Announcement of Additional Enlisted PME Seminar Courses

1.  In an effort to best prepare Marines for the current and future operating environments while ensuring that all Marines have the opportunity to remain competitive for promotion, the Marine Corps continues to refine the Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) continuum and explore ways of providing additional opportunities for Marines to complete Professional Military Education (PME).  PME requirements identified in reference (a) and exemptions for Marines serving on special duty assignments established in reference (b) remain unchanged.<br>
2.  As part of Marine Corps University(apostrophe)s (MCU) continued efforts to afford every Marine a resident-like PME experience at each rank, College of Distance Education and Training (CDET) will pilot EPME seminars for Sergeants and Gunnery Sergeants.<br>
2.A.  The Sergeants Course Seminar (SCS) will be piloted in two phases.  Phase one consists of a single seminar in Quantico during cycle 2-17 that began in February 2017.  Phase two will expand to include seminars at MCU regional campuses beginning July 2017.<br>
2.B.  The Career Course Seminar (CCS) is currently executing at all regional campuses in accordance with reference C.<br>
2.C.  The Advanced Course Seminar (ACS) will also be piloted in two phases.  Phase one will consist of a single seminar in Quantico beginning February 2018.  Phase two will expand to include seminars at MCU regional campuses beginning July 2018.<br>
3.  EPME seminar programs have been modeled after the officer seminar programs for Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) and Command and Staff College (CSC).  The SCS and the ACS will emulate the highly successful CCS to reach a wider audience.<br>
3.A.  Upon completion of distributed SCS and ACS pilots, each program will be evaluated for its effectiveness in achieving desired MCU program and learning outcomes.  If approved, these programs will be included within the EPME continuum as an option for Marines and their commanders to ensure all Marines are afforded the opportunity to attend either the appropriate resident course at one of the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academies (SNCOA) or participate in a CDET seminar where they will interact with a professional instructor and a cadre of their peers in an academic environment.<br>
3.B.  If the SCS and or ACS are approved for expansion, then units will decide which program (SNCOA or CDET seminar) each of their Marines will attend.  Units know their Marines, as well as their SNCOA seat allocations, and can influence the balance between programs to fill their allocations and best match each program to each individuals needs.<br>
3.C.  Students that complete the CDET pilot seminar programs (SCS:  School completion code 315 and ACS:  Code 314) will meet the resident PME requirement for their grade and for purposes of promotion and assignment, both programs (SNCOA resident and CDET seminar) will be considered equivalent.<br>
4.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General Robert S. Walsh, Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command.