FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND 2026 SECURITY COOPERATION OFFICER SELECTION BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT

MARADMINS : 202/24

R 261541Z APR 24
MARADMIN 202/24
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MM MRA WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND 2026 SECURITY COOPERATION OFFICER SELECTION BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20130327//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20200429//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20210510//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20200706//
REF/E/MSGID: DOC/DOD/YMD: 20180403//
NARR/REF A IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1520.11F, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM. REF B IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 5710.6D, MARINE CORPS SECURITY COOPERATION. REF C IS MARINE CORPS ORDER 1300.8 CH-1, PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY.REF D IS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF INSTRUCTION 1330.05, JOINT OFFICER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PROCEDURES. REF E IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) INSTRUCTION 1300.19, DOD JOINTOFFICER MANAGEMENT (JOM) PROGRAM.//
POC/CHRISTOPHER D. DELLOW/LTCOL/PLU-8/DSN: 312-224-4365/COMM: 703-692-4365/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/RONAL MORALES/CTR/PLU-8/DSN: 312-224-2168/COMM: 703-692-2168/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/ALLISON N. SMYCZYNSKI/LTCOL/MMOA, JOMO/COMM: 703-784-9211/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/MICHAEL D. SCOTTO/MAJ/MMOA-3/COMM: 703-784-9284/EMAIL: [email protected]//
POC/JAIME L. GOSS/MAJ/MMOA-3/COMM: 703-784-9284/EMAIL: [email protected]//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This message solicits applications to fill fiscal year 2025 (FY25) and 2026 (FY26) Security Cooperation Officer (SCO) billet vacancies. The International Affairs Program (IAP) seeks qualified officers to serve in Joint SCO billets within geographic Combatant Commands (CCMDs). The board will select officers based on their political-military and security cooperation experience, language, regional expertise, and cultural skills, and performance as Marine Air Ground Task Force officers. Per ref (b), SCOs serve in influential positions where they are the foremost points of contact between the Department of Defense and the host nation Ministry of Defense. SCOs are located in or associated with U.S. diplomatic facilities worldwide and are responsible for overseeing and implementing in-country security cooperation, to include security assistance programs, and for facilitating cooperation in research, development, and acquisition with allied and partner nations.
1.a. Major timeline milestones are (read in two columns):
Date Milestone
09 Aug 2024 Applications due
26 Aug 2024 Board convenes
01 Oct 2024 Release of results
2. Eligibility
2.a. Eligibility requirements
2.a.1. Applicants must be on active duty.
2.a.2. Time on station requirements
2.a.2.a. FY25 SCO billets. Applicants must meet minimum time on station requirements and be eligible for permanent change of station (PCS) orders in FY25 based upon current prescribed tour length. Officers selected for FY25 billets will not attend language training.
2.a.2.b. FY26 SCO billets. Applicants must meet minimum time on station requirements and be eligible for permanent change of station (PCS) orders in FY25 based upon current prescribed tour length, to allow for language training prior to reporting to their SCO billet. Selected officers should expect orders to language training, followed by orders to SCO location.
2.a.2.c. FY26 SCO billet applicants who already meet language training requirements for certain billets may be eligible to apply if they are scheduled to complete their tour control factor during FY26. These applicants must confirm with their PMOS monitor in which FY they are eligible to move. This may constrain the billets for which the board considers these applicants.
2.a.3. Applicants may request a waiver for time on station requirements to be screened if scheduled to complete prescribed tour length in 2026 or beyond. To request a waiver, applicants must submit an administrative action (AA) form to Manpower Management Officer Assignments Branch (MMOA). Requests must be endorsed by the first O-6 or equivalent in the chain of command and therein acknowledge a potential gap in staffing until the officer's original estimated departure date should the requesting Marine be selected for service as a SCO and a replacement is not supportable. MMOA will adjudicate the waiver request separately from the board process and waivers must be approved by MMOA before an officer will be considered for a SCO billet vacancy.
2.a.4. Applicants must meet the grade criterion (or be selected for promotion to that grade) of the associated duty for which they are applying and must possess the career timing to serve a full tour of duty in the grade of the billet for which they are applying. Officers serving in a Standard Joint Duty Assignment (S-JDA) will be eligible for full joint duty credit after 24 months of service. Applicants who do not meet these grade requirements must request a waiver via their PMOS monitor which will be reviewed and approved or denied by MMOA.
2.a.5. Study track Foreign Area Officers (FAO) and Regional Affairs Officers (RAO) are eligible to apply. If selected to a position within their regional designation, this tour will count as their utilization assignment.
2.b. Ineligibility criteria
2.b.1. Captains and majors in the above-zone (AZ) for promotion to the next grade and not selected for continuation are ineligible to apply. Lieutenant colonels in the AZ for promotion to colonel may apply on a case-by-case basis if approved by Branch Head, MMOA.
2.b.2. Officers with an established separation or retirement date are ineligible.
2.b.3. Applicants selected for or currently attending programs that have a designated utilization assignment are ineligible.
2.b.4. Officers in an 0505 utilization tour are ineligible unless they have completed 24 months of their tour at the date the selection panel convenes. Applications submitted prior to completion of 24 months must include command and PMOS monitor endorsements.
2.b.5. Officers on a graduate education program utilization tour may not apply without concurrence from the Graduate Education Manager (MMOA-3) and PMOS monitor.
3. The FY25 and FY26 SCO selection board will screen officers for assignment to the following SCO positions. This list is subject to change before the selection board based on IAP and CCMD requirements. For the most current list, visit the website listed in paragraph 5.c.1.
3.a. FY25 SCO billet vacancies.
Grd BMOS Country Language Rpt Date MCC JDAL Note
O4 8006 Bahrain Arabic Jul 25 NUZ 00010850 1,2,3
3.b. FY26 SCO billet vacancies.
Grd BMOS Country Language Rpt Date MCC JDAL Note
O5 8006 Philippines Tagalog Jul 26 NAL 00007277 1,2,3
O4 8006 Kenya English Jul 26 N3A 00108929 1,2
O4 8248 Malaysia Malay Jul 26 NBC 00147083 1,2,3
O4 8245 Angola Portuguese Jul 26 NFB 00108945 1,2,4
Note 1: TS/SCI security clearance is a mandatory requirement.
Note 2: Joint tour length for this position is 36 months.
Note 3: Language proficiency is not required, but highly desirable.
Note 4: Language proficiency at the 2/2 level is required.
4. FY26 applicants should plan on attending language training prior to reporting to SCO duties. The language requirement is based on Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) and Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) scores. If the selected candidate does not meet DLPT and OPI requirements, language training will take place at the Defense Language Institute (DLI). The language training requirement may be waived on a case-by-case basis for billets in paragraph (3.b.) with a note 3, above, if an officer's tour control factor and command requirements do not support language training prior to reporting to SCO duties. Officers requesting a waiver of language training requirements must request this waiver in their application. MMOA will approve requests to waive language training only in extraordinary circumstances. Contact PLU-8 and MMOA POCs with questions.
4.a. Applicants requiring foreign language training must have a minimum Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) score for the respective language as follows:
4.a.1. 95 for category I languages: Portuguese.
4.a.2. 100 for category II languages: Malay
4.a.3. 105 for category III languages: Tagalog.
4.a.4. 110 for category IV languages: N/A.
4.b. Applicants requiring language training must take into consideration DLI course length to ensure minimum time on station requirements will be met before applying. Training will begin in late CY25 or early CY26 depending on DLI course schedules for required language. DLI course length are as follows:
4.b.1. Category I languages: 26 weeks.
4.b.2. Category II languages: 35 weeks.
4.b.3. Category III languages: 48 weeks.
4.b.4. Category IV languages: 64 weeks.
5. Application process. This section provides an overview of the application process and requirements.
5.a. Families and overseas screening. Families are an important element of SCO assignments. Applicants and family members must complete an overseas suitability screening and be found eligible for an overseas tour prior to submitting an application. Applicants with dependents enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program are eligible to apply, but may not be able to participate pending availability of required care.
5.b. Security cooperation experience and language proficiency are highly desirable but are not prerequisites to submit an application.
5.c. Application timeline and method
5.c.1. Interested officers must submit their application to the IAP Office. Applications must arrive to the IAP Office no later than 2359 Eastern Time on 09 Aug 2024 to be considered by the board. Applicants can find templates and additional information on the IAP website at: http:(slash)(slash)www.ppo.marines.mil/Units/Strategy-and-Plans-Division/International-Affairs-Branch/International-Affairs-Program/Resources/
5.c.2. Submit applications in portable document format (PDF) to [email protected] and to POCs listed in paragraph (8) with the following naming convention EDIPI_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME_MI_RANK (e.g.1234567890_SMITH_JOHN_A_CAPT). Each file cannot be larger than 800 MB.
5.d. The application must include the following:
5.d.1. Completed application form for the SCO positions listed in paragraphs 3.a. and 3.b. The application template is located at the website listed in paragraph 5.c.1. This application will include all billet preferences, previous political-military, security cooperation, language regional expertise and culture experience, DLAB scores, and DLPT scores.
5.d.2. Command endorsements through the first O-6 level commander.
5.d.3. At least one letter of recommendation. Any letters of recommendation shall include an assessment of the applicant's potential to serve in joint billets as part of the Combatant Command staff and U.S. embassy country team.
5.d.4. Correspondence from PMOS monitor confirming eligibility.
5.d.5. Certification of security clearance from security officer.
5.d.6. Certificate of suitability for overseas assignment. Applicants must complete the NAVMED 1300/1 medical screening form for themselves and dependents but should not submit the form in its entirety.
5.e. The board will not consider incorrect or incomplete packages.
6. Officers selected to serve as SCOs may be eligible to receive the FAO or RAO additional MOS (AMOS) for their respective regions. Upon meeting the criteria for experience track AMOS designation, officers must notify the IAP Office to request designation of appropriate AMOS. The assignment of this AMOS will make officers eligible for further service utilization of their political-military, security cooperation, and LREC skills gained through their joint SCO assignments.
7. Completion of a tour of duty in a Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) position that meets all statutory requirements will result in joint credit. Those positions not considered an S-JDA with an assigned JDAL will require an experience-based joint credit submission via separate correspondence within the corresponding calendar year. A separate message will address the Experience-based Joint Duty Assignment requirements.
8. Points of Contact:
LtCol C. D. Dellow, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-4365/COMM: 703-692-4365
EMAIL: [email protected]
Mr. C. J. Fisher, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-0322/COMM: 703-614-0322
EMAIL: [email protected]
MSgt J. Riveromontes, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-4366/COMM: 703-692-4366
EMAIL: [email protected]
Mr. R. Morales, PPO PLU-8
DSN: 312-224-2168/COMM: 703-692-2168
EMAIL: [email protected]
9. Release authorized by BGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director, Manpower Management Division.//