Fiscal Year 2025 Active and Reserve Marine Attaché Selection Board: Officer Selection Results
This MARADMIN announces the results of the Fiscal Year 2025 Marine Attaché Selection Board, which selected 18 officers (14 active duty and 4 reserve) as primary candidates for duty with the Defense Attaché Service, along with additional alternates. Selected officers must accept or decline their assignments by January 31, 2024, and can expect to begin training in the National Capital Region starting in spring 2024.
Issued: January 12, 2024
1. On 28 August 2023, the Director for Manpower Management convened the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Marine Active and Reserve Attaché (MARA) Selection Board to select Marines as primary candidates and identify alternates for duty with the Defense Attaché Service (DAS) to report in FY25. The Secretary of the Navy has approved the list of Marines herein and nominated them to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) for final approval. 2. The board considered the packages of 82 qualified applicants and selected 18 officers as primary candidates. Demonstrated performance, Marine Air Ground Task Force experience, and the potential to operate effectively in a foreign, independent duty environment were among the factors considered in the selection process. 3. Board results 3.a. Primary selections. Any changes from the originally advertised country list were based on requirements from DIA. 3.a.1. The board selected the following active duty officers for nomination with the DAS as MARAs or Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché (SDO/DATT) with their slated assignments: Name MOS Country Notes Dowling Jr., Charles C. 0202 South Africa Dudro, Thomas R. 7563 Ukraine Fletcher, Carsten E. 0302 Bangladesh Foran, Caitlin J. 0602 Korea Holland, Ryan P. 1302 Mexico Kunst, Samuel E. 7566 France Lousche, Joseph R. 0202 Philippines Meadows, David P. 0202 Latvia SDO/DATT Murphy, Scott E. 1802 Kenya Raike, Brian R. 0202 Colombia Schwarzenberg, Carly E. 3002 Senegal Spanu, Daniel 0602 Romania Summerville, Chad 0202 United Kingdom Walker, Tobin J. 0302 Denmark 3.a.2. The board selected the following reserve duty officers for nomination with the DAS as reserve MARAs: Name MOS Barnett, Benjamin 0202 Grader, Nicholas J. 0302 Irving, Geoffrey L. 4402 Rafiq, Omermohamm S. 0302 3.b. Alternate selections 3.b.1. The board selected the following active duty officers as alternates: Name MOS Bartok, Paul T. 3002 Berger, Holly M. 0402 Cesaro, Anthony J. 7588 Clark, Michael E. 7525 Dierker, Adam F. 0402 Gallagher Jr., Timothy K. 7557 Mason, Tebias M. 0202 Miller, Nicholle M. 0202 Murray, Adam R. 0202 Phippen II, Joseph F. 0302 Sawyer, Aleksandra J. 0202 Siegel, Benjamin J. 0202 Smith Jr., Ronald J. 0802 Southward III, William W. 0202 3.b.2. The board selected the following reserve duty officers as alternates: Name MOS Crawford, Sebastian S. 0202 Davidhizar, Matthew H. 0402 Myler, Devin R. 7523 Weaver, Jansen F. 0202 4. Coordinating instructions 4.a. Primary selectees 4.a.1. Active duty acceptance of selection. Selectees shall accept or decline via email to their PMOS monitor no later than 31 January 2024. Selectees will copy their acceptance email to the HQMC Marine Attaché Program Office at mara.application@usmc.mil to communicate acceptance of assignment and receive further guidance. 4.a.2. Reserve duty acceptance of selection. Selectees shall accept or decline via email to their PMOS monitor no later than 31 January 2024 and will contact the Deputy Commandant for Information Reserve Liaison Office (DCI RLO) to communicate acceptance of assignment and receive further guidance. 4.b. Alternate selectees. No action is required on the part of Marines on the alternate list in paragraph 3.b. In the event that a billet becomes vacant, Manpower Management will fleet-up an officer from the alternate list. PMOS monitors will directly contact any alternate selected as a fleet-up. 4.c. Declinations and deferrals 4.c.1 Declinations. Marines who decline assignment to a MARA billet must submit a declination in writing (AA form) via the first O6 in their chain of command addressed to HQMC via MMOA-3 NLT 31 January 2024. Marines who decline will be ineligible for future MARA billets, unless otherwise approved by the Director, Manpower Management. 4.c.2. Deferrals. Marines selected for assignment to a MARA billet who are unable to execute orders due to extraordinary circumstances may request a deferral. If approved, the Director, Manpower Management will defer the Marine to a future SCO selection panel. Primary selectees may submit a deferral request in writing (AA Form) via the first general officer in their chain of command addressed to HQMC via MMOA-3 NLT 31 January 2024. 4.d. Reporting and training 4.d.1. Selected Marines can expect Permanent Change of Station orders for training in the National Capital Region. Training start dates are dependent upon the assigned country and corresponding training requirements, but can begin in spring 2024. Selected officers with competing service requirements which could potentially delay their availability for training must notify their primary MOS monitor in their initial correspondence. 4.d.2. A limited portion of training during the Joint Military Attaché School (JMAS) is available to the spouses of selected officers. Although spouse attendance is not required, it is highly recommended and does not incur any additional cost to the service member. Language training is available to the spouse for most billets at the request of the selected officer. In addition to training, a security clearance will be submitted for the spouse. 4.d.3. Spouses must be naturalized U.S. citizens prior to the service member attending JMAS. 4.d.4. Service members must complete a Counter Intelligence Polygraph examination prior to attending JMAS. This will be coordinated through the selectee's parent command. 5. Release authorized by BGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director, Manpower Management, Division.