CMC Guidance on Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) (CID N036741, N306741)
This MARADMIN provides amplified guidance from CMC on training prerequisites and requirements for Marines attending the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) course. Effective immediately, commanding officers must provide written endorsement confirming that prospective Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) students have completed the JTAC Primer Course and all 100-level Training and Readiness Manual events before attending TACP training.
Issued: June 13, 2005
1. THIS IS A COORDINATED PPO/TECOM MESSAGE PROVIDING AMPLIFIED INSTRUCTIONS TO COMMANDERS OF MARINES ENGAGED IN THE JTAC TRAINING PIPELINE. 2. BACKGROUND: REF A OUTLINES PREREQUISITES AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONNEL FILLING FAC/JTAC BILLETS. IN ADDITION, REF A IDENTIFIES REF B AS THE OFFICIAL STANDARDIZED PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION FOR MARINE FAC/JTAC PERSONNEL. REF B OUTLININES FORMAL SCHOOL INSTRUCTION, INDIVIDUAL TRAINING PROGRESSION AT THE UNIT LEVEL, AND JTAC CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS. 3. REF B IDENTIFIES THE FOLLOWING TRAINING REQUIREMENTS AND PREREQUISITES FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE SUBJECT COURSE: A. INITIAL REQUIRED TRAINING FOR A PROSPECTIVE JTAC IS THE JTAC PRIMER COURSE (CID N03L8L1). JTAC PRIMER COURSE CONSISTS OF BOTH ACADEMIC LECTURES AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION, AND UNTIL THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPROVAL OF THE JTAC DISTANCE LEARNING COURSE, ALL PROSPECTIVE JTACS MUST ATTEND THE EWTG JTAC PRIMER COURSE. B. FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE JTAC PRIMER COURSE, PROSPECTIVE JTACS COMPLETE AVIATION FAMILIARIZATION AND LIVE FIRE EXECUTION EVENTS UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF A QUALIFIED MARINE FAC/JTAC (MOS 7502/9986). THESE EVENTS, CONSISTING OF THE 100-LEVEL T&R MANUAL EVENTS, ARE ACCOMPLISHED AT THE UNIT LEVEL AND MUST BE DOCUMENTED IN THE JTAC TRAINING JACKET. C. UPON COMPLETION OF THE JTAC PRIMER COURSE AND 100-LEVEL T&R MANUAL EVENTS, THE PROSPECTIVE JTAC SHALL THEN ATTEND THE TACP COURSE. ALL PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS WILL REPORT TO THE SUBJECT COURSE WITH WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF THEIR COMPLETION OF THE PREREQUISITES LISTED IN 2A AND 2B. D. FAILURE TO MEET ANY REQUIREMENTS IN PARAGRAPHS 2A, 2B AND/OR 2C DISQUALIFIES PROSPECTIVE JTACS FROM ATTENDING THE SUBJECT COURSE. 3. ACTION: EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, NOMINATIONS TO FILL GROUND QUOTAS (SPONSOR POE-30) TO THE SUBJECT COURSE REQUIRE THE COMMANDING OFFICER'S ENDORSEMENT OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: A. SNM/SNO HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE JTAC PRIMER COURSE (CID N03L8L1) AND ALL 100-LEVEL T&R MANUAL EVENTS. AS SUCH, SNM/SNO MEETS ALL PUBLISHED PREREQUISITES TO ATTEND TACP. B. THIS ENDORSEMENT WILL BE VERBATIM, ON UNIT LETTERHEAD, SIGNED BY THE COMMANDING OFFICER, AND FAXED WHEN DIRECTED TO POE-30 (ATTN: FORMAL SCHOOLS), AT DSN 222-4430. NOMINATIONS WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED BY PPO (POE) AFTER RECEIPT OF THE COMMANDING OFFICER'S ENDORSEMENT. C. STUDENTS WILL PRESENT THIS ENDORSEMENT UPON REPORTING TO THE SUBJECT COURSE. THIS DOCUMENTATION IS IN ADDITION TO, AND NOT IN PLACE OF, ANY OTHER PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED REQUIREMENT. 4. PRIMARY POC FOR THIS MESSAGE AT PPO (POE-30) IS GYSGT M.T. RAYBON AT 222-4304, EMAIL AT RAYBONMT@HQMC.USMC.MIL. TECOM POC IS MAJ M.J. HAEFNER AT DSN 278-9793, EMAIL AT MATT.HAEFNER@USMC.MIL.