Academic Year 2005-2006 Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting (SAW) Student Selection

1. SITUATION. FOR ACADEMIC YEAR (AY) 05-06, SAW WILL SELECT
24 STUDENTS FROM A COMBINATION OF RESIDENT INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 
SCHOOLS (ILS)AND THE USMC COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE DISTANCE
EDUCATION PROGRAM (CSCDEP). SAW IS AN ADVANCED ILS PROGRAM THAT
CONCENTRATES ON DEVELOPING DECISION-MAKING AND COMPLEX PROBLEM-
SOLVING SKILLS AT THE OPERATIONAL LEVEL OF WAR. THE COURSE EMPLOYS
HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CASE STUDIES AS A FRAMEWORK AND 
INCLUDES MASTERY OF THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS (MCPP) AND
INTRODUCTION TO JOINT OPERATION PLANNING AND EXECUTION SYSTEM 
(JOPES). THE 11-MONTH CURRICULUM CAPITALIZES ON THE PROFESSIONAL
MILITARY EDUCATION RECEIVED FROM COMMAND AND STAFF ILS PROGRAMS.
METHODOLOGY FOCUSES ON EXTENSIVE READING, SEMINAR LEARNING, AND
ENHANCEMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. STUDENTS MUST GRASP LARGE
AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION, SYNTHESIZE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS, AND THEN
COMMUNICATE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS EFFECTIVELY BOTH ORALLY
AND IN WRITING. FINALLY, GRADUATION FROM SAW RESULTS IN CONFERENCE 
OF A MASTER OF OPERATIONAL STUDIES DEGREE AND THE AWARDING OF THE 
SKILL DESIGNATOR MOS 0505, MAGTF PLANNER.
2. MISSION. MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY/COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE WILL
CONVENE A SAW SELECTION BOARD ON 12 OCT 2004 FOR APROXIMATELY TWO 
WEEKS TO SELECT 24 STUDENTS FROM A COMBINATION OF RESIDENT 
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL SCHOOL (ILS) PROGRAMS AND THE USMC CSCDEP FOR
ACADEMIC YEAR 2005-2006. 
3. EXECUTION
A. COMMANDERS INTENT. I WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND MATURE HIGH
CALIBER OFFICERS WITH AN ENHANCED MASTERY OF OPERATIONAL ART AND
CRITICAL STAFF SKILLS NECESSARY TO CONTRIBUTE IN HIGH-IMPACT 
BILLETS THROUGHOUT OUR OPERATING FORCES. COMPETITIVE SELECTION OF
QUALIFIED MARINE, SISTER SERVICE, AND FOREIGN MILITARY OFFICER
APPLICANTS WHO HAVE EXCELLED IN OUR RESIDENT ILS AND DISTANCE 
EDUCATION PROGRAMS IS CRITICAL TO ACHIEVE THAT AIM. THE ENDSTATE IS 
THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE QUALITY REPRESENTATION OF OFFICERS IN THE SAW
CLASS OF 2006.
B. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS. OFFICERS MEETING THE ADMISSIONS 
CRITERIA DESCRIBED IN THIS MESSAGE ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO SAW 
FOR AY 05-06 THROUGH THEIR RESIDENT ILS FACULTY ADVISORS OR CSCDEP
REGIONAL COORDINATORS.
(1) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
(A) APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT COMPLETED SAW APPLICATION AND CURRENT 
MASTER BRIEF SHEET. USMC CSCDEP APPLICANTS MUST ALSO SUBMIT A COPY 
OF THE USMC CSCDEP DIPLOMA, IF THE APPLICANT HAS GRADUATED FROM THE
USMC CSCDEP AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION TO SAW.
(B) CSCDEP APPLICANTS REQUIRE WRITTEN ENDORSEMENTS FROM BOTH THE 
SAW APPLICANT'S REGIONAL COORDINATOR AND THE APPLICANT'S REPORTING
SENIOR.
(C) APPLICATION INCLUDES A REQUIREMENT TO WRITE A DIRECTED ESSAY 
(NO MORE THAN 500 WORDS). TOPIC FOR THE ESSAY IS PRESCRIBED IN THE
APPLICATION.
(D) RANK. MUST BE A PROMOTED MAJOR AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION TO 
SAW. MUST NOT HAVE PREVIOUSLY FAILED SELECTION TO LTCOL PRIOR TO
SELECTION TO SAW. MUST NOT BE A PROMOTED LTCOL OR LTCOL SELECT AT 
THE TIME OF APPLICATION TO SAW. IF IN ZONE FOR LTCOL AT THE TIME 
OF APPLICATION TO SAW, FAILURE TO SELECT FOR LTCOL THAT YEAR WILL
TERMINATE SAW ELIGIBILITY.
(E) MOS. OPEN TO ALL MOS FIELDS.
(F) COMPONENT. ACTIVE DUTY, UNRESTRICTED OFFICERS ARE ELIGIBLE. AR
OFFICERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY, BUT MUST BE ABLE TO COMPLETE A 
TWO-YEAR PAYBACK TOUR FOLLOWING GRADUATION. 
(G) MMOA APPROVAL. SAW APPLICANTS MUST BE GRANTED APPROVAL TO 
ATTEND SAW DURING AY 05-06 FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE POPULATION 
ASSIGNMENT MONITORS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THEIR APPLICATION TO ATTEND
SAW. SAW GRADUATES CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE A TWO-YEAR POST-GRADUATION
ASSIGNMENT ALIGNED WITH THE 0505 MOS.
(H) TIME ON STATION REQUIREMENTS. SAW APPLICANTS MUST SATISFY 
MINIMUM TOS REQUIREMENTS AT CURRENT DUTY STATION IAW REF A.
(I) OFFICERS SELECTED FOR ASSIGNMENT AS RECRUITING STATION 
COMMANDING OFFICER DURING AY 05-06 ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND SAW
DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
(J) SEP/ADP GRADUATES. GRADUATES OF EITHER THE SPECIAL EDUCATION
PROGRAM (SEP) OR THE ADVANCED DEGREE PROGRAM (ADP) WHO HAVE 
COMPLETED AN INITIAL SEP/ADP PAYBACK ASSIGNMENT ARE ELIGIBLE TO 
ATTEND SAW.
(K) RESIDENT ILS APPLICANTS MUST BE CURRENTLY ENROLLED AS A STUDENT 
IN GOOD STANDING AT THE MARINE CORPS COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE, 
NAVAL COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE, ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF
COLLEGE, OR AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE.
(L) CSCDEP SAW APPLICANTS MUST BE USMC OFFICERS GRADUATED FROM THE
8800-SERIES SEMINAR-BASED USMC CSCDEP. CURRENTLY-ENROLLED OFFICERS
CAN APPLY PROVIDED THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER/OIC OR CCE REGIONAL
COORDINATOR CERTIFIES THAT THEY CAN REASONABLY COMPLETE THE 8800
SERIES SEMINAR-BASED CSCDEP BY 1 APR 05. FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE
8800 SERIES CSCDEP BY 1 MAY 05 WILL TERMINATE ELIGIBILITY TO ATTEND
SAW DURING AY 05-06.
(3) TASKS
(A) CSC
(1 ESTABLISH SAW SELECTION BOARD TO CONDUCT APPLICANT INTERVIEWS
AND SELECT THE BEST-QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FOR AY 05-06.
(2) COORDINATE WITH CCE ON APPLICATION SUBMISSION FOR CSCDEP
OFFICERS.
(3) SCHEDULE INTERVIEWS FOR ALL APPLICANTS, CCE-SCREENED CSCDEP AND
RESIDENT ILS STUDENTS.
(B) CCE 
(1) ASSIST CSCDEP SAW APPLICANTS WITH APPLICATION PREPARATION.
(2) COORDINATE SUBMISSION OF SAW APPLICATIONS THROUGH CCE REGIONAL
COORDINATORS.
(3) SCREEN AND IDENTIFY SUITABLE CSCDEP SAW APPLICANTS FOR INTERVIEW
BY THE SAW SELECTION BOARD.
(4) FORWARD CSCDEP STUDENT SAW APPPLICATIONS TO CSC NLT 7 OCT 2004.
D. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS
(1) FURTHER INFORMATION ON SAW IS AVAILABLE AT THE TECOM WEBSITE
(WWW.MCU.USMC.MIL:SELECT "EDUCATION COMMAND," THEN "SCHOOL OF
ADVANCED WARFIGHTING"
(2) DEADLINE FOR ALL STUDENT APPLICATIONS TO BE RECEIVED AT SAW IS
7 OCT 2004.
(3) SCREENED SAW APPLICANTS MUST BE AVAILABLE FOR A PERSONAL 
INTERVIEW. FOR APPLICANTS OUTSIDE THE WASHINGTON DC AREA, IN PERSON
INTERVIEW IS RECOMMENDED. HOWEVER, TRAVEL, LODGING AND PER DIEM
COSTS FOR INTERVIEWS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LOCAL COMMAND OR
INDIVIDUAL SAW APPLICANT. IF AN IN-PERSON INTERVIEW IS NOT
POSSIBLE, A VIDEOTELECONFERENCE OR TELEPHONIC INTERVIEW CAN
SUBSTITUTE. THESE MUST BE COORDINATED WITH SAW
(4) INTERVIEW DATES FOR SAW SELECTION BOARD: 12-26 OCT 2004
(5) INTERVIEW LOCATION: RM 186, BRECKENRIDGE HALL, 2076 SOUTH STREET
QUANTICO, VA. 
(6) SELECTED APPLICANTS WILL BE APPROVED BY DIRECTOR, COMMAND AND
STAFF COLLEGE AND SCREENED BY MMOA OR OTHER SERVICE PERSONNEL
ASSIGNMENT SECTIONS. SELECTION RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED BY 
SEPARATE MARADMIN.
4. ADMINISTRATION AND LOGISTICS
A. SAW APPLICATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AND ALSO AVAILABLE
FROM THE CCE REGIONAL COORDINATORS.
5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL
A. POC AT CSC AND SAW IS LTCOL C.S. OWENS, USMC, HEAD SAW, AT PHONE
DSN 278-5121/COMM(703) 784-5121 OR EMAIL
CHRISTOPHER.S.OWENS@USMC.MIL
B. POC AT CCE IS LTCOL L.S. SMITH USMC AT PHONE DSN 
278-5193/COMM (703) 784-5193 OR EMAIL JOHN.DUPRAS@USMC.MIL
C. POC AT NAVAL WAR COLLEGE IS COL DYER LENNOX AT (401) 841-6230
OR EMAIL LENNOXD@NWC.NAVY.MIL. 
D. POC AT ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE IS LTCOL ANTHONY
MCNEILL AT DSN 552-4552 OR EMAIL MCNEILLA@ LEAVENWORTH.ARMY.MIL
E. POC AT AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE IS LTCOL MICHAEL MCGUIRE
AT DSN 493-6592 OR EMAIL MICHAEL.MCGUIRE@ MAXWELL.AF.MIL. CCE
REGIONAL COORDINATORS ARE:
(1) MCB CAMP LEJEUNE: NEW RIVER, NORFOLK, LITTLE CREEK, PARRIS
ISLAND, MCAS BEAUFORT, MCAS CHERRY POINT - MR. JIM WHEELER/TEL:
COMM (910)451-9309 DSN 751-9309
(2) MATSG PENSACOLA: TAMPA, MATSG CORPUS CHRISTI, NAS
KINGSVILLE, MCLB ALBANY MR. ART ADKINS/TEL: COMM (850) 452-9513/DSN 
922-9513.
(3) MCB CAMP PENDLETON: BARSTOW, 29 PALMS, BRIDGEPORT
MR. JEFF WILLIS/TEL: DSN 365-8400/3473/TEL: COMM (760) 725-8400
/3473.
(4) MCB'S HAWAII MR. WILLIAM PEOPLES/TEL: DSN 457-1956/0459, TEL: 
COMM (808)257-1956/0459.
(5) MCAS MIRAMAR, YUMA, MCRD SAN DIEGO, NPS MR. 
GARY DAHL/TEL: DSN 267-1373/1374, TEL: COMM 
(858) 577-1373/1374.
(6) MCB'S JAPAN: OKINAWA, MARFOR KOREA, IWAKUNI, CAMP
FUJI MR. JIM HOPKINS/TEL: DSN 645-2208/2230/2500,
TEL: COMM 011-81-6117-45-2230/2208/2500.
(7) QUANTICO, USNA, WASHINGTON DC, PATUXENT RIVER
MR. ANDY PETERS/TEL: DSN 278-1463/1471/TEL: COMM (703) 784-1463
/1471.
(8) FURTHER INFORMATION ON CCE REGIONAL COORDINATORS IS
AVAILABLE AT THE CCE WEBSITE (HTTP://WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/CCE/), 
SELECT "FACULTY AND STAFF" AND THEN SELECT "REGIONAL COORDINATORS.