APPLICATION PROCESS FOR RESERVE OFFICERS APPLYING TO THE COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AND EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SCHOOL FUNDED WEEKEND[...]

R 151300Z APR 26
MARADMIN 174/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG EDCOM PRES MCU QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/APPLICATION PROCESS FOR RESERVE OFFICERS APPLYING TO THE COLLEGE
OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AND
EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SCHOOL FUNDED WEEKEND SEMINAR PROGRAM WITH
START DATES IN ACADEMIC YEAR 2027//
REF/A/DOC/CMC/YMD: 20131126//
REF/B/DOC/CMC/YMD: 20080125//
REF/C/MSG/CMC/YMD: 20081211//
REF/D/MSG/CMC/YMD: 20190716//
REF/E/MSG/CMC/YMD: 20201229//
NARR/REF A IS MCO P1900.16G, MARINE CORPS SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT
MANUAL. REF B IS MCO 1553.4B, PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION (PME).
REF C IS MARINE ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE 703/08, OFFICER PROFESSIONAL
MILITARY EDUCATION (PME) SUMMARY. REF D IS MARADMIN 396/19,
EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE SCHOOL DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAM CURRICULUM
TRANSITION FROM 8660 TO 8670 SERIES. REF E IS MARADMIN 772/20, EXCESS
BILLET IDENTIFICATION CODE (BIC) FOR SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE
MARINES ENROLLED IN NONRESIDENT PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION.//
POC/D. T. ABLES/CAPT/COLLEGE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING/-/
TELEPHONE: 703-784-3015/DSN: 278-3015/E-MAIL: [email protected]//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This MARADMIN explains the format, eligibility
criteria, application process, and prerequisite requirements for
reserve officers applying for funded orders for Expeditionary
Warfare School (EWS) or Command and Staff College (CSC) Weekend
Seminar Program (WSP).
2. Expeditionary Warfare School Weekend Seminar Program (EWSWSP).
Officers in the ready reserve (SMCR and IMA) or Individual Ready
Reserve (IRR) are eligible for consideration for the EWSWSP if
they meet the specific eligibility criteria. EWSWSP is conducted
one weekend every month for two Academic Years (AYs); the first AY
will cover 8671 and 8672 followed by the second AY which will cover
8673 and 8674.
2.a. The following personnel are eligible to participate in EWSWSP
(in order of priority).
2.a.1. Marine 03 (unrestricted and limited duty)
2.a.2. Marine 03 selects and Chief Warrant Officer (CWO)3s
2.a.3. Marine 02
2.a.4. Marine CWO2 (Requires waiver for enrollment)
3. Command and Staff College Weekend Seminar Program (CSCWSP):
Officers in the ready reserve (SMCR and IMA) or Individual Ready
Reserve (IRR) are eligible for consideration for the CSCWSP if they
meet the specific eligibility criteria. CSCWSP is conducted one
weekend every month for two AYs; first AY runs from October to May
covering 8901 through 8904 followed by the second AY that runs the
following year from October to May covering 8905 through 8908.
3.a. The following personnel are eligible to participate in CSCWSP
(in order of priority).
3.a.1. Marine 04 (unrestricted and limited duty)
3.a.2. Marine 04 selects
3.a.3. CWO4
3.a.4. Captains (complete with professional military education for
grade and 24 months time in grade)
3.a.5. CWO3 (requires waiver for enrollment)
4. Officers who meet any of the following criteria are ineligible
to apply for funded WSP:
4.a. Officers who are in the above zone on the next scheduled
promotion board.
4.b. Officers who are above grade for PME (e.g., lieutenant colonels
are ineligible for funded CSCWSP).
4.c. Officers that have completed an equivalent Formal Level School
(FLS) or DEP.
4.d. Officers with approved retirements, resignations, or pending
conditional release.
4.e. Officers applying for funded WSP whose mandatory removal date
is within four years of the date of application.
4.f. Officers who have more than 18 years of creditable service
towards a reserve retirement.
5. Reserve officers participating in any funded PME program of
study (excluding two week staff training courses) will incur a
Selected Reserve (SELRES) drilling affiliation obligation for 24
continuous months following the completion of the program of study.
This requirement is to ensure that the Reserve Component (RC)
effectively realizes a return on the investment made in funding the
education of officers through these programs. To more effectively
enforce this requirement, the following applies:
5.a. SMCR/IMA/IRR officers selected for any funded PME program of
study will be required to sign a Statement of Understanding (SOU).
A SOU is a contractual agreement between the Marine Corps and a
non-mandatory participant which obligates the Marine to participate
in Reserve training in the Selected Reserve (SelRes).
5.b. Ninety days following graduation, officers must be joined to
either a Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) drilling unit or an
Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Billet Identification Code
(BIC) that matches his or her grade and military occupational
specialty.
5.c. Subsequent failure to affiliate following graduation will be
handled in accordance with the SOU signed at the time of
graduation.
6. Program Prerequisites.
6.a. EWSWSP: Students enrolling in EWSWSP for the first time are
required to complete the 8670 prerequisite course prior to the first
seminar. Students will submit enrollment requests for the 8670
prerequisite through MARINENET, Course Code: EWSDEPPREQ.
6.b. CSCWSP: None.
7. Application Process
7.a. The application window is continuous and rolling. The deadline
for submitting an application for the AY 27 WSP is 1 July 2026, and
is on a first come first served basis as long as funding is available
7.b. The application package for the WSP can be found on the College
of Distance Education (CDET) website at
https:(slant)(slant)www.usmcu.edu/CDET/#funded-seats. The package
includes:
7.b.1. CDET WSP student application.
7.b.2. SWAT, initialed and signed by the applicant, and witnessed by
a commissioned officer.
7.c. All application packages will be submitted in Portable Document
Format (PDF) via email to [email protected].
8. Administration
8.a. Excess BIC. To avoid a break in SELRES affiliation while
enrolled in nonresident PME, SMCR Marines may elect to request
transfer to an excess BIC within their unit in accordance with
reference (e).
8.b. Ensure email addresses and telephone numbers are current and
are provided on the application. Update any changes to personal
contact information promptly to the CDET Reserve Liaison Officer
(RLO) via email to [email protected] or via phone at
(703) 784-3015.
8.c. Notification of selection. All applications will be screened
and selected based off a first-come, first-served policy. The number
of funded seats available in an AY will be determined by Marine
Forces Reserve (MFR). Applications screenings and selectee
notifications occur monthly. In September of each year, all
selected applicants will be provided administrative guidance via
email for orders processing and issuance.
8.d. Seminar Location. Each selectee will be assigned a seminar
location based on current CDET business practices.
9. This MARADMIN is applicable to the reserve component
(SMCR, IMA, and IRR members) and has been coordinated with MFR.
10. Release authorized by Brigadier General M. W. Tracy,
President, Marine Corps University.//