2007 Senate Youth Program Mentor Officer Announcement and Application Procedures

1. THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS APPLICATIONS FROM VOLUNTEER
COMPANY GRADE OFFICERS AND MAJORS FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS 2007 SENATE
YOUTH PROGRAM, SCHEDULED FROM MARCH 1 - 10, 2007.
2. THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM IS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM,
MANAGAGED AND FUNDED BY THE WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST FOUNDATION. THE
PROGRAM PROVIDES 104 OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS
THE NATION AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FIRSTHAND ABOUT THE FUNCTIONS OF
GOVERNMENT DURING A WEEK LONG PROGRAM IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.
DELEGATES WILL HEAR MAJORITY POLICY ADDRESSES BY SENATORS, CABINET
MEMBERS, OFFICIALS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF STATE AND DEFENSE AND
DIRECTORS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING
WITH A JUSTICE OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT. 
3. ARMED FORCES SUPPORT FOR THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM INCLUDES A
TOTAL OF 17 OFFICER MENTORS. TWO (2) OF THESE OFFICERS (O-4) WILL BE
SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER AND ASSISTANT SENIOR
MENTOR OFFICER. OFFICERS WILL SERVE AS COUNSELORS, FACILITATORS AND
AMBASSADORS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES AND THE COAST GUARD. THESE
OFFICERS ARE ROLE MODELS FOR THIS IMPRESSIONABLE GROUP, WHO TEND TO
HAVE LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE WITH MILITARY PERSONNEL OR NATIONAL
SECURITY ISSUES.
4. THE MARINE CORPS WILL NOMINATE A TOTAL OF FIVE (5) COMPANY GRADE
OFFICERS AND THREE (3) MAJORS TO OASD/PA FOR FINAL SELECTION TO
ACCOMMODATE THIS PROGRAM. INCLUSIVE TO THESE NOMINATIONS WILL BE A
TOTAL OF THREE (3) FEMALE OFFICERS TO SERVE AS MENTORS FOR THE
FEMALE SENATE YOUTH GUESTS. APPLICANTS MUST MEET MARINE CORPS HEIGHT
AND WEIGHT STANDARDS AND MUST SECURE COMMAND ENDORSEMENT FOR
PARTICIPATION. OFFICERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS MENTORS FOR
THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM ARE ELIGIBLE AND ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE
IN THE 2007 PROGRAM.  THIS MESSAGE IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS
RESERVE.
5. IF SELECTED AS A MENTOR, MILITARY DUTIES MUST NOT CONFLICT WITH
CONTINUOUS ASSIGNMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE
UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM. MENTOR OFFICERS WILL BE REQUIRED
TO ATTEND A TWO-DAY ORIENTATION AND TRAINING COURSE AT THE MAYFLOWER
HOTEL IN WASHINGTON, DC FROM MARCH 1-2 PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF THE
ACTUAL PROGRAM FROM MARCH 3-10, 2007. OFFICERS SELECTED AS THE
SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER OR ASSISTANT SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER ARE
REQUIRED TO ATTEND AN ADDITIONAL ORIENTATION COURSE FROM FEBRUARY
26-28 PRIOR TO JOINING OTHER OFFICERS FOR TRAINING ON MARCH 1-2.
6. MENTOR OFFICERS MUST POSSESS PERMISSIVE TAD ORDERS (AT NO COST TO
THE GOVERNMENT) OR BE IN A LEAVE STATUS DURING THE PERIOD ASSIGNED.
COSTS FOR AIRFARE OR OTHER TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS TO/FROM WASHINGTON IS
AT THE PARTICIPANTS' OWN EXPENSE. THE WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST
FOUNDATION WILL PAY FOR OFFICERS' LODGING, MEALS AND INCIDENTAL
COSTS SUCH AS LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING BETWEEN THE DATES OF MARCH 2
THROUGH MARCH 10, 2007. OFFICERS FROM OUTSIDE THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
REGION (NCR) SHOULD BE PREPARED TO COVER THEIR OWN LODGING AND MEAL
EXPENSES FOR FEBRUARY 28 AND MARCH 1 IN ORDER TO FACILITATE
ATTENDANCE AT THE REQUIRED ORIENTATION TRAINING ON MARCH 1-2. THE
SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER WILL ATTEMPT TO RESERVE ROOMS AT BOQ
FACILITIES ON LOCAL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS FOR THOSE OFFICERS FROM
OUTSIDE THE NCR. 
7. ALL QUALIFIED OFFICERS ARE INVITED TO APPLY FOR THIS COMPETITIVE
PROGRAM BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES THE
FOLLOWING MANDATORY ITEMS AND INFORMATION:
(A) FULL NAME
(B) RANK
(C) DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH
(D) WORK MAILING AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS
(E) HOME MAILING AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS (ON A
SEPARATE PAGE FROM THE ABOVE)
(F) CAREER FIELD/DUTY DESCRIPTION EXPLAINED IN CIVILIAN TERMS
(G) COMBAT OR DEPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
(H) BRIEF, ONE PAGE BIOGRAPHY. ITEMS THAT MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE
BIOGRAPHY ARE: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND (UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED,
DEGREES EARNED,COURSE OF STUDY/MAJOR), MILITARY BACKGROUND (MILITARY
OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY, PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS, DUTY STATIONS,
AWARDS/RECOGNITION), AND EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH (NOT IN, OR A
MEMBER OF) YOUTH GROUPS OR YOUTH-RELATED PROGRAMS (ON/OFF DUTY
ACTIVITIES OR DURING HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE). 
(I) COMMAND ENDORSEMENT. THE APPLICANT'S IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR IS
ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS FOCUSED ON MATURITY, LEADERSHIP
SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND COMMUNITY/YOUTH INVOLVEMENT. THE
ENDORSEMENT MUST INCLUDE A STATEMENT THAT, IF SELECTED, THE
APPLICANT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL FUNCTIONS DURING
THE TOTAL DURATION OF THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE
ORIENTATION TRAINING, FROM MARCH 1 TO 10, 2006. MAJORS SHOULD MODIFY
THIS STATEMENT TO INDICATE AVAILABILITY FROM FEBRUARY
26 TO MARCH 10, 2007 IN THE EVENT THEY ARE SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE
SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER OR ASSISTANT SENIOR MENTOR OFFICER.  
(J) PHOTOGRAPH. APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A 3X5 OR 5X7 FULL-LENGTH
PHOTO IN SERVICE ALPHA UNIFORM FOR USE IN DETERMINING MILITARY
APPEARANCE.
8. HEADQUARTERS, U. S. MARINE CORPS, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MUST
RECEIVE APPLICATIONS NO LATER THAN JANUARY 4, 2007. FINAL SELECTION
OF MENTOR OFFICERS WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 15,
2007.  APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE OUTCOME OF THE SELECTION
PROCESS NO LATER THAN JANUARY 26, 2007.
9. APPLICATIONS MUST BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY USING PDF FILES AND A
DIGITAL IMAGE/PHOTOGRAPH, OR SENT VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS SERVICE.
APPLICATIONS SENT VIA REGULAR MAIL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED DUE TO THE
LENGTHY INCOMING MAIL SCREENING PROCESS AT THE PENTAGON.
APPLICATIONS CAN BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
KRISTINE.SCARBER@USMC.MIL  NOTE 2007 SENATE YOUTH APPLICATION AND
APPLICANT NAME IN THE SUBJECT LINE. APPLICATIONS CAN BE SENT VIA
FEDERAL EXPRESS SERVICE TO: HEADQUARTERS, U. S. MARINE CORPS,
DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, ATTENTION - COMMUNITY RELATIONS BRANCH
(PAC), PENTAGON, ROOM 4A532, WASHINGTON, DC, 20350-3000. 
10. POINT OF CONTACT IS MSGT KRISTINE SCARBER, COMMUNITY RELATIONS
BRANCH, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HQMC AT (703)614-1034.