Announcement of the 2003 First Sergeants Course

1. SITUATION. SINCE 1996, THE COMMANDANT OF
THE MARINE CORPS HAS DIRECTED THAT A FORMAL COURSE OF 
INSTRUCTION BE PROVIDED FOR ALL NEWLY PROMOTED FIRST SERGEANTS 
AND FIRST SERGEANT SELECTEES. THE COURSE, THOUGH NOT ALL 
INCLUSIVE, WILL FACILITATE THE TRANSITION FROM GUNNERY 
SERGEANT INTO THE 9999 MOS. 
2. MISSION. MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY WILL CONDUCT THE FIRST 
SERGEANTS COURSE DURING JUNE 2003 AT MCB, QUANTICO, VA IN ORDER TO
PROVIDE INSTRUCTION COVERING THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
MARINES WITH THE RANK AND/OR BILLET OF FIRST SERGEANT.
3. EXECUTION
A. COMMANDER'S INTENT. ESTABLISH AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE 
ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE INSTRUCTION, WHICH WILL INCREASE 
THEIR LEVEL OF AWARENESS AS TO THE DUTIES AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FIRST SERGEANT. ALL INSTRUCTION
WILL BE FOCUSED SO TO BETTER ENABLE THE ATTENDEES TO 
ADVISE, ACT AS COUNSEL, AND INTERACT WITH UNIT COMMANDERS,
OFFICERS, SNCO'S, AND ENLISTED MARINES TO ACCOMPLISH THE
UNIT'S MISSION. END STATE WILL BE ACHIEVED AFTER ALL
NSTRUCTION IS PRESENTED AND EACH ATTENDEE COMPLETES AN 
END OF COURSE CRITIQUE. 
B. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS. THE FIRST SERGEANTS COURSE WILL BE
CONDUCTED OVER A 12-DAY PERIOD. INSTRUCTION IS PRESENTED
THROUGH A VARIETY OF TECHNIQUES TO INCLUDE LECTURE, 
DEMONSTRATION, PRACTICAL APPLICATION, AND GUEST LECTURES.
EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON WARFIGHTING, ADMINISTRATION, LEGAL,
DRILL AND CEREMONY, AND LEADERSHIP. INSTRUCTION WILL BE
PROVIDED BY NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS FROM THE NATIONAL 
CAPITAL REGION (NCR). ATTENDEES WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN
A PROFESSIONAL DINNER AND ATTEND AN EVENING PARADE. 
C. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS. THE 2003 FIRST SERGEANTS 
COURSE WILL CONVENE 16-27 JUN 03 AT THE GRAY RESEARCH 
CENTER, MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY, QUANTICO, VA. RESERVE 
AND ACTIVE DUTY ATTENDEES WILL REPORT TO THE SNCO 
ACADEMY, QUANTICO, VA 22134, NLT 2359, 15 JUN 03, IN THE
SERVICE "A" UNIFORM. ATTENDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO ARRIVE
BETWEEN 1200 AND 1800, 15 JUN 03, TO FACILITATE 
IN-PROCESSING. 
(1) ATTENDANCE. ALL FIRST SERGEANTS SELECTED DURING CY 
2003, THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED REMEDIAL PROMOTION AND
THOSE WHO RECEIVED AN EXEMPTION DURING CY 2002 ARE 
REQUIRED TO ATTEND UNLESS APPROVED FOR AN EXEMPTION.
ALL REQ FOR EXEMPTION SHOULD BE FWD VIA NAVAL 
MESSAGE TO THE CG EDCOM PRES MCU QUANTICO 
VA/C40/EPME/, INFO LINE TO CMC (MMEA-81). RESERVE
MEMBERS SHOULD INFO COMMARFORRES (G-3T) WHEN 
REQUESTING EXEMPTION. EXEMPTIONS ARE CONSIDERED ON
A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. 
(2) REGISTRATION. ATTENDEES ARE REQUIRED TO REGISTER 
FOR THE JUN 03 COURSE NLT 31 MAY 03. THE 
REGISTRATION FORM IS ACCESSIBLE ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB
AT HTTP://WWW.MCU.USMC.MIL/SNCOA/1STSGT/INDEX.CFM. COMPLETE
REGISTRATION ON LINE OR FAX TO MCU AT DSN 278-4099/
4098 OR COML (703) 784-4099/4098. REGISTRATION 
INFORMATION MUST BE SUBMITTED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE 
APPROPRIATION DATA.
4. ADMIN AND LOGISTICS 
A. ORDERS/RECORDS.
(1) TAD ORDERS WILL BE NON-REPORTING.
(2) SRB, HEALTH, AND DENTAL RECORDS NOT REQUIRED.
B. FUNDING. TRAVEL/PER DIEM FOR ACTIVE DUTY MARINES IS 
FUNDED BY HQMC. THERE IS NO COST TO INDIVIDUAL COMMANDS
UNLESS RENTAL CARS ARE AUTH VIA SEPARATE APPN DATA. 
RESERVE MARINES ARE FUNDED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE MAJOR
SUBORDINATE COMMAND. NO PER DIEM CHECKS WILL BE ISSUED
BY THE FINANCE OFFICE AT THIS SITE DUE TO THE SHORT 
LENGTH OF THE COURSE. 
C. TRANSPORTATION. TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO/FROM AIRPORTS 
ARE REIMBURSABLE. ATTENDEES SHOULD NOT SCHEDULE ANY 
FLIGHT DEPARTURES PRIOR TO 1700 ON 27 JUN 03. 
D. LODGING. DUE TO LODGING EXPENSES AT THE TAD SITE, IT IS
RECOMMENDED THAT RESERVE UNITS USE THE INITIAL PAYMENT
PROCESS (IPP). GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CHARGE CARDS MAY ALSO 
BE ISSUED TO DEFRAY PER DIEM EXPENSES. PERSONNEL ARE 
REQUIRED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR OWN LODGING. 
ATTENDEES ARE ADVISED NOT TO WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION OF A
SCHOOL SEAT WHEN CONSIDERING LODGING ARRANGEMENTS. 
E. UNIFORM
(1) THE PRESCRIBED UNIFORM IS UTILITIES (CAMOUFLAGE OR
DIGITAL PATTERN). 
(2) STUDENTS SHOULD BRING SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF UNIFORMS 
FOR THE DURATION OF THE COURSE.
(3) THE REQUIRED UNIFORM ITEMS ARE:
(A) ONE SERVICE "C" UNIFORM WITH GARRISON COVER 
(TANKER JACKET IS OPTIONAL).
(B) ONE SERVICE "A" UNIFORM.
(C) ALL WEATHER COAT.
(D) APPROPRIATE CIVILIAN ATTIRE.
(E) PT GEAR (GREEN ON GREEN).
F. SOCIAL EVENTS 
(1) ALL ATTENDEES ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A PROFESSIONAL
DINNER. THE PRESCRIBED DRESS FOR THE DINNER IS 
CIVILIAN INFORMAL ATTIRE (MALE: SUIT OR COAT & TIE),
(FEMALE: DRESS OR SUIT).
(2) AN EVENING PARADE AT 8TH & I WASHINGTON DC IS 
SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, 20 JUN 03. THE UNIFORM IS 
SERVICE "C". TRANSPORTATION WILL BE PROVIDED. 
PARTICIPATION IS MANDATORY FOR ALL ATTENDEES.
G. FEES. A REIMBURSABLE CONFERENCE FEE OF $145.00 CASH 
(EXACT AMOUNT ONLY) IS PAYABLE AT TIME OF CHECK-IN. THE
CONFERENCE FEE IS FOR ADMIN COSTS ONLY AND INCLUDES THE
PROFESSIONAL DINNER. A CLASS PHOTO WILL BE AVAILABLE AT
A COST OF $15.00.
5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL 
A. COMMAND RELATIONSHIP. SGTMAJ, EDCOM/MCU SERVES AS ON
SCENE COMMANDER.
B. SIGNAL. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO INCLUDE COURSE 
EXEMPTIONS AND LODGING CAN BE FOUND ON THE 1STSGTS 
COURSE WEBSITE AT: 
HTTP://WWW.MCU.USMC.MIL/SNCOA/1STSGT/INDEX.CFM 
C. QUESTIONS AND OR CONCERNS REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THIS
MARADMIN CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE POC INDICATED ABOVE OR 
TO THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL POC'S: 
(1) ACTIVE DUTY: SSGT R.E. STOKES, ADJUTANT, SNCOA, 
QUANTICO, VA, DSN: 278-5793/2875, COML (703) 
784-5793/2875, E-MAIL: STOKESRE@TECOM.USMC.MIL. 
(2) RESERVE: GYSGT S. DEGRAUWE AT COML (703) 784-2127/
28, E-MAIL: DEGRAUWES@NT.QUANTICO.USMC.MIL.