R 232332Z OCT 12
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 619/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM PRES MCU QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL, CULTURE, AND LANGUAGE FAMILIARIZATION PROGRAM//
REF/A/DOC/MROC DM 38-2012//
REF/B/DOC/MCSCP, SIGNED 4 JANUARY 2010//
REF/C/DOC/MARINE CORPS LRC STRATEGY 2011-2015, SIGNED AUG 2010//
NARR/REF A IS THE MROC DM 38-2012, SIGNED BY GEN DUNFORD ON 24 MAY 2012, ESTABLISHING RCLF AS A RECOGNIZED MARINE CORPS PROGRAM.  REF B IS THE MARINE CORPS SERVICE CAMPAIGN PLAN FOR 2009-2015.  REF C THE MARINE CORPS LANGUAGE, REGIONAL AND CULTURE STRATEGY 2011-2015.//
POC/T. M. ROSS/MAJ/CAOCL/RCLF COORDINATOR/EMAIL: CAOCLADMIN(AT)USMC.MIL/TEL: COMM (703) 432-1504//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS CANCEL MARADMIN 468/10 AND 128/11, AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR MARINE CORPS ACTIVE DUTY OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MARINES REGARDING THE FORMAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL, CULTURE, AND LANGUAGE FAMILIARIZATION (RCLF) PROGRAM.  THE RESERVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RCLF PROGRAM IS IN COORDINATION.  IN VISION AND STRATEGY 2025, THE 34TH COMMANDANT PROVIDED GUIDANCE TO THE MARINE CORPS TO ENHANCE LANGUAGE, REGIONAL, AND CULTURAL (LRC) SKILLS.  IN RESPONSE, THE MARINE CORPS HAS DEVELOPED A CAREER- LONG PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON CULTURAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND PROFICIENCY PROVIDED THROUGH TRAINING, AS WELL AS THE PROCESS OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED THROUGH EDUCATION.  RCLF DEVELOPS AND SUSTAINS AN OPERATIONAL LRC CAPABILITY IN CAREER MARINES ACROSS THE TOTAL FORCE.  THIS INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR A CROSS-CULTURALLY COMPETENT GENERAL PURPOSE FORCE (GPF) WITH DIVERSE REGIONAL AND CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND LANGUAGE CAPACITY.
2.  BACKGROUND
    A.  THE MISSION OF THE RCLF PROGRAM IS TO ENSURE THAT MARINE UNITS ARE GLOBALLY PREPARED SO THAT THEY ARE EFFECTIVE AT NAVIGATING AND INFLUENCING THE CULTURALLY COMPLEX 21ST CENTURY OPERATING ENVIRONMENT IN SUPPORT OF MARINE CORPS MISSIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.
    B.  RCLF IS NOT INTENDED TO PRODUCE LRC EXPERTISE.  THIS INITIATIVE IS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM OTHER PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO PRODUCE A SMALL CADRE OF PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS FAOS/RAOS, FAS/RAS, AND CRYPTOLOGIC LINGUISTS.  DEVELOPING LRC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES WITHIN THE GPF WILL ENHANCE A UNIT'S ORGANIC ABILITY TO GLOBALLY SUPPORT OPERATIONAL PLANNING AND EXECUTION TO ACHIEVE MISSION OBJECTIVES.
    C.  BY LEVERAGING MARINE CORPS ACCEPTED STANDARDS AND PRACTICES CODIFIED IN THE OPERATIONAL CULTURE AND LANGUAGE TRAINING AND READINESS MANUAL, NAVMC 3500.65, RCLF REINFORCES PREDEPLOYMENT, INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING.
    D.  ENDSTATE:  RCLF BUILDS UPON CONCEPTS AND SKILLS WITH EACH LEVEL, SUSTAINING AND ENHANCING THE INDIVIDUAL MARINE'S DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT HIS/HER CAREER.  RCLF PROVIDES A FOUNDATION OF LRC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES TO ENHANCE CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCE WITHIN THE GPF CAREER FORCE, RESULTING IN A FORCE THAT IS MORE EFFECTIVE AT OPERATING IN CULTURALLY COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS.
3.  RCLF CONCEPT
    A.  THE RCLF PROGRAM IS A CAREER-LONG EFFORT THAT BUILDS IN COMPLEXITY BEGINNING WITH THE BASIC SCHOOL (TBS) FOR OFFICERS AND UPON PROMOTION TO SERGEANT FOR ENLISTED MARINES.  RCLF SERVES MARINES BY IMPARTING LANGUAGE, REGIONAL, AND CULTURAL CONCEPTS AND SKILLS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE MARINE'S RANK AND LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY.  THE DESIGN REINFORCES AND SUSTAINS LEARNING THROUGH TARGETED EXPOSURE TO TAILORED CURRICULUM.
    B.  DELIVERY:  BECAUSE RCLF IS ORIENTED TO THE GPF, IT IS DESIGNED TO BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE CONUS AND OCONUS.  TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN THIS REQUIREMENT, THE RCLF PROGRAM USES A DISTANCE LEARNING FORMAT ACCESSIBLE THROUGH MARINENET THAT MAY BE EXPANDED AS THE PROGRAM MATURES.
    C.  STRUCTURE:  RCLF IS FUNCTIONALLY ORGANIZED IN A "BLOCK" STRUCTURE.  THE OFFICER PROGRAM CONSISTS OF FIVE BLOCKS WHILE THE ENLISTED PROGRAM HAS SIX.
    D.  CONTENT:  THE RCLF CURRICULUM IS BASED AROUND THREE AREAS OF STUDY: CULTURE GENERAL, CULTURE SPECIFIC, AND TACTICAL LANGUAGE.  CULTURE GENERAL REFERS TO CONCEPTS AND SKILLS THAT MAY BE USED IN INTERACTION WITH ANY CULTURE FROM ANY REGION.  CULTURE SPECIFIC REFERS TO UNIQUE CONSIDERATIONS APPLICABLE TO ONE OF 17 REGIONS AND ITS CULTURES.  OFFICERS AND WARRANT OFFICERS ARE ASSIGNED ONE OF 17 REGIONS WHILE ATTENDING THE BASIC SCHOOL.  ENLISTED MARINES ARE ASSIGNED A REGION UPON PROMOTION TO SERGEANT.  EACH MARINE CHOOSES A LANGUAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ASSIGNED REGION.  EACH BLOCK OF OFFICER AND ENLISTED CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE MARINE'S DEPTH AND BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE SPECIFIC TO HIS/HER ASSIGNED REGION.  THE LANGUAGE COMPONENT IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS THROUGH THE STUDY OF KEY TACTICAL PHRASES AND TERMS, CONSIDERATIONS OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS, SKILLS IN COMMUNICATING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER AND OTHER CROSS- CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS CONCEPTS.  CAOCL MAINTAINS A RPOSITORY OF ADDITIONAL MATERIALS THAT ALLOWS MARINES TO FURTHER ENHANCE THEIR LRC KNOWLEDGE.
    E.  LANGUAGE:  THE DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE'S HEADSTART 2, THE LANGUAGE SOFTWARE FOR THE RCLF PROGRAM, CONSISTS OF 11 MODULES.  HEADSTART 2 EXPOSES USERS TO MORE THAN 1,000 KEY TERMS AND PHRASES, AND PROVIDES USERS WITH AN IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION TOOL TO INTERACT WITH FOREIGN AUDIENCES.  COMPLETION OF HEADSTART 2 IS NOT EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A MEASUREABLE LANGUAGE PROFICIENY ON THE INTERAGENCY LANGUAGE ROUNDTABLE (ILR) SCALE.  FOUR LANGUAGES ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON MARINENET.  THE REMAINDER OF THE INITIAL SUITE OF HEADSTART 2 LANGUAGES IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE ON MARINENET WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
    F.  IN ORDER TO EXECUTE THE RCLF LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT THROUGH HEADSTART 2, MARINES WILL CHOOSE A LANGUAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR ASSIGNED REGION (REFER TO CHART BELOW).  MARINES WILL THEN COMPLETE THE 80 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION CONCURRENTLY WITH THE CULTURE/REGION CONTENT.  OFFICERS MUST COMPLETE THE HEADSTART 2 MODULES IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED PME COMPLETE IN THE GRADE OF CAPTAIN AND CWO-3.  ENLISTED MARINES MUST COMPLETE THE HEADSTART 2 MODULES IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED PME COMPLETE IN THE GRADE OF STAFF SERGEANT.  OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MARINES CAN SATISFY THE LANGUAGE COMPONENT OF THE RCLF PROGRAM BY TESTING AT ILR LEVEL 1+/1+ IN ANY TWO MODALITIES ON A DEFENSE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TEST (DLPT) OR ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW (OPI) FOR THE APPROPRIATE REGIONAL LANGUAGE. THE TESTING MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AT ANY POINT IN THE MARINE'S CAREER.
    G.  MARINES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ACCESS HEADSTART 2 AND BEGIN LANGUAGE TRAINING AS EARLY AS PRACTICAL.
H.  RCLF PROGRAM REGIONS AND LANGUAGES (READ IN 3 COLUMNS):
REGION NAME                 REGION CODE  LANGUAGE
ARABIAN GULF AND PENINSULA  AG           MODERN STANDARD ARABIC / PERSIAN FARSI
BALKANS                     BK           RUSSIAN
CENTRAL AFRICA              CF           FRENCH / SWAHILI
MEXICO / CENTRAL AMERICA /  CM           SPANISH / FRENCH
CARIBBEAN
CENTRAL ASIA                CS           RUSSIAN
EASTERN AFRICA              EF           MODERN STANDARD ARABIC / FRENCH / SWAHILI
LEVANT                      LV           MODERN STANDARD ARABIC
NORTH AFRICA                NF           MODERN STANDARD ARABIC / FRENCH
NORTHEAST ASIA              NS           CHINESE / KOREAN
SOUTHEAST ASIA              SE           BAHASA INDONESIAN
SOUTHERN AFRICA             SF           BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE / FRENCH
SOUTH AMERICA               SM           BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE / SPANISH
SAHEL                       SH           FRENCH
SOUTH ASIA                  SS           URDU
TRANS-CAUCASUS              TC           RUSSIAN
WEST AFRICA                 WF           FRENCH
WEST SOUTH ASIA             WS           PERSIAN FARSI / URDU / PASHTO / DARI
    I.  OFFICER PROGRAM
        (1) BLOCK 1 (SECOND LIEUTENANT AND WARRANT OFFICER):  LIEUTENANTS AND WARRANT OFFICERS RECEIVE AN INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONAL CULTURE DURING TBS.  WHILE AT TBS, OFFICERS ARE ASSIGNED ONE OF 17 STRATEGIC REGIONS.  THE SELECTION IS RECORDED IN MCTFS AND CAN BE ACCESSED/VIEWED THROUGH MOL BY ACCESSING THE OPERATIONAL CULTURAL INFORMATION TAB UNDER THE PERSONAL INFORMATION PORTAL.
        (2) BLOCK 2 (SECOND/FIRST LIEUTENANT AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER-2):  BLOCK 2 AND SUBSEQUENT RCLF BLOCKS ARE AVAILABLE ON MARINENET.  OFFICERS LEARN TO APPLY OPERATIONAL CULTURE TO A GENERAL SCENARIO IN THEIR REGION.  COMPLETION INVOLVES COMPLETING TWO COMPONENTS ON MARINENET: CULTURE 101 AND THE APPROPRIATE REGIONAL CURRICULUM.  COMBINED, THESE REQUIREMENTS CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 13 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY, CULMINATING WITH A COMPREHENSIVE TEST.  STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM OF 80 PERCENT TO PASS.  OFFICERS ARE RECOMMENDED TO ACCESS HEADSTART 2 AND BEGIN THEIR LANGUAGE TRAINING AS EARLY AS PRACTICAL.  THE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT BLOCKS 2-3 AND CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 80 HOURS OF STUDY.
        (3) BLOCK 3 (CAPTAIN AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER-3):  CAPTAINS AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS LEARN TO APPLY OPERATIONAL CULTURE TO A TACTICAL SCENARIO IN THEIR REGION.  COMPLETING BLOCK 3 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY CULMINATING WITH A TEST.  STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM 80 PERCENT TO PASS.  ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS MUST FINISH THE APPROPRIATE HEADSTART 2 PROGRAM DURING THIS BLOCK.
        (4) BLOCK 4 (MAJOR AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER-4):  THE CULTURE SPECIFIC RCLF CURRICULUM FOR MAJORS AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS PLACES GREATER EMPHASIS ON ANALYZING REGIONAL OPERATIONS INVOLVING INTERAGENCY AND COALITION PARTNERS.  MARINES LEARN TO ANALYZE OPERATIONAL CULTURE IN SCENARIOS FEATURING MISSION PLANNING FOR COMBINED AND INTERAGENCY OPERATIONS AND NEGOTIATION IN THEIR REGION.  COMPLETING BLOCK 4 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY CULMINATING WITH A TEST.  STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM 80PERCENT TO PASS.
        (5) BLOCK 5 (LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER-5):  THE CURRICULUM FOR BLOCK 5 IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT.  LIEUTENANT COLONELS AND CHIEF WARRANT OFFICERS WILL LEARN TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF OPERATIONAL CULTURE ON STRATEGIC PLANNING.  RLCF BLOCK 5 CURRICULUM WILL EMPHASIZE THE EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL CULTURE AND ITS RELATION TO MISSION OUTCOMES.  COMPLETING BLOCK 5 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY CULMINATING WITH A TEST.  STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM 80 PERCENT TO PASS.
    J.  ENLISTED PROGRAM.  BLOCK 1 AND 2 REQUIREMENTS ARE SATISFIED BY EXISTING MARINE CORPS EDUCATION AND TRAINING THROUGH THE RECRUIT DEPOT, LEADING MARINES CURRICULUM, AND THE CORPORALS COURSE.  THE RCLF PROGRAM, IN TERMS OF ITS USE FOR THE CAREER ENLISTED FORCE, TO INCLUDE THE ASSIGNMENT OF STRATEGIC REGIONS, BEGINS WITH ENLISTED BLOCK 3 AND PROMOTION TO SERGEANT.
        (1) BLOCK 1 (PRIVATE AND PRIVATE FIRST CLASS):  PRIVATES/PRIVATES FIRST CLASS RECEIVE A BASIC ORIENTATION TO OPERATIONAL CULTURE WHILE ATTENDING RECRUIT TRAINING.
        (2) BLOCK 2 (LANCE CORPORAL AND CORPORAL):  THE LEADING MARINES MCI CURRICULUM SATISFIES THE RCLF BLOCK 2 REQUIREMENTS AND IS STILL CONSIDERED AN INTRODUCTION TO OPERATIONAL CULTURE.  AS SUCH, THERE IS NO CULTURE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH ENLISTED BLOCK 2.  MARINES WHO COMPLETE CORPORALS COURSE (RESIDENT OR NON-RESIDENT) ARE ALSO EXPOSED TO ADDITIONAL INTRODUCTORY MATERIAL ON OPERATIONAL CULTURE.
        (3) BLOCK 3 (SERGEANT):  NEWLY PROMOTED SERGEANTS ARE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED A REGION ON A MONTHLY BASIS.  RCLF BLOCK 3 CURRICULUM ON MARINENET FOR ENLISTED MARINES IS INTENTIONALLY ALIGNED WITH OFFICER BLOCK 2.  SERGEANTS WILL LEARN TO APPLY OPERATIONAL CULTURE TO A GENERAL SCENARIO IN HIS/HER REGION.  COMPLETION OF BLOCK 3 INVOLVES COMPLETING TWO COMPONENTS ON MARINENET: CULTURE 101 AND THE APPROPRIATE REGIONAL CURRICULUM.  COMBINED, THESE REQUIREMENTS CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 13 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY, CULMINATING WITH A COMPREHENSIVE TEST.    STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM OF 80 PERCENT TO PASS.  SERGEANTS ARE RECOMMENDED TO ACCESS HEADSTART 2 AND BEGIN THEIR LANGUAGE TRAINING AS EARLY AS PRACICAL.  THE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT BLOCKS 3-4 AND CONSISTS OF APPROXIMATELY 80 HOURS OF STUDY.
        (4) BLOCK 4 (STAFF SERGEANT):  RLCF BLOCK 4 CURRICULUM ON MARINENET FOCUSES ON APPLYING OPERATIONAL CULTURE TO THEIR ASSIGNED REGION.  THIS IS SIMILAR TO OFFICER BLOCK 3.  STAFF SERGEANTS WILL LEARN TO APPLY OPERATIONAL CULTURE TO A TACTICAL SCENARIO IN THEIR REGION.  COMPLETING BLOCK 4 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS OF SELF STUDY CULMINATING WITH A TEST.  STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM 80 PERCENT TO PASS.  STUDENTS MUST FINISH THE APPROPRIATE HEADSTART 2 PROGRAM DURING THIS BLOCK.
        (5) BLOCK 5 (GUNNERY SERGEANT):  RCLF BLOCK 5 CURRICULUM ON MARINENET FOCUSES ON ANALYZING REGIONAL OPERATIONS INVOLVING INTERAGENCY AND COALITION PARTNERS.  GUNNERY SERGEANTS WILL LEARN TO ANALYZE OPERATIONAL CULTURE IN SCENARIOS FEATURING MISSION PLANNING FOR COMBINED AND INTERAGENCY OPERATIONS.  COMPLETING BLOCK 5 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY CULMINATING WITH A TEST.  STUDENTS NEED A MINIMUM 80 PERCENT TO PASS.
        (6) BLOCK 6 (MASTER SERGEANTS AND FIRST SERGEANTS):  BLOCK 6 CENTERS ON THE EVALUATION OF OPERATIONAL CULTURE AS IT RELATES TO REGIONAL MISSION OUTCOMES.  MASTER SERGEANT/FIRST SERGEANT WILL LEARN TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF OPERATIONAL CULTURE ON STRATEGIC PLANNING.  COMPLETING BLOCK 6 INVOLVES APPROXIMATELY 12 HOURS OF SELF-STUDY CULMINATING WITH A TEST.  STUDENTS NEED TO SCORE A MINIMUM 80 PERCENT TO PASS.
    K.  CONNECTION TO PME:  SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF EACH RCLF GRADE EQUIVALENT BLOCK IS REQUIRED TO BE CONSIDERED PME COMPLETE FOR THAT GRADE.  ACCOUNTABILITY OF RCLF MODULES TOWARDS PME COMPLETE WILL BEGIN WHEN ALL THE INITIAL LANGUAGE SUITES ARE AVAILABLE ON MARINENET.  IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE INITIAL SUITE OF LANGUAGES WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ACCESS NO EARLIER THAN 4TH QUARTER FY 2013.  A FOLLOW-ON MARADMIN WILL ANNOUNCE THE LANGUAGE SUITE AVAILABILITY AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE RCLF PME REQUIREMENT.  ACCOUNTABILITY WILL BE SUPPORTED THROUGH THE MOL 'PME COMPLETE FLAG'.  THIS MODULE WILL FLAG AN INDIVIDUAL MARINES' PME COMPLETE STATUS AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO REPORTING SENIORS AND SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERS.
4.  IMPLEMENTATION
    A.  COMMISSIONED OFFICERS:  SINCE APRIL 2009 LIEUTENANTS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A STRATEGIC REGION WHILE ATTENDING TBS.  COMMISSIONED OFFICERS WITH A DATE OF COMMISSIONING OF 1 APRIL 2009 OR LATER WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE RCLF COURSES IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED PME COMPLETE FOR EACH RANK THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS.
    B.  WARRANT OFFICERS:  SINCE FEBRUARY 2011 WARRANT OFFICERS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A STRATEGIC REGION WHILE ATTENDING TBS.  WARRANT OFFICERS WITH A DATE OF RANK OF 1 FEBRUARY 2011 OR LATER WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE RCLF COURSES IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED PME COMPLETE.
    C.  ENLISTED MARINES:  DURING THE 1ST QUARTER OF FY 2013, SERGEANTS WITH A DATE OF RANK NO EARLIER THAN 1 OCT 2012 WILL BE ASSIGNED ONE OF 17 STRATEGIC REGIONS.
    D.  EXEMPTIONS:  MARINES PROMOTED TO SERGEANT BEFORE 1 OCTOBER 2012, TO WARRANT OFFICER BEFORE 1 FEBRUARY 2011, OR TO SECOND LIEUTENANT BEFORE 1 APRIL 2009, WILL BE GRANDFATHERED OUT OF THE PROGRAM.  THESE MARINES WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE RCLF BLOCKS AT ANY TIME DURING THEIR CAREERS.  THOSE CONSIDERED GRANDFATHERED ARE ENCOURAGED TO STUDY A SPECIFIC STRATEGIC REGION, COMPLETE ALL APPLICABLE RCLF INSTRUCTIONAL BLOCKS, AND COMPLETE HEADSTART 2 IN A LANGUAGE OF THEIR CHOICE.
    E.  REGIONAL ASSIGNMENT PROCESS:  MARINES ARE ASSIGNED ONE OF 17 STRATEGIC REGIONS WHICH WILL REMAIN THE FOCUS OF THE MARINE'S CULTURE SPECIFIC STUDY FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS/HER CAREER.  MARINE OFFICERS ARE ASSIGNED A REGION WHILE ATTENDING TBS AND ENLISTED MARINES ARE ASSIGNED REGIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PROMOTION TO SERGEANT.  DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF THE POPULATION, ENLISTED MARINE ASSIGNMENTS ARE BASED ON RANDOM SELECTION AND ARE CONDUCTED BY MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS.  THE PERCENTAGE OF OFFICER AND ENLISTED MARINES ASSIGNED TO EACH REGION IS BASED ON A COMBINATION OF FACTORS TO INCLUDE THE MCIA MID-RANGE THREAT ASSESSMENT, THE GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT OF THE FORCE (GEF), AND PLANS, POLICY AND OPERATIONS PRIORITIES.  ALL ASSIGNMENT CHANGES ARE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.  REQUESTS FOR REGIONAL CHANGES SHOULD BE ROUTED THROUGH CAOCL FOR APPROVAL.  REQUESTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS IDENTIFIED IN PARA 7.D.  REGIONAL CHANGES WILL BE LIMITED AND WILL ONLY BE GRANTED IN EXCEPTIONAL IRCUMSTANCES.
    F.  CURRENT AND PROJECTED MARINENET COURSE CODES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH REGION MAY BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE CAOCL WEB PAGE USING THE FOLLOWING LINK: WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/CAOCL/ OR WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/CAOCL/SITEPAGES/RCLF_FAQS.ASPX.
5.  COURSE ENROLLMENT STEPS
    A.  MARINES MAY ACCESS THEIR COURSE MATERIALS USING CDET'S MARINENET WEBSITE (WWW.MARINENET.USMC.MIL).
    B.  ENROLL IN THE CURRICULUM CORRESPONDING TO RANK AND REGIONAL ASSIGNMENT (FOR A FULL LIST OF CURRICULUM CODES, REFER TO THE CAOCL HOMEPAGE).  ALL MARINES REFER TO MARINE ONLINE (WWW.MOL.USMC.MIL) TO CONFIRM THAT THE PROPER REGIONAL CODE IS DESIGNATED IN THEIR PERSONAL RECORDS.  THE CORRESPONDING CURRICULUM CODE MAY BE USED IN THE MARINENET SEARCH BOX TO REACH THE CURRICULUM ENROLLMENT PAGE.
    C.  ONCE LOGGED INTO MARINENET, ENTER THE CURRICULUM CODE CORRESPONDING TO THE ASSIGNED REGIONAL CODE IN THE SEARCH TEXT BOX ON THE MARINENET HOME PAGE.  CLICK "SEARCH CATALOG."  THE COURSE SEARCH RESULTS SHOULD DISPLAY THE NAME OF THE COURSE CURRICULUM OF THE ASSIGNED REGION.  RCLF COURSE REQUIREMENTS CAN ALSO BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE MARINENET COURSE CATALOG IN THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE SECTION.
    D.  EACH CURRICULUM CONSISTS OF COURSE WORK, AN END OF COURSE EXAM AND A SURVEY.  THE END OF COURSE EXAM MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN A SINGLE SESSION.  ENROLLEES ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO USE THE STUDY GUIDES PROVIDED IN THE MODULES TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAM.
6.  TRACKING.  THROUGH THE MARINE CORPS COMMAND PROFILE, COMMANDERS HAVE EASY ACCESS TO THEIR MARINES' RCLF REGIONAL ASSIGNMENTS.  THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN UTILIZING THE CAPABILITY THAT RCLF EDUCATION BRINGS TO A UNIT.  COMMANDERS MAY LOG IN THROUGH MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS.  MARINES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR USING MARINE ONLINE (MOL) TO VERIFY THAT THEIR ASSIGNED REGIONAL CODES AND CURRICULUM CODES CORRESPOND TO WHAT IS DISPLAYED IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL PERSONNEL RECORDS.
7.  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
    A.  CENTER FOR ADVANCED OPERATIONAL CULTURE LEARNING (CAOCL), 1019 ELLIOT RD, BLDG 711-A, QUANTICO, VA 22134, (703) 432-1504
    B.  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AT: WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/CAOCL/SITEPAGES/RCLF_FAQS.ASPX
    C.  MAJ THOMAS ROSS, RCLF COORDINATOR, (703) 432-1504 CAOCLADMIN(AT)USMC.MIL
    D.  EMAIL QUESTIONS MAY ALSO BE SENT TO: CAOCLADMIN(AT)USMC.MIL.  TYPE "RCLF PROGRAM" IN THE SUBJECT LINE.  ADDITIONALLY, QUESTIONS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE CAOCL LIAISON OFFICERS.
        (1) I MEF LNO, CHRIS WAGNER, (760) 763-2662, CHRISTOPHER.M.WAGNE1.CTR(AT)USMC.MIL
        (2) II MEF LNO, BARRY WALKER, (910) 451-8275, BARRY.WALKER.CTR(AT)USMC.MIL
        (3) III MEF LNO, RON WILLIAMS, (315) 622-7804, RONALD.WILLIAMS6.CTR(AT)USMC.MIL
        (4) SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENT AND MARFORRES LNO, JEFF DAVIS, JDAVIS(AT)PROSOL1.COM
        (5) 29 PALMS, SAM MIDDLETON, (760) 830-8989, SAMUEL.MIDDLETON.CTR(AT)USMC.MIL
8.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN W. F. MULLEN III; COMMANDING GENERAL, EDUCATION COMMAND; PRESIDENT, MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY.//