R 041425Z MAR 15
MARADMIN 101/15
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC PPO//
SUBJ/SQUAD LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PILOT PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT//
POC/MGYSGT JUSTIN AIKEN/INFANTRY OCCUPATIONAL FIELD SPECIALIST/PPO/POG30/TEL: 703-697-4036/EMAIL: JUSTIN.AIKEN(a)USMC.MIL//
POC/LTCOL GORDON MILLER/INFANTRY ADVOCATE/PPO/POG30/TEL: 703-614-4300/EMAIL: GORDON.D.MILLER(a)USMC.MIL//
POC/LTCOL TOM TENNANT/SECTION HEAD MMIB-1/MRA/MMIB-1/TEL: 703-784-9229/EMAIL: THOMAS.TENNANT(a)USMC.MIL//
POC/LTCOL RORY QUINN/HEAD, ENLISTED MONITOR SECTION/MRA/MMEA-2/TEL: 703-784-9948/EMAIL: RORY.QUINN(a)USMC.MIL//
POC/LTCOL RAUL LIANEZ/HEAD, ENLISTED RETENTION SECTION/MRA/ MMEA-1/TEL: 703-784-9286/EMAIL: RAUL.LIANEZ(a)USMC.MIL//
POC/LTCOL TED CARD/BRANCH HEAD, GCE STANDARDS BRANCH, MAGTF TRAINING AND EDUCATION STANDARDS DIVISION/TECOM/C466/TEL: 703-784-3038/EMAIL: EDWARD.CARD(a)USMC.MIL//
REF/A/DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/JAN2015//
REF/B/DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/17JUL2014//
REF/C/DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MMEA-6/8SEP2010//
REF/D/DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MIF/3JUL2013//
NARR/REF A IS THE 36TH COMMANDANT’S PLANNING GUIDANCE. REF B IS NAVMC 1200.1, MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES (MOS) MANUAL. REF C IS MCO 1040.31, THE ENLISTED RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT MANUAL. REF D IS MCO 1000.6, ASSIGNMENT, CLASSIFICATION, AND TRAVEL SYSTEM MANUAL (ACTSMAN).//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  SITUATION. IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF A, THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS (CMC) DIRECTED THE DEPUTY COMMANDANTS (DC) FOR PLANS, POLICIES, AND OPERATIONS (PPO), MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS (MRA), AND COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION (CDI) TO DEVELOP A CONCEPT WHICH PRODUCES A BETTER TRAINED, EDUCATED, AND MATURED SQUAD LEADER TO ENHANCE MARINE INFANTRY BATTALIONS’ CAPABILITIES, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A FORCE MORE CAPABLE OF OPERATING IN COMPLEX, DISTRIBUTED ENVIRONMENTS. ACCORDINGLY, THE SQUAD LEADER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SLDP) PILOT PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED TO CAPITALIZE ON THE INSTITUTIONAL SUCCESS OF THE INFANTRY SMALL UNIT LEADERS COURSE (ISULC), THE SERGEANTS COURSE, AND THE SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT (SDA) PROGRAM BY SYNCHRONIZING AND STREAMLINING THE TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND ASSIGNMENT SYSTEMS FOR SELECTING FUTURE SERGEANT SQUAD LEADERS. THE ENDSTATE IS FOR EVERY INFANTRY BATTALION TO HAVE A CORE OF MATURE, TRAINED, AND EDUCATED SERGEANT INFANTRY SQUAD LEADERS TO LEAD AND GUIDE THEIR UNITS THROUGH THEIR DEPLOYMENT CYCLE (PRE-DEPLOYMENT, DEPLOYMENT, POST-DEPLOYMENT, AND RECONSTITUTION TRANSITION PERIODS).
2.  MISSION. INFANTRY BATTALION COMMANDERS WILL SOLICIT, SCREEN AND RECOMMEND THE MOST QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS FROM THE INFANTRY COMMUNITY AND FORWARD NOMINATIONS TO THEIR DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL FOR SELECTION TO THE SLDP AND ASSIGNMENT BY HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (HQMC), IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A BETTER TRAINED, EDUCATED, AND MATURE SERGEANT INFANTRY SQUAD LEADER TO THE OPERATING FORCES.
3.  EXECUTION
3.A.  CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS. ANNUALLY AN SLDP NOMINATION MARADMIN WILL BE PUBLISHED TO SOLICIT VOLUNTEERS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS IN THE INFANTRY BATTALIONS WILL BE NOMINATED, SCREENED AND RECOMMENDED BY INFANTRY BATTALION COMMANDERS, FORWARDED VIA THEIR PARENT REGIMENTAL COMMANDERS TO BE SCREENED AND ENDORSED BY THEIR DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL FOR ENTRY INTO THE SLDP BY HQMC. PROGRAM NOMINEES WILL CHOOSE ONE OF TWO TRACKS THROUGH WHICH TO EXECUTE SLDP: THE OPERATIONAL FORCE (OPFOR) TRACK OR THE COMBAT INSTRUCTOR (CI) TRACK.
3.A.1.  OPFOR TRACK: PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ATTEND ISULC AND SERGEANTS COURSE, AND THEN COMPLETE AN OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENT AS AN INFANTRY SQUAD LEADER. THIS TOUR MAY NOT BE WITH THEIR ORIGINAL UNIT.
3.A.2.  CI TRACK: PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL DETACH FROM THEIR PARENT COMMANDS, ATTEND THE COMBAT INSTRUCTOR SCHOOL (CIS), COMPLETE A COMBAT INSTRUCTOR SDA TOUR, ISULC AND SERGEANTS COURSE, ALL WITHIN A 30 MONTH PERIOD. THEN THE MARINE WILL COMPLETE AN OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENT AS AN INFANTRY SQUAD LEADER.  THIS TOUR WILL LIKELY NOT BE WITH THEIR ORIGINAL UNIT.
3.A.3. IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF B, SLDP IS DESIGNED AS A SERGEANT-ONLY PRIMARY MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (PMOS) OF 0365. CORPORALS WILL BE PROMOTED TO SERGEANT UPON ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PROGRAM VIA AN SLDP SELECTION RESULTS MARADMIN.
3.A.4. FOR FY15 EXECUTION AND INITIAL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY, THERE WILL BE 100 SCHOOL QUOTAS FOR SLDP DISTRIBUTED PROPORTIONALLY ACROSS THE ACTIVE COMPONENT MARINE DIVISIONS.
3.B.  SCHEME OF MANEUVER.  THIS MESSAGE OUTLINES THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND DEFINES THE PROCESSES FOR APPLICATION, ASSIGNMENT, AND EXECUTION.
3.B.1.  ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
3.B.1.A.  AS PART OF A CRAWL, WALK, RUN METHODOLOGY TO BRING THE SLDP PROGRAM TO FULL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY, FOR INITIAL EXECUTION ELIGIBLE MARINES MUST BE ASSIGNED TO AN ACTIVE COMPONENT INFANTRY BATTALION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.
3.B.1.B.  MUST HAVE THE PMOS OF 0311, 0331, 0341, 0351, OR 0352.
3.B.1.C.  MUST BE A CORPORAL OR SERGEANT AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION WITH BETWEEN 3 (FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT PROGRAM (FTAP)-ELIGIBLE) AND 6 YEARS OF SERVICE; 03XX CORPORALS WITH ONLY 2 YEARS OF SERVICE WHO ARE NOT FTAP ELIGIBLE FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ARE WAIVERABLE BY DC, MRA AND WILL GAIN 48 MONTHS OBLIGATED SERVICE.
3.B.1.D.  MUST HAVE COMPLETED ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
3.B.1.D.1.  ADVANCED INFANTRYMAN (M03M3X4, M10M3X2, OR M21M3X1).
3.B.1.D.2.  ADVANCED MACHINEGUN (M03H6A4 OR M10H6A2).
3.B.1.D.3.  ADVANCED MORTARMAN (M03H5H4 OR M10H5H2).
3.B.1.D.4.  ADVANCED ASSAULTMAN (M03MUS4 OR M10MUS2).
3.B.1.D.5.  ADVANCED ANTI-TANK MISSLEMAN (M03MUR4 OR M10MUR2).
3.B.1.D.6.  SCOUT SNIPER BASIC COURSE (M0381Z4, M081Z2, OR M0281Z9).
3.B.1.E.  MUST HAVE COMPLETED ALL PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RANK OF CORPORAL.
3.B.1.F.  THE APPLICANT MUST QUALIFY FOR ATTENDANCE AT ISULC AND SERGEANTS COURSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND COURSE CHECKLISTS. FOR CORPORALS, THE RANK AND SERGEANTS COURSE DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ARE WAIVED FOR THE CHECKLISTS. FOR THE CI TRACK, THE MARINE MUST ALSO QUALIFY FOR ATTENDANCE AT CIS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SDA CHECKLIST.
3.B.1.G.  MUST MEET THE PREREQUISITES FOR THE 0365 PMOS IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF B.
3.B.1.H.  MUST MEET ALL RETENTION PREREQUISITES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF C.
3.B.1.I.  OBLIGATED SERVICE REQUIREMENT. UPON SELECTION TO SLDP, GAINING FORTY-EIGHT (48) MONTHS OF OBLIGATED SERVICE PER REF C IS REQUIRED. MARINES IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR RETENTION COHORT WILL SUBMIT FOR OBLIGATED SERVICE AND LATERAL MOVE (LATMOVE) TO MRA (MMEA-1) VIA THE CHAIN-OF-COMMAND UTILIZING THE TOTAL FORCE RETENTION SYSTEM (TFRS). THE SLDP TFRS LATMOVE REQUEST MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL’S SLDP ENDORSEMENT. MARINES NOT WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR RETENTION COHORT OR WHO HAVE ALREADY REENLISTED DURING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR CAN GAIN OBLIGATED SERVICE BY SUBMITTING AN EXTENSION OF CURRENT CONTRACT AND LATMOVE REQUEST VIA TFRS TO MRA (MMEA-1) VIA THE CHAIN-OF-COMMAND. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSION WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL’S SLDP ENDORSEMENT. ACCEPTANCE INTO SLDP DISQUALIFIES THE MARINE FROM SUBMITTING ANY OTHER LATMOVE REQUESTS DURING HIS 48 MONTHS OF OBLIGATED SERVICE. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER ASSIGNMENT TO SLDP, MARINES WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM FURTHER MRA SDA SCREENING EFFORTS UNTIL COMPLETION OF HIS OBLIGATED SERVICE.
3.B.1.J. SERGEANTS IN THE DIVISIONS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED ISULC AND-OR SERGEANTS COURSE AND OTHERWISE MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 0365 MOS CONTAINED IN REF C ARE WELCOME TO AND ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
3.B.2.  APPLICATION PROCESS
3.B.2.A.  EACH ACTIVE COMPONENT DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL WILL ESTABLISH INTERNAL PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THE IDENTIFICATION AND SELECTION OF THE MOST QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS.
3.B.2.B.  AN SLDP NOTIFICATION MARADMIN WILL BE PUBLISHED DETAILING NOMINATION DEADLINES, QUOTAS, AND CORRESPONDING SCHOOL TRACKS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIMELINES FEATURED WITHIN THE SLDP NOTIFICATION MARADMIN, MARINES WILL COMMUNICATE THEIR INTENT TO VOLUNTEER FOR SLDP WITH AN AA FORM SUBMITTED TO THEIR DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL VIA THEIR CHAIN-OF-COMMAND. THE APPLICATION ALLOWS THE MARINE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY THEIR DESIRE FOR EITHER THE OPFOR OR CI TRACK, THEIR DESIRE FOR A SPECIFIC COMBAT INSTRUCTOR ASSIGNMENT (IF CHOOSING THE CI TRACK), AND THEIR PREFERRED INFANTRY BATTALION FOR THE OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENT. MARINES’ FINAL SLDP TRACK ASSIGNMENT (OPFOR OR CI) WILL BE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS. INCLUDED AS ENCLOSURES WITH THE MARINE’S AA FORM WILL BE THE SLDP COVERSHEET, THE SERGEANTS COURSE SCREENING CHECKLIST, AND THE ISULC SCREENING CHECKLIST. THE COMBAT INSTRUCTOR SCHOOL CHECKLIST IS REQUIRED FOR THOSE MARINES REQUESTING TO EXECUTE THE CI TRACK. AN EXAMPLE OF THE SLDP AA FORM CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP: (SLASH)(SLASH)WWW.HQMC.MARINES.MIL/PPO/UNITHOME/SLDP.ASPX.
3.B.2.C.  MARINES WILL SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION VIA TFRS THROUGH THEIR PARENT DIVISION, REGARDLESS OF THE UNIT’S CURRENT DEPLOYMENT CHAIN-OF-COMMAND.
3.B.3.A.  UPON RECEIPT OF DIVISION COMMANDING GENERAL ENDORSEMENT, THE SLDP PACKAGE WILL BE ROUTED TO MRA (MMEA-1 AND MMEA-2) VIA TFRS FOR RETENTION AND SDA SCREENING WITH NOTIFICATION TO PPO (POG-30). IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIMELINES ESTABLISHED IN THE SLDP NOTIFICATION MARADMIN, A SUBSEQUENT MARADMIN WILL ANNOUNCE THE MARINES SELECTED FOR SLDP, THEIR TRACK, AND SCHOOL DATES.
3.B.3.B.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF C, 0365 IS A PRIMARY MOS SOURCED EXCLUSIVELY FROM 0311, 0331, 0341, 0351, AND 0352 MARINES. THIS PMOS FEEDS INTO THE 0369 PMOS UPON PROMOTION TO STAFF SERGEANT. MARINES WILL GAIN THE 0365 AS AN INTENDED MOS (IMOS) UPON LATERAL MOVE SELECTION. UPON PUBLICATION OF THE SLDP SELECTION RESULTS MARADMIN, COMMANDERS WILL CONFIRM THE 0365 IMOS IS REPORTED INTO THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE SYSTEM (MCTFS) FOR EVERY SLDP MARINE. CORPORALS WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY PROMOTED TO SERGEANT ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH AFTER THE SLDP SELECTION RESULTS MARADMIN IS RELEASED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE SLDP MARINE MUST COMPLETE SERGEANTS COURSE AND ISULC TO ATTAIN THE 0365 PMOS. UPON COMPLETION OF PMOS REQUIREMENTS, COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE PROPER REPORTING INTO MCTFS AND COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS.
3.B.3.C.  A SELECTIVE REENLISTMENT BONUS FOR THE 0365 MOS FOR FTAP MARINES WHO HAVE NOT REENLISTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2015 IS $18,500 FOR CORPORALS AND $20,500 FOR SERGEANTS. FURTHER DETAILED COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE PUBLISHED VIA SEPARATE CORRESPONDENCE. THE MESSAGE WILL INCLUDE DETAILS FOR MARINES WHO ALREADY REENLISTED IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. MARINES WHO REENLISTED IN THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BONUS.
3.B.3.D.  DIVISION COMMANDING GENERALS WILL RECOGNIZE THOSE MARINES WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR SLDP AT AN APPROPRIATE DIVISION-LEVEL CEREMONY.
3.B.3.E.  APPLICANTS WILL RECEIVE APPROPRIATE ORDERS (TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY, PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION, OR PERMANENT CHANGE OF ASSIGNMENT), WHICH SUPPORT ASSIGNMENT TO EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND/OR SDA TO EXECUTE THEIR RESPECTIVE TRACKS.
3.B.3.E.1.  MARINES EXECUTING THE OPFOR TRACK WILL BE ENROLLED INTO THE NEXT AVAILABLE SERGEANTS COURSE AND ISULC (IF NOT ALREADY COMPLETED BY THE MARINE). UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE TWO SCHOOLS, THE MARINE WILL TRANSFER TO AN INFANTRY BATTALION WHICH IS BETWEEN D-360 AND D-180 IN ITS DEPLOYMENT CYCLE TO COMPLETE HIS OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENT.
3.B.3.E.2.  MARINES EXECUTING THE CI TRACK WILL BE ENROLLED INTO THE NEXT AVAILABLE CIS. UPON COMPLETION OF CIS, THE MARINE WILL SERVE FOR 30 MONTHS IN A MARINE COMBAT INSTRUCTOR BILLET (0913 BMOS) AT EITHER THE SCHOOL OF INFANTRY-WEST OR THE SCHOOL OF INFANTRY-EAST. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE COMBAT INSTRUCTOR BILLET, THE MARINE WILL ATTEND SERGEANTS COURSE AND ISULC. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE 30 MONTH SDA ASSIGNMENT, THE MARINE WILL TRANSFER TO AN INFANTRY BATTALION WHICH IS BETWEEN D-360 AND D-180 IN ITS DEPLOYMENT CYCLE TO COMPLETE HIS OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENT.
4.  OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENTS AND PROGRAM COMPLETION
4.A.  IN SUPPORT OF CMC’S INTENT REGARDING COHESION, THE PREPONDERANCE OF MARINES SELECTED FOR SLDP WILL EXECUTE THEIR OPERATIONAL TOUR ASSIGNMENT WITH THEIR CURRENT DIVISION. IN THE MARINE’S SLDP APPLICATION, THE DIVISION WILL RECOMMEND A PROPOSED BATTALION FOR THE SLDP MARINE’S OPFOR TRACK ASSIGNMENT. BATTALION UNIT READINESS WILL BE THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN AN SLDP MARINE’S ASSIGNMENT TO ENSURE COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS AND CMC LEADER-TO-LED GOALS ARE ACHIEVED. THE SLDP ASSIGNMENT PROCESS WILL BE MANAGED BY MRA (MM) IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE RESPECTIVE DIVISION G-3 VIA PPO (POG-30). AN SLDP MARINE WILL REMAIN WITH HIS BATTALION UNTIL HE COMPLETES HIS OPFOR 48 MONTH TOUR, A SPLIT TOUR TOTALING 48 MONTHS FOR THE COMBAT INSTRUCTOR TRACK, OR IS PROMOTED TO STAFF SERGEANT.
4.B.  PROGRAM COMPLETION. AN INDIVIDUAL WILL BE CONSIDERED PROGRAM COMPLETE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING:
4.B.1.  PROMOTION TO STAFF SERGEANT.
4.B.2.  COMPLETION OF 48 MONTHS FROM DATE OF ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PROGRAM.
4.C.  UPON PROGRAM COMPLETION, SLDP MARINES WILL RETAIN THE 0365 PMOS AND BE ASSIGNED BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.
5.  COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS
5.A.  OVERSIGHT. PPO (POG-30) IS ESTABLISHED AS THE SLDP PROGRAM MANAGER. APPROPRIATE COORDINATION WITH MRA, CDI, AND THE DIVISIONS IS CRITICAL TO THE LONG TERM SUCCESS AND SUSTAINMENT OF THE SLDP.
5.B.  SLDP PMOS 0365 TERMINATION. IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF D, DIVISION COMMANDING GENERALS OR THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR PPO WILL VOID A MARINE’S PMOS 0365 BASED ON CONDITIONS LISTED BELOW. NOTIFICATION TO PPO (POG-30) WILL BE MADE TO FULFILL PROGRAM OVERSIGHT MANAGEMENT.
5.B.1. CAUSES FOR DISMISSAL FROM SLDP ARE:
5.B.1.A.  ACADEMIC OR PERFORMANCE FAILURE OF ANY REQUIRED COURSE.
5.B.2.B.  FOUND GUILTY AT NON-JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT OR A COURTS MARTIAL.
5.B.3.C.  SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE DURING SLDP ASSIGNMENT RESULTING IN AN ADVERSE FITREP.
5.B.4.D.  NEGATIVE ADJUDICATION FROM A COMPETENCY REVIEW BOARD.
5.B.5.E.  FOR THE CI TRACK ONLY, FAILURE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE SDA TOUR.
5.B.2.  UPON VOIDING THE 0365 PMOS, COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE PROPER REPORTING INTO MCTFS AND COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS.
5.C.  PLANNING IS ONGOING TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF SLDP IN THE FUTURE. SLDP OPPORTUNITIES WILL INCREASE FOR FY16 AND BEYOND UNTIL FULL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE SLDP PROGRAM IS ACHIEVED.
5.D.  THIS MARADMIN APPLIES TO THE ACTIVE COMPONENT ONLY.
6.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN R. L. BAILEY, DEPUTY COMMANDANT, PLANS, POLICIES, AND OPERATIONS, HEADQUARTERS, U.S. MARINE CORPS.//