Officer Professional Military Education Blended Seminar Program Fiscal Year 18-19 Seat Quota Assignments Announcement

1.  Purpose.  To inform commands that the Fiscal Year 2018-209 Marine Corps University (MCU) Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) and Command and Staff College (CSC) Blended Seminar Program (BSP) seat quotas are now available and listed at https:(slash)(slash)www.usmcu.edu/cdet/schedules-bsp.  The BSP is a combination of resident and non-resident online education at or near home station.  The College of Distance Education and Training (CDET) EWS and CSC BSPs are located at MCUs regional major installations.  These programs enable students to gain a greater depth of educational experience, while minimizing family turbulence by allowing them to remain on station and with their commands.<br>
2.  The program provides the opportunity for officers to complete Career Level School or Intermediate Level School (ILS) within one academic year, earning graduates of both programs Professional Military Education (PME) credits and also joint PME phase I credits for ILS.<br>
  2.A.  EWS BSP is designed for delivery in three stages.  Stage one is a 29-day resident period.  Stage two is a 12-week online period.  Stage three is a 6-week resident period.  CSC BSP is also designed for delivery in three stages.  Stage one is a 4-week resident period.  Stage two is a 28-week online period.  Stage three is a 6-week resident period.<br>
  2.B.  Each resident period will be considered local travel or Training and Education Command funded temporary additional duty, depending upon home station location, while the online period will be accomplished during the officers off-duty time at home station.<br>
  2.C.  For officer and staff non-commissioned officer eligibility criteria, BSP class dates, and seat quota allocations by command, and program administrative details visit https:(slash)(slash)www.usmcu.edu/cdet/schedules-bsp.<br>
3.  United States Marine Corps (USMC) officers enrolled in Marine Corps Training Information Management System (MCTIMS) for the BSP and BSP graduates may volunteer to be considered by the Commandants Career Level Education Board (CCLEB) and the Commandants Professional Intermediate-Level Board (CPIB) for the purposes of assignment to graduate-level education and select special programs only.  These officers will not be eligible for resident career level PME or resident intermediate level PME.  USMC officer BSP students and graduates who volunteer to be considered by the CCLEB and CPIB must notify their primary monitor of this intention no later than 30 days before the CCLEB and CPIB board convenes.  Commanding General, Education Command will ensure all current students enrolled in MCTIMS for the BSP are identified to Manpower Management Officer Assignments no later than 30 days before the CCLEB and CPIB board convenes.  USMC officer CSC BSP graduates and students enrolled in the CSC BSP are eligible for selection to second year intermediate level PME schools which include the Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting, the Army School of Advanced Military Studies, the Navy Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, and the Air Force School of Advanced Airpower Studies.<br>
4.  CDET points of contacts for seats at Quantico EWS BSP can be found above in this Marine administrative message.<br>
5.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command.