medical 
clearance. 
4.b.  Ineligibility criteria 
4.b.1.  Reserve Component commissioned officers.
4.b.2.  Officers in the above-zone for promotion on the convening
date of the FY27 TPS Selection Panel.
4.b.3.  Officers serving in a joint billet who have not met their
minimum time on station requirements by the first day of the month
one month prior to reporting times listed in paragraph (6) class
convening date.
4.b.4.  Officers pending any medical or legal action that would
preclude successful completion of the period of instruction and
subsequent tour of duty.
4.b.5.  Officers who have not completed their Commandants 
Education Board (CEB) utilization tour by the first day of
the month one month prior to reporting times listed in paragraph
(6).
5.  Time on station requirements:
5.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 request for Exception to Policy (ETP), 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 or
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.  
5.b.  Those officers in a joint billet must meet their minimum time
-on-station requirements by the first day of the month one month
prior to reporting times listed in paragraph (6).
5.c.  Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTIs) must serve a minimum of
18 months in their unit upon successful completion of Weapons and
Tactics Instructor Course prior to executing a PCS or PCA.  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.
6.  Arrival timelines. Prospective test pilots selected for USAFTPS
should expect to report the month prior to class convening date
listed in paragraph (2). Because of extensive pre-arrival training
associated with the curriculum, prospective test pilots selected
for USNTPS 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/NFOs   2
Rotary Wing Pilots  2
Tiltrotor Pilots    3
Fixed Wing Pilots   5
7.  Officers should report with a current Naval Air Training
and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) and instrument
check in their primary T/M/S.
8.  Exception To Policy.  If an ETP is required for paragraph (4.a.)
requirements, it shall be annotated on the online application
questionnaire mentioned in paragraph (9.a).  All ETPs will be
processed during the selection board.  The requirement for an ETP
should not be considered a disqualifier for favorable endorsements
by the chain of command.
9.  Application Requirements
9.a.  Complete the entire online application
questionnaire by navigating to: 
https://www2.manpower.usmc.mil/application_cac/edu/
ViewBoardServlet.action?boardID=5605
9.a.1. Applicants shall disclose if they were subject to a Field
Flight Performance Board and the results of the board.
9.a.2.  Applicant shall include a scanned "Letter of Intent" to
apply for TPS endorsed through the first colonel (or O6 equivalent)
in their chain of command via a standard letter format.  A letter of
intent template is provided via the MMOA-3 website under the Top
Level Schools and Programs Tab, Test Pilot School Sub-tab at: 
https://www.manpower.marines.mil/Divisions/Manpower-Management
/Officer-Assignments/Plans-and-Programs-MMOA-3/#tab/
top-level-schools-and-programs. 
9.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. 
9.a.4.  In the event an officer submits an application and is
subsequently transferred, endorsements from the gaining command
shall also be forwarded.
9.b.  Digital copies of the following documents shall be submitted
in a single PDF document, in the following order, via the online
application questionnaire:
9.b.1.  Letter of intent (refer to paragraph 9.a.2) and all
endorsements.
9.b.2.  Email correspondence from PMOS monitor confirming
applicant's eligibility.
9.b.3.  Email correspondence from the Graduate Education Manager
confirming applicant's eligibility.
9.b.4.  1-page applicant military biography without photograph. The
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.
9.b.5.  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.
9.b.6.  Letters of recommendation (optional, maximum of three).
9.b.7.  As required, legible copies of Field Flight Performance
Board material and/or any other legal matters.
9.b.8.  All digital documents shall be combined into a single PDF
document and uploaded to the survey with the nomenclature:
EDIPI_APP_Last Name or EDIPI_ETP_Last Name.
10.  Application procedures.  The application deadline is 2359 
Eastern Standard Time on 3 September 2026.
11.  Prospective applicants should contact the MAD Patuxent River
Executive Officer if assistance is needed during the application
preparation process.
12.  All applicants shall submit a complete application package.
Information contained in previous applications is not retained after
the selection panel.
13.  Points of contact:
Fixed Wing Majors Monitor
   Major Adam Chase
   Comm:  (703) 784-9267
   Email:  adam.l.chase@usmc.mil
Fixed Wing Company Grade Monitor
   Captain Garett Goar
   Comm:  (703) 784-9267
   Email:  garett.goar@usmc.mil
Rotary Wing Majors Monitor
   Major Jeremy Haney
   Comm:  (703) 784-9267
   Email:  jeremy.haney@usmc.mil
Rotary Wing Company Grade Monitor
   Major Alexander Lee
   Comm:  (703) 784-9267
   Email:  alexander.j.lee@usmc.mil
Executive Officer, MAD PAX River
  Major Matthew Reith 
  Comm:  (301) 342-1421
  Email:  matthew.d.reith.mil@us.navy.mil
14.  This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
15.  Release authorized by MajGen Fridrik Fridriksson, Director,
Manpower Management Division.//