MARADMINS : 254/14
R 231413Z MAY 14
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 254/14
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM PRES MCU//
SUBJ/SENIOR PLANNERS COURSE 2-14 ANNOUNCEMENT MESSAGE//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/JFTR//
AMPN/REF A 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 (MCU)/EDUCATION COMMAND (EDCOM) IS SOLICITING STUDENT NOMINATIONS FOR THE SENIOR PLANNERS COURSE (SPC) 2-14 TO BE HELD 5-22 AUGUST 2014 IN QUANTICO, VA. THE SPC IS AN ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION (PME) OPPORTUNITY FOR O-6S (COLONEL, U.S. NAVY CAPTAIN, OR GS-15) DESIGNED TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN TOP LEVEL SCHOOL (O-5S) AND SENIOR LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM/CAPSTONE (O-7S/SES). THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO FURTHER EDUCATE AND DEVELOP O-6S TO THINK CRITICALLY AT THE INTERFACE OF STRATEGY AND POLICY AND LEAD EFFECTIVELY IN THE JOINT/COALITION WARFIGHTING ARENA.
2. BACKGROUND. THE SPC IS TAUGHT BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED EXPERTS FROM THE MARINE AIR GROUND TASK FORCE (MAGTF) STAFF TRAINING PROGRAM, THE FACULTY OF MCU, JOINT AND INTERAGENCY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, AND THE MAGTF INSTRUCTIONAL GROUP (MIG) USING CONTEMPORARY LEARNING METHODS (CASE STUDIES, PANELS, SEMINARS, STAFF RIDES, DIRECTED READINGS, DISTINGUISHED MILITARY AND CIVILIAN SPEAKERS, SITE VISITS, ETC.). THE SPC IS TAUGHT IN FOUR PHASES - SHAPING, FOUNDATIONS, PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL ART, AND APPLICATION.
2.A. PHASE I, "SHAPING," IS A FOUR WEEK PERIOD OF INSTRUCTION PRIOR TO THE STUDENTS ARRIVAL AT QUANTICO. THIS PHASE IS EXECUTED VIA BLACKBOARD AND CONSISTS OF FOUR INTERACTIVE ONLINE LESSONS. ON STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS. THE INTENT IS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO READ, REFLECT, DISCUSS, AND WRITE ABOUT TOPICS RELATED TO NATIONAL STRATEGY AND MARINE CORPS OPERATIONS IN THE JOINT/COALITION ARENA. THESE LESSONS ARE EXECUTED EACH WEEK AND EACH LESSON WILL REQUIRE SOME READING, DISCUSSION, AND WRITING.
2.B. PHASE II, "FOUNDATIONS," OPENS WITH FRAMING THE STRATEGIC AND CURRENT OPERATING ENVIRONMENT AND IS FOLLOWED BY SESSIONS ON CRITICAL THINKING AND DECISION MAKING, DESIGN, NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY, NATIONAL MILITARY STRATEGY, WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT AND EMPLOYING FORCES IN THE JOINT/COALITION ARENA.
2.C. PHASE III, "PLANNING AND OPERATIONAL ART," FOCUSES ON PLANNING, OPERATIONAL DESIGN, AND OPERATIONAL ART. TOPICS INCLUDE MARINE CORPS AND RELATED JOINT DOCTRINE, COMPONENCY AND COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS, INTERAGENCY AND COALITION OPERATIONS, FIGHTING THE MAGTF, ROLE OF THE COMMANDER, RED TEAMING, INFORMATION OPERATIONS, AND CYBER WARFARE.
2.D. PHASE IV, "APPLICATION," WILL REINFORCE THE PREVIOUS PHASES WITH A COMBINATION OF INTERACTIVE EXERCISES, CASE STUDIES, STAFF RIDES, GUIDED DISCUSSIONS/SEMINARS WITH STRATEGIC LEADERS AND ON-SITE ENGAGEMENTS AT KEY CENTERS OF POLICY AND STRATEGY IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION.
3. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY. O-6S (COLONEL, U.S. NAVY CAPTAIN, OR GS-15)THAT ARE FILLING OR ARE PLANNED TO FILL A KEY STAFF BILLET IN ANY UPPER-LEVEL USMC HQ, ACTIVITY, OR AGENCY, OPERATING FORCES, SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENT, OR OTHER HQMC ENTITIES (MARCORSYSCOM, OFFICE OF MARINE CORPS COMMUNICATION, LOGISTICS COMMAND, ETC.). THE GOAL IS TO EDUCATE, DEVELOP, AND PREPARE STUDENTS TO SERVE IN KEY BILLETS WITH INCREASED STRATEGIC AND POLICY-LEVEL SKILLS, THEREBY INCREASING CAPABILITY WITHIN THE STUDENTS COMMAND OR ACTIVITY. THE SPC STUDENT BODY WILL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF SIXTEEN STUDENTS AND WILL BE FILLED BY SELECTING NOMINEES WITH THE APPROPRIATE EXPERIENCE LEVEL AND SKILL SETS.
3.A. STUDENTS MUST BE GRADUATES OF TOP LEVEL SCHOOL (TLS) OR A TLS EQUIVALENT FELLOWSHIP, AND PREFERABLY HAVE COMPLETED O-5 COMMAND OR EQUIVALANT.
3.B. STUDENTS MUST POSSESS A TS/SCI CLEARANCE WITH ELIGIBILITY VALID THROUGH 1 SEPTEMBER 2014. ADDITIONAL SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS/PROCEDURES WILL BE SENT VIA SEPCOR ONCE NOMINEES ARE SELECTED FOR ATTENDENCE.
3.C. THE SPC REQUIRES GENERAL OFFICER, FLAG OFFICER, OR SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE (SES) CIVILIAN NOMINATION.
4. SUBMIT NOMINATIONS VIA EMAIL TO THE POC NLT 13 JUNE 2014.MCU WILL CONFIRM NOMINATIONS AND FORWARD REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION PACKAGES TO ALL APPROVED STUDENTS VIA EMAIL BY 20 JUNE 2014. SUBMISSIONS SHOULD BE IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT AND SHOULD INCLUDE AN ATTACHED PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY:
4.A. LAST NAME, FIRST NAME, MIDDLE INITIAL
4.B. GRADE
4.C. COMMAND
4.D. CURRENT AND FOLLOW ON BILLET (IF KNOWN)
4.E. WORK PHONE (DSN AND COMM)
4.F. CURRENT CLEARANCE INFORMATION TO INCLUDE TS/SCI ELIGIBILITY, ANY ACTIVE CAVEATS, EXPIRATION DATE AND A COMMAND SECURITY POC
4.G. EDIPI
4.H. EMAIL ADDRESS (.MIL OR WORK AGENCY EMAIL ONLY)
4.I. NOMINATING GO/FO/SES AND POC FROM THE NOMINEES COMMAND (NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS).
4.J. ATTACHED PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
5. FUNDING WILL BE PROVIDED BY MCU FOR ACTIVE DUTY MARINES AND CIVILIAN MARINES NOMINATED BY MARINE GENERAL/FLAG OFFICERS. RESERVE MARINES AND U.S. NAVY OFFICERS ARE FUNDED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS. FUNDING INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED FOLLOWING SELECTION AND PUBLICATION OF STUDENT ATTENDEES. ALL TRAVEL WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF A.
6. DATES FOR FY15 SPCS WILL BE PROVIDED VIA SEPCOR, BUT EXPECT MAY AND AUGUST 2015 TIMEFRAMES.
7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED ON THE MCU WEBSITE AT WWW.MCU.USMC.MIL/SITEPAGES/SENIORPLANNERSCOURSE.ASPX.
8. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN T. D. WEIDLEY, COMMANDING GENERAL, EDUCATION COMMAND; PRESIDENT, MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY.//