MARADMINS : 114/06
R 130729Z MAR 06
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 114/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/RESIDENT ILS BOARD PROCESS ANNOUNCEMENT//
POC/E J ELDER/LTCOL/CMC WASHINGTON DC MMOA3/-/TEL:DSN 278-9284//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE SEPTEMBER 2005 EXECUTIVE OFF-SITE (EOS)
DIRECTED M&RA TO REVIEW THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (MOS)
MIX OF STUDENTS ATTENDING RESIDENT INTERMEDIATE LEVEL SCHOOLS (ILS)
AND TO ENSURE BALANCED MARINE AIR GROUND TASK FORCE (MAGTF)
REPRESENTATION. AS A RESULT OF THAT REVIEW, RESIDENT ILS ATTENDANCE
WILL NO LONGER BE VOLUNTARY. AFTER RECEIVING A REPORT ON THE EFFECTS
OF VOLUNTEERISM ON THE STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS, THE COMMANDANT OF THE
MARINE CORPS (CMC) MADE THE DECISION TO CHANGE THE ILS SELECTION
PROCESS FROM A PANEL TO A FORMAL BOARD. ALTHOUGH VOLUNTEERS FOR
ILS HAVE BEEN UNIFORMLY MOTIVATED HIGH PERFORMERS, THE VOLUNTARY
NATURE OF THE PROGRAM DID NOT GUARANTEE THE DESIRED MIX OF STUDENTS
TO FACILITATE THE FULLEST UNDERSTANDING OF THE MAGTF AND ITS
COMPLEXITIES. A FORMAL BOARD PROCESS WILL ENSURE THAT FUTURE
CLASSES WILL HAVE AN OPTIMAL MOS DISTRIBUTION, REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE MAGTF.
2. THE BOARD WILL ALSO IDENTIFY A PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO WILL
BE ASSIGNED TO JOINT BILLETS FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF RESIDENT ILS.
WELL-EDUCATED, COMPETITIVE OFFICERS ARE NEEDED TO REPRESENT THE
MARINE CORPS IN JOINT COMMANDS. THE MARINE CORPS IS COMMITTED TO
MEETING JOINT ASSIGNMENT GOALS WITH OFFICERS THAT HAVE THE
REQUISITE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO SERVE SUCCESSFULLY IN JOINT DUTY
ASSIGNMENTS. A BOARD PROCESS IS THE BEST FORUM FOR MATCHING THE
BROAD SPECTRUM OF JOINT OPPORTUNITIES WITH QUALIFIED OFFICERS.
3. ILS BOARD DETAILS AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WILL BE CONTAINED
WITHIN THE ILS BOARD CONVENING MESSAGE. THE ILS BOARD IS SCHEDULED
FOR DECEMBER 2006.//