R 051230Z JUN 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 276/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM PRES MCU//
SUBJ/SENIOR PLANNERS COURSE STUDENT NOMINATIONS//
REF/A/MSIGID:DOC/MCO 1553.4B//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/JFTR/-//
NARR/REF A IS THE USMC PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION (PME) ORDER.  REF B IS THE JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JFTR).//
POC/TWAYNE HICKMAN/CIV/UNIT: MCU/EDCOM/MIG/TEL:703-432-5541/DSN:378-5541/EMAIL: TWAYNE.HICKMAN(AT)USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PURPOSE.  MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY/EDUCATION COMMAND IS SOLICITING STUDENT NOMINATIONS FOR THE SENIOR PLANNERS COURSE (SPC) 2-13 TO BE HELD 17 SEPTEMBER - 8 OCTOBER 2013 IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.  THE SENIOR PLANNERS COURSE IS AN ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION COURSE FOR O-6'S DESIGNED TO FILL THE FORMAL PME VOID/SPAN BETWEEN O-5 (TOP LEVEL SCHOOL) AND O-7 (SENIOR LEVEL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM) FORMAL PME.  THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO FURTHER EDUCATE OUR COLONELS TO THINK CRITICALLY AT THE INTERFACE OF STRATEGY AND POLICY AND LEAD EFFECTIVELY IN THE JOINT/COALITION WARFIGHTING ARENA.
2.  BACKGROUND.  THE SPC WILL BE TAUGHT BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED EXPERTS FROM MSTP, THE FACULTY OF MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY, JOINT AND INTERAGENCY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND THE MAGTF INSTRUCTIONAL GROUP (MIG) USING CONTEMPORARY LEARNING METHODS (CASE STUDIES, PANELS, SEMINARS, STAFF RIDES, DIRECTED READINGS, ETC).  PRESENTATION WILL BE IN THREE PHASES.
A.  PHASE I, "FOUNDATIONS", WILL OPEN WITH FRAMING THE STRATEGIC AND CURRENT OPERATING ENVIRONMENT.  FOLLOW-ON SESSIONS WILL FOCUS ON CRITICAL THINKING, NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY, NATIONAL MILITARY STRATEGY, AND EMPLOYING FORCES.
B.  PHASE II, "PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL ART", WILL FOCUS ON OPERATIONAL DESIGN, PLANNING, AND OPERATIONAL ART.  TOPICS INCLUDE MARINE CORPS AND RELATED JOINT DOCTRINE, COMPONENCY AND COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS, COALITION OPERATIONS, FIGHTING THE MAGTF, ROLE OF THE COMMANDER, RED TEAMING, INFORMATION OPERATIONS AND CYBER WARFARE. 
C.  PHASE III, "APPLICATION", WILL REINFORCE THE PREVIOUS PHASES WITH A COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EXERCISES, CASE STUDIES, STAFF RIDES AND GUIDED DISCUSSIONS/SEMINARS WITH STRATEGIC LEADERS.
3.  STUDENT ELIGIBILITY.  A SENIOR O-6 WHO HAS RECENTLY RETURNED TO OR WILL BE RETURNING TO THE OPERATING FORCES MEETS THE FIRST ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR THIS COURSE. THE COURSE WILL BE LIMITED TO TEN TO TWELVE PERSONNEL AND WILL BE FILLED BY MATCHING ATTENDEES, EXPERIENCES AND MARINE CORPS NEEDS.  FIRST PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO MEF CG NOMINEES.  THERE WILL BE THREE BILLETS ALLOCATED TO MARFORRES.  THIS COURSE REQUIRES FLAG OFFICER NOMINATION.
4.  SUBMIT NOMINATIONS VIA EMAIL TO THE POC NLT 17 JULY 2013.  MCU WILL CONFIRM NOMINATIONS AND FORWARD REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION PACKAGES TO ALL APPROVED STUDENTS VIA EMAIL BY 5 AUGUST 2013.  SUBMISSIONS SHOULD BE IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT AND SHOULD INCLUDE AN ATTACHED PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY:
A.  LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, INIT
B.  GRADE
C.  COMMAND
D.  CURRENT AND FOLLOW ON BILLET (IF KNOWN)
E.  WORK PHONE (DSN AND COMM)
F.  CURRENT CLEARANCE INFORMATION AND EXPIRATION DATE AND SECURITY POC
G.  EMAIL ADDRESS (.MIL OR WORK AGENCY EMAIL ONLY)
H.  NOMINATING ENTITY AND COMMAND POC FROM THAT HEADQUARTERS, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS.
5.  FUNDING WILL BE PROVIDED BY MCU FOR ACTIVE DUTY MARINES.  RESERVE MARINES ARE FUNDED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS, FUNDING INFORMATION TO FOLLOW AT A LATER DATE.
6.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN W. F. MULLEN III; COMMANDING GENERAL, EDUCATION COMMAND; PRESIDENT, MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY.//