2027-1 Artificial Intelligence Fellowship Programs

1. Purpose. To solicit nominations
for the 2027-1 Marine Corps Artificial Intelligence
(AI) Fellowship programs.  
2. Background. The Deputy Commandant for Information (DC I),
Chief Data & AI Office (CDAO), in partnership with the Naval
Postgraduate School (NPS), is selecting Marines to attend NPS for a
project-based AI fellowship. The program is designed to make
fundamental advancements in AI through project-based research.
The cohorts are comprised of interdisciplinary teams that
collaborate to create new algorithms, technologies, and solutions
relevant to mission problems.  
3. AI Project.  All applications shall include an AI use case as the
primary project that will be developed throughout the fellowship.
To ensure candidates begin work immediately and maximize the
productivity of their time, this project must be endorsed by
the command, unclassified, actionable, and the applicant must have
access to, or reasonably assume they will be
able to obtain the necessary data.  
4. Program Structure.  AI Fellows will be under operational
control of NPS for the duration of the program, should remain
remote, and will be expected to telework daily. They will remain
under administrative control of their current command. 
4.a. No fewer than two individuals will be selected to participate
in each USMC NPS AI Fellowship cohort. 
4.b. The fellowship lasts five months and includes three unit
funded temporary additional duty (TAD) trips to the
NPS Campus in Monterey.   
4.c. Tentative dates for the TAD trips for the upcoming cohort
are as follows:  TAD 1 - 11 to 14 January 2027; TAD 2 - 05 to
08 April 2027; TAD 3 - 07 to 10 June 2027. 
4.d. Costs for sponsoring commands are approximately $5k to cover 
TAD.   
4.e. As a requirement for successful graduation, participants must
produce a publishable, quality research paper
based on their capstone project.  
4.f. Utilization and Service obligations. To ensure the
institutional return on investment and maintain fiscal
accountability of the program funding, Marines who are selected
for and complete the AI Fellowship will incur a 15-month
active-duty service obligation. To ensure this obligated 
service is met, Marines must have a minimum of 20-months of 
obligated Service at the start of this program to account for 
5-months in the fellowship and 15-months post-fellowship. 
Marines that will not have the required 20-months of service 
at the start of the program will not be considered 
4.g. Exception to Policy. Marines seeking to transition, separate
or retire from active duty prior to fulfilling this 15-month
obligation retain the right to submit an Exception to Policy
(ETP) request. All ETPs must be routed through the Marine's chain of
command and submitted to Manpower Management Office Assignments 3
to be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis.  
5. Application Process.  
5.a. Applications must be received NLT 2359 hrs (EST)
30 October 2026. Requests to submit late or incomplete
applications will not be accepted.   
5.b. Applicants must meet program requirements in accordance with
paragraph 6 at the time of submission, regardless of their personal
situation or deployment status.  Applicants who do not meet the
requirements are ineligible and must apply for a future cohort once
the requirements are met.   
5.c. Applicants must receive an endorsement letter signed by the 
first O-6 commander in their chain of command. This endorsement 
letter must be included as an attachment in the application portal.  
6. Eligibility Requirements.  Marines and civilians must meet the
following minimum eligibility requirements for consideration
for this program: 
6.a. An unclassified command sponsored, actionable AI use case, with
associated data identified, for solutioning by the
selectee in the program. 
6.b. Rank/Grade: O1-O5 Active duty only; E4-E8 Active duty only;
CWO 1-5 Active duty only; GS-5 through 14.  
6.c. Marines must have an assigned and completed Military
Occupational Specialty (MOS). Marines who do not possess a completed
MOS, or who currently hold a student or training MOS (e.g. 7599),
are ineligible. 
6.d. Marines cannot be passed for promotion and must not have an 
approved resignation or retirement date at the time of applying.
6.e. Remote/telework capable (personal computer and internet
connection is required throughout). 
7. Submission/Selection Process: 
7.a. The online application can be found at:
https:(slash)(slash)forms.osi.apps.mil/r/KuXD4BgLmg 
7.b. The selection committee will be convened on or about
04 November 2026. The Deputy Commandant for Information reserves
the right to supersede board results based on mission requirements. 
7.c. Applicants will be notified of selection/non-selection NLT
20 November 2026. The selected applicants will receive additional
coordinating instructions. 
8. Direct all questions to Maj Christopher D. Clark, 
christopher.d.clark.mil@usmc.mil, 703-692-3780 and/or Hannah Yoo, 
hannah.yoo.ctr@usmc.mil, 571-488-3966.
9. Release authorized by Lieutenant General J. A. Matos III,
Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.