MCBUL 1040. FY04 Enlisted to Warrant Officer (Marine Gunner) Program

1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BULLETIN IS TO ANNOUNCE THE FY04
WARRANT OFFICER (MARINE GUNNER) PROGRAM AND SOLICIT APPLICATIONS
FROM QUALIFIED PERSONNEL FOR MOS 0306, INFANTRY WEAPONS OFFICER, AS
CATEGORY III OFFICER (CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 (CWO2)) PER REF A.
2. A SELECTION BOARD WILL CONVENE AT HQMC ON 22 SEP 03 FOR
APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS TO SELECT QUALIFIED REGULAR MARINES FOR
APPOINTMENT TO THE GRADE OF PERMANENT CWO2 IN MOS 0306.
3. THOSE SELECTED WILL BE APPOINTED PERMANENT CWO2, DESIGNATED
MARINE GUNNER, AND AUTHORIZED TO WEAR THE BURSTING BOMB INSIGNIA.
THE COMMANDANT HAS DIRECTED THAT THE MARINE GUNNERS COME FROM THE
RANKS OF THE INFANTRY'S SENIOR STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
THESE MARINES MUST POSSESS COMBAT ARMS SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND
EXPERTISE SUCH THAT THEY CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO
THE WARFIGHTING CAPABILITIES OF THEIR FUTURE UNITS. AS INFANTRY
WEAPONS OFFICERS, THEY WILL BE A SOURCE OF EXPERTISE ON ALL ASPECTS
OF INFANTRY WEAPONS. THEY WILL MAINTAIN THEIR HIGH DEGREE OF
EXPERTISE BY COMBINING CONSECUTIVE TOURS IN THE FMF WITH OCCASIONAL
TRAINING BILLETS. DUE TO CONTINUAL FMF ASSIGNMENT, MARINE GUNNERS
SHOULD EXPECT TO SPEND A LARGE AMOUNT OF THE TIME DEPLOYED.
4. INFANTRY WEAPONS OFFICERS WILL ADVISE THE COMMANDER ON THE
TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT OF WEAPONS ORGANIC TO INFANTRY UNITS.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY WILL DEVELOP, COORDINATE, AND MONITOR UNIT
TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT AND PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE OF WEAPONS ORGANIC TO INFANTRY UNITS. THEREFORE,
ONLY EXPERIENCED INFANTRYMEN IN MOS 0369 ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY
FOR THE PROGRAM. E-8'S AND E-9'S IN MOS 9999 MUST HAVE HELD THE
0369 MOS PRIOR TO THE 9999 MOS TO BE ELIGIBLE. WE RECOGNIZE
THAT FEW HAVE THE BROAD SCOPE OF KNOWLEDGE DESIRED IN A GUNNER.
THE TRAINING TRACK DEVELOPED FOR THIS MOS WILL BUILD ON THE
SELECTEE'S PRESENT BASE OF EXPERIENCE AND PRODUCE AN OFFICER FULLY
QUALIFIED TO CARRY OUT THE DUTIES OF A GUNNER. FOLLOWING THE
WARRANT OFFICER BASIC COURSE, NEWLY APPOINTED MARINE GUNNERS WILL
ATTEND THE INFANTRY OFFICER COURSE AND WEAPONS INSTRUCTOR COURSE.
5. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR APPLICANTS FOR MARINE GUNNER, MOS 0306,
ARE CONTAINED IN REF A. SELECTEES FOR THE MARINE GUNNER PROGRAM ARE
TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR APPOINTMENT 2 FEB 04. WHEN COMPUTING THE
AMOUNT OF ACTIVE NAVAL SERVICE, USE 2 FEB 04 AS THE DATE OF
APPOINTMENT.
6. REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS OF THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, EXCEPT
THOSE ESTABLISHED BY LAW, MAY BE CONSIDERED BY THE CMC (MCRC).
HOWEVER, REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS WILL NOT BE ROUTINELY CONSIDERED.
THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS ARE NOT BEST SERVED BY A LIBERAL
WAIVER POLICY. IN THEIR ENDORSEMENTS, COMMANDING OFFICERS MUST
GIVE SPECIFIC AND COMPREHENSIVE JUSTIFICATION FOR ANY WAIVER
REQUEST.
7. SUBMIT APPLICATIONS USING THE FORMAT IN REF B. INCLUDE THE
DATASHEET AS THE FIRST ENCLOSURE TO THE APPLICATION. ADDITIONALLY,
REF B REQUIRES SUBMISSION OF SERVICE RECORD BOOK PAGES OR THEIR
ELECTRONIC EQUIVALENT IN THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE SYSTEM. ENSURE
ALL ENTRIES ARE SUBMITTED IF CONTAINED ON MULTIPLE PAGES.
8. APPLICATION DEADLINE IS 1 AUG 03. MAIL THE ORIGINAL APPLICATIONS
TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL, MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND (OE),
3280 RUSSELL ROAD, QUANTICO, VA 22134-5103. DO NOT SEND ADVANCE
COPIES. FAXED COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. IF A RETURN RECEIPT IS
DESIRED, INCLUDE A SELF ADDRESSED ENVELOPE TO ENSURE PROPER RETURN.
COMMANDING OFFICERS MAY INITIATE TRACER ACTION 30 DAYS AFTER
DEADLINE.
9. PER REF A, APPLICANTS MUST HAVE A GT SCORE OF 110 OR HIGHER.
GT SCORES DERIVED FROM THE ASVAB OR ACB-61 CLASSIFICATION TESTS ARE
VALID. ONLY GT SCORES RESIDENT WITHIN THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE
SYSTEM (MCTFS) WILL BE ACCEPTED AS OFFICIAL SCORES OF RECORD FOR ALL
PERSONNEL. A BASIC TRAINING RECORD (BTR) IS A REQUIRED ENCLOSURE TO
THE APPLICATION. IF SCORES ARE ON THE MCTFS TEST SCORE SCREEN, BUT
DO NOT APPEAR ON THE BTR, THEN ATTACH A COPY OF THE TEST SCORE
SCREEN TO THE BTR AND SUBMIT AS ONE ENCLOSURE TO THE APPLICATION.
REF C OUTLINES ASVAB AND AFCT POLICIES. ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION OR
RETESTING SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 1 MAY 03 TO ENSURE RESULTS ARE
POSTED TO THE MCTFS BY THE BOARD CONVENING DATE.
10. ADDITIONALLY, APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE BASIC REENLISTMENT
PREREQUISITES PER REF D.
11. COMMANDING OFFICER ACTION:
 A. COMMANDERS, PASS THIS INFORMATION TO ELIGIBLE MARINES IN
YOUR COMMANDS. REVIEW APPLICATIONS FOR COMPLETENESS. ENSURE THAT
APPLICANTS REQUESTING WAIVERS RECEIVE COMPREHENSIVE JUSTIFICATION
ON ALL ENDORSEMENTS, AND MAKE DEFINITIVE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING
ALL MARINES WHO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS.
 B. COMMANDERS MUST SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY
OF THE APPLICANT AS AN INFANTRYMAN. ENDORSEMENTS AND APPLICATIONS
MUST BE SCREENED TO ENSURE THAT ONLY FULLY QUALIFIED APPLICANTS ARE
RECOMMENDED FOR CONSIDERATION. APPLICANTS WHO ARE NOT RECOMMENDED BY
THE COMMANDING OFFICER SHOULD NOT BE FORWARDED TO CMC.
 C. IN SITUATIONS WHERE MARINES ARE ASSIGNED TO A COMMAND OR
INSTITUTION OF ANOTHER SERVICE OR COUNTRY THAT WILL LOCALLY PROVIDE
ENDORSEMENTS AND EVALUATIONS BASED ON THEIR OWN PERCEPTIONS AND
VALUES, CONSULTATION WITH A FIELD GRADE MARINE CORPS OFFICER OR
HIGHER IS ENCOURAGED. THIS WILL ENSURE CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE
INCLUSION OR EXCLUSION OF SERVICE UNIQUE INFORMATION. ENDORSEMENTS
FROM THESE SENIOR MARINES MAY BE INCLUDED, IF APPROPRIATE.
 D. COMMANDERS ARE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE COMMANDING GENERAL,
MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND (OE) IMMEDIATELY OF ANY CHANGES
AFFECTING CURRENT DUTY LOCATION, ENLISTMENT STATUS, OR DISCIPLINARY
ACTION WHICH OCCURS AFTER SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION.
12. PER TITLE 10 U.S.C. SECTION 1165, THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY HAS
THE AUTHORITY TO TERMINATE THE REGULAR APPOINTMENT OF ANY PERMANENT
REGULAR WO AT ANY TIME WITHIN THREE YEARS AFTER THE DATE WHEN THE
OFFICER ACCCEPTED HIS ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT. A MARINE WHOSE
APPOINTMENT IS TERMINATED MAY, UPON HIS REQUEST AND AT THE
DISCRETION OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, BE ENLISTED IN A GRADE NOT
LOWER THAN THAT HELD IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT. THEREFORE,
THE FIRST THREE YEARS AS A WO IS A PROBATIONARY PERIOD AND THE
APPOINTMENT TO WO WILL BE TERMINATED IF A MARINE DOES NOT COMPLETE
THE WOBC. CMC (MMEA), VIA THE "LONG NAME BOARD", MUST ENDORSE THE
SEPARATION REQUEST FOR REVERSION PACKAGE TO PROVIDE THE SECRETARY OF
THE NAVY A REENLISTMENT RECOMMENDATION.
13. POC IS MRS. SHAPIRO (MCRC OE), DSN: 278-9442 OR COMMERCIAL
703) 784-9442. EMAIL: SHAPIROBJ@MCRC.USMC.MIL.
14. APPLICANTS CAN CHECK THE STATUS OF THEIR APPLICATIONS AT THE
MCRC WEBSITE: HTTPS:WEB.MCRC.USMC.MIL.
15. THIS BULLETIN IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
16. THIS BULLETIN CANCELS 28 FEB 04.