R261622Z Nov 08
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 677/08
MSGID/GENADMIN//
SUBJ/2009 SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM MENTOR OFFICER ANNOUNCEMENT AND /APPLICATION PROCEDURES//
REF/A/MSGID:MEMORANDUM/ASST SECY OF DEFENSE PA/YMD:20081106//
AMPN/REF A ANNOUNCES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS AND MENTOR OFFICER APPLICATION CRITERIA FOR THE 2009 SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM. REF A WILL BE PROVIDED TO INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS UPON REQUEST.//
POC/H. POWELL-RAY/MRS/UNIT:CMC WASHINGTON DC/NAME:DIV PA PAC /TEL:703-692-1528/EMAIL:HATTIE.POWELL-RAY@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/-1.  THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS APPLICATIONS FROM VOLUNTEER 1ST LIEUTENANTS, CAPTAINS AND MAJORS FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS
2009 SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM, SCHEDULED FOR 7-14 MAR 09. 
2.  THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM IS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM, MANAGAGED AND FUNDED BY THE WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST FOUNDATION.  THE PROGRAM PROVIDES 104 OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE NATION AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FIRSTHAND ABOUT THE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT DURING A WEEK LONG PROGRAM IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.
DELEGATES WILL HEAR POLICY ADDRESSES BY SENATORS, CABINET MEMBERS, OFFICIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF STATE AND DEFENSE AND DIRECTORS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING WITH A JUSTICE OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT.
3.  ARMED FORCES SUPPORT FOR THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM INCLUDES A TOTAL OF 17 OFFICER MENTORS.  TWO OF THESE OFFICERS (O-4) WILL BE SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER AND ASSISTANT SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER.  OFFICERS WILL SERVE AS COUNSELORS, FACILITATORS AND AMBASSADORS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES AND THE COAST GUARD.  THESE OFFICERS ARE ROLE MODELS FOR THIS IMPRESSIONABLE GROUP, WHO TEND TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE WITH MILITARY PERSONNEL OR NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.
4.  THE MARINE CORPS WILL NOMINATE A TOTAL OF FIVE 1ST LIEUTENANTS OR CAPTAINS AND THREE MAJORS TO OASD/PA FOR FINAL SELECTION TO ACCOMMODATE THIS PROGRAM.  INCLUSIVE TO THESE NOMINATIONS WILL BE A TOTAL OF THREE FEMALE OFFICERS TO SERVE AS MENTORS FOR THE FEMALE SENATE YOUTH GUESTS.  APPLICANTS MUST MEET MARINE CORPS HEIGHT AND WEIGHT STANDARDS AND MUST SECURE COMMAND ENDORSEMENT FOR PARTICIPATION.  MARINES WHO HAVE SERVED AS A SENATE YOUTH MENTOR MORE THAN TWICE ARE NOT ELIGILBE TO APPLY.  THIS MESSAGE IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
5.  IF SELECTED AS A MENTOR, MILITARY DUTIES MUST NOT CONFLICT WITH CONTINUOUS ASSIGNMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM.  ALL MENTOR OFFICERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A TWO-DAY ORIENTATION AND TRAINING COURSE AT THE MAYFLOWER HOTEL IN WASHINGTON, DC FROM 5-6 MAR PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACTUAL PROGRAM.  OFFICERS SELECTED AS THE SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER OR ASSISTANT SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND AN ADDITIONAL ORIENTATION COURSE FROM 3-4 MAR, PRIOR TO JOINING OTHER OFFICERS FOR TRAINING ON 5 MAR.
6.  MENTOR OFFICERS MUST POSSESS PERMISSIVE TAD ORDERS (AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT) OR BE IN A LEAVE STATUS DURING THE PERIOD ASSIGNED.
COSTS FOR AIRFARE OR OTHER TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS TO/FROM WASHINGTON ARE AT THE PARTICIPANTS' OWN EXPENSE.  THE WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST FOUNDATION WILL PAY FOR OFFICERS' LODGING, MEALS AND INCIDENTAL COSTS SUCH AS LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING BETWEEN THE DATES OF 6-14 MAR
09 ONLY.  OFFICERS FROM OUTSIDE THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) SHOULD BE PREPARED TO COVER THEIR OWN LODGING AND MEAL EXPENSES FOR REQUIRED TRAINING DAYS BEFORE 6 MAR. 
7.  ALL QUALIFIED OFFICERS ARE INVITED TO APPLY FOR THIS COMPETITIVE PROGRAM BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING MANDATORY ITEMS AND INFORMATION:
(A) FULL NAME.
(B) RANK.
(C) DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH (OR PLACE REGARDED AS "HOME").
(D) WORK MAILING AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS.
(E) CAREER FIELD/DUTY DESCRIPTION EXPLAINED IN CIVILIAN TERMS.
(F) COMBAT OR DEPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE.
(G) BRIEF, ONE PAGE BIOGRAPHY.  ITEMS THAT MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE BIOGRAPHY ARE: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND (UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED, DEGREES EARNED, COURSE OF STUDY/MAJOR); MILITARY BACKGROUND (MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY, PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS, DUTY STATIONS, DEPLOYMENTS AND AWARDS/RECOGNITION); AND EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH (NOT IN, OR A MEMBER OF) YOUTH GROUPS OR YOUTH-RELATED PROGRAMS (ON/OFF DUTY ACTIVITIES OR DURING HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE).
(I) COMMAND ENDORSEMENT.  THE APPLICANT'S IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR IS ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS FOCUSED ON MATURITY, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND COMMUNITY/YOUTH INVOLVEMENT.  THE ENDORSEMENT MUST INCLUDE A STATEMENT THAT, IF SELECTED, THE APPLICANT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL FUNCTIONS DURING THE TOTAL DURATION OF THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE ORIENTATION TRAINING.  MAJORS SHOULD MODIFY THIS STATEMENT TO INDICATE AVAILABILITY FROM 3-14 MAR, IN THE EVENT THEY ARE SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER OR ASSISTANT SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER. 
(J) PHOTOGRAPH.  APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A 3X5 OR 5X7 FULL-LENGTH PHOTO IN SERVICE ALPHA UNIFORM FOR USE IN DETERMINING MILITARY APPEARANCE.  THIS IS AN OFFICIAL PHOTO, AND MUST ADHERE TO THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED IN MARINE CORPS ORDER P1070.12K, MARINE CORPS INDIVIDUAL RECORDS ADMINISTRATION MANUAL (IRAM). 
8.  HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MUST RECEIVE APPLICATIONS NO LATER THAN 7 JAN 09.  FINAL SELECTION OF MENTOR OFFICERS WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE SECOND WEEK OF JAN.
APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE OUTCOME OF THE SELECTION PROCESS IN JAN.
9.  APPLICATIONS MUST BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY USING PDF FILES AND A DIGITAL IMAGE/PHOTOGRAPH.  NOMINATIONS CAN NOT BE SENT VIA REGULAR MAIL DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS FOR THIS PROGRAM.  APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
HQMC.COMREL@USMC.MIL WITH THE FOLLOWING SUBJECT LINE "2009 SENATE YOUTH APPLICATION; ICO OF RANK/NAME."
10.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM CAN BE OBTAINED AT WWW.USSENATEYOUTH.ORG.
11.  POINT OF CONTACT IS HATTIE POWELL-RAY, COMMUNITY RELATIONS BRANCH, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HQMC AT (703)692-1528 OR VIA EMAIL AT: HATTIE.POWELL-RAY@USMC.MIL.
12.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY COL G.A. STURDEVANT; DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HQMC.//