FY27 Congressional Fellowship Program for Officers and Staff Noncommissioned Officers Selection Panel Results

1.  Purpose.  The Fiscal Year 2027 Congressional
Fellowship Program (CFP) selects Marines to obtain first-hand,
senior-level experience with the workings of the U.S. Congress to
acquire additional skills, relationships, and knowledge that enables
the Marine Corps to sustain and improve its efforts to inform and
educate the legislative branch.  The FY27 CFP Panel is conducted in
three parts: screening, interviews, and final selection.  The
screening panel concluded on 15 July 2026.  The interview panel by
the Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) concluded on 17 August 2026.
The FY27 CFP Panel selected 12 active-duty officers and three
enlisted Marines as primaries as well as one active-duty officer and
one active-duty enlisted Marine as alternates.
1.a.  Major milestone timeline (read in two columns):
NLT Date                Milestone
14 June 2027            CFP no later than Report Date
31 December 2027        Complete professional development tour
01 January 2028         Begin 1 year Capitol Hill Fellowship
01 January 2029         Begin 2 year utilization tour
01 January 2031         Receive PCS/A Orders from PMOS monitor
                        to complete remaining service obligation
                        (MMOA/EA)
2.  Panel Results
2.a.   The panel selected the following active duty members as
primary selects for CFP (read in four columns):
Name                      Rank      PMOS      MCC
Cerreta, Nicholas M.      Capt      0402      017
Davis, Robert F.          Capt      0202      JAL
Hosford, Brandon J.       Capt      3404      110
Massey, Rourke V.         Capt      7563      VLC
Odom, Austin J.           Capt      7318      1J3
Rees, Jacob T.            Capt      7563      V35
Walker, Dominic A.        Capt      0202      145
Breen, Kevin R.           1stLt     0202      1NE
Burchfield, Eric J.       1stLt     0402      1MY
Neal, Andrew J.           1stLt     0402      1QH
Nettles, Justice S.       1stLt     4502      015
Piro, Donovan V.          1stLt     0302      V25
Gonzalezdawkins, Edwin A. MSgt      3537      080
Buxton, Lauren C.         GySgt     4421      U44
Findley, Andrew T.        SSgt      1721      TRU
2.b.  The panel selected the following active duty members as
alternate selects for CFP (read in four columns):
Name                      Rank      PMOS      MCC
Scaramuzzino Jr, Joseph J.Capt      7318      1J3
Arteaga, Eduardo          GySgt     3537      HC3
3.  Coordinating Instructions
3.a.  Primary selectees
3.a.1.  Acceptance of selection.  This message serves as
notification of orders for Marines listed in paragraph 2.a.
Selected Marines are directed to contact MMOA-3 via email at
smb_mmoa_grad_edu@usmc.mil NLT 10 days from the release of
this MARADMIN.  Primary selects, unable to participate in the
program beginning in FY27 due to extraordinary circumstances, may
request a deferral.  
3.a.2.  Primary selects requesting a deferral must do
so via administrative action form, endorsed by the first O-6
commanding officer in their chain of command, forwarded to HQMC
(MMOA-3) NLT 10 days from the release of this MARADMIN.
4.  Officer selects
4.a.  Acknowledging selection and assignment to CFP also
acknowledges that the officer select agrees not to tender
resignation or request retirement while enrolled in the program.
Officer selects further agree to remain on active duty after
completion of degree requirements or upon separation from the
program.  Service obligations incurred for this program are in
accordance with references (c) and (f).
4.b.  Upon successful completion of their development tour,
officer selects will serve a one year Capitol Hill Fellowship at the
Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) followed by a two year
utilization tour.
4.c.  PCS/PCA orders to the Congressional Fellowship Program
(MCC K20) will be coordinated via separate correspondence by the
Officer Assignments Branch (MMOA).
4.d.  Officer selects are directed to report no earlier than
15 May 2027 and NLT 14 June 2027 to the CY27 Congressional
Fellowship Program (MCC K20), Marine Corps Office of Legislative
Affairs, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. for duty in billet MOS/
description 8018/Congressional Fellow.
4.e.  Alternates will be contacted in the event that a primary
select cannot attend.
5.  Enlisted selects
5.a.  Acknowledging selection and assignment to CFP also
acknowledges that the enlisted select agrees not to tender
resignation or request retirement while enrolled in the program.
5.b.  PCS/PCA orders to the Congressional Fellowship Program
(MCC K20) will be coordinated via separate correspondence by
Enlistment Assignments Branch (MMEA).
5.c.  Enlisted selects are directed to report no earlier than
15 May 2027 and NLT 14 June 2027 to the CY27 Congressional
Fellowship Program (MCC K20), Marine Corps Office of Legislative
Affairs, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. for duty in billet MOS/
description 8018/Congressional Fellow.
5.d.  After a successful one-year tour as a Congressional fellow,
enlisted selects will be assigned a billet description of
Congressional Marine Liaison in accordance with reference (b),
followed by a 36-month service obligation during which a two-year
utilization tour (OLA) will be served.
5.e.  Enlisted selects must gain additional obligated service
in order to report with a minimum of 54 months beginning 1 July
2027.
5.f.  Enlisted selects must submit a Reenlistment Extension
Lateral Move (RELM) in the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) NLT
10 days from the release of this MARADMIN in order to gain the
required obligated service.  Unit Career Planners have access to the
TFRS program.  If selectees have already submitted a RELM prior to
this MARADMIN, a new RELM is not required.
5.f.1.  Requests for voluntary separation while on the program will
not receive favorable consideration.
5.g.  Alternates will be contacted in the event that a primary
select cannot attend.
6.  Incurred Obligation
6.a.  When Marines incur a service obligation from graduate
education and training during the CFP, it will overlap with any
previous obligations.  When obligations overlap, the one with
the latest end date will be the primary obligation.  Participation
in the CFP incurs two concurrent obligations: one for the
legislative fellowship per reference (c), and one for the graduate
degree program per reference (f).
6.a.1.  If the graduate degree program is less than one calendar
year, obligated service will be 36 months upon successful degree
completion.
6.a.2.  If the graduate degree program is longer than one calendar
year, obligated service will be 48 months upon successful degree
completion.
7.  Studies and tuition
7.a.  Selects must maintain a full-time student status
with George Mason University during their development tour.  Selects
must complete all degree requirements prior to the completion of
their Fellowship on Capitol Hill. If the select anticipates not
completing program requirements, they must notify MMOA-3
immediately.
7.b.  Tuition.  Selects must contact the Education Command (EDCOM)
Office at mcu_fiscal_team@usmcu.edu to obtain a third-party billing
letter after they receive the tuition bill from the university.
When contacting the office, the email must contain the Marine's
name, DOD identification number (EDIPI), and this message showing
selection.  Additionally, the email must contain the school's name,
physical address, phone number, and email address for the schools'
third-party billing office.  EDCOM will provide a third-party
billing letter with instructions for tuition payments to the student
and the school's third-party billing office.  It is the student's
responsibility to ensure the school receives the letter and that the
tuition is paid.
8.  Program points of contact:
8.a.  Reserve Affairs Management - 2 (RAM)
         Lieutenant Colonel Stephen D. Grodek
         Email: stephen.grodek@usmc.mil
8.b.  Congressional Fellowship Program
         Lieutenant Colonel Rachel E. Cummings
         Email:  rachel.cummings@usmc.mil
         Master Sergeant Joseph Barnard
         Email:  joseph.a.barnard@usmc.mil
8.c.  Graduate Education Manager (MMOA-3)
         Major Delaney T. Dumanovsky
         Email:  delaney.t.dumanovsky.mil@usmc.mil
         MMOA-3 OMB:  smb_mmoa_grad_edu@usmc.mil
8.d.  Enlisted Education Programs Monitor (MMEA-25)
         Gunnery Sergeant Brandon Wilkins
         Email:  brandon.wilkins@usmc.mil
8.e.  Third-party Billing, EDCOM
         Email:  mcu_fiscal_team@usmcu.edu
9.  Release authorized by MajGen Fridrik Fridriksson, Director,
Manpower Management Division.