2004 Senate Youth Program Escort Officer Announcement and Application Procedures

1. THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS APPLICATIONS FROM VOLUNTEER<br>COMPANY GRADE OFFICERS AND MAJORS FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS 2004 SENATE<br>YOUTH PROGRAM, SCHEDULED FROM FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 6, 2004.<br>2. THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM IS AN ANNUAL PROGRAM,<br>MANAGAGED AND FUNDED BY THE WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST FOUNDATION. THE<br>PROGRAM PROVIDES 104 OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS<br>THE NATION AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FIRSTHAND ABOUT THE FUNCTIONS OF<br>GOVERNMENT DURING A WEEK-LONG PROGRAM IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL. LAST<br>YEAR'S PROGRAM INCLUDED VISITS AND TOURS AT THE WHITE HOUSE,<br>PENTAGON AND CAPITOL HILL IN ADDITION TO NUMEROUS MEMORIALS AND<br>EXHIBITS.  STUDENTS AND ESCORT OFFICERS ATTENDED MEETINGS AND<br>SEMINARS WITH LEADERS SUCH AS SECRETARY OF STATE, COLIN POWELL,<br>CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, GENERAL RICHARD MYERS,<br>BREYER, PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD BANK GROUP, JAMES WOLFENSOHN AND<br>NUMEROUR UNITED STATES SENATORS. THE 2004 PROGRAM WILL BE SIMILAR IN<br>SCOPE AND FOCUS.<br>3. ARMED FORCES SUPPORT FOR THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM INCLUDES A<br>TOTAL OF 17 ESCORT OFFICERS. A TOTAL OF THREE (3) OFFICERS WILL BE<br>SELECTED FROM EACH MILITARY SERVICE AND THE COAST GUARD (ONE 0-4 AND<br>TWO COMPANY GRADE OFFICERS).  TWO (2) ADDITIONAL OFFICERS (O-4) WILL<br>BE SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER AND ASSISTANT<br>SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER. ESCORT OFFICERS WILL SERVE AS COUNSELORS,<br>FACILITATORS AND AMBASSADORS OF THE MILITARY SERVICES AND THE COAST<br>GUARD. THESE OFFICERS ARE ROLE MODELS FOR THIS IMPRESSIONABLE GROUP,<br>WHO TEND TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE WITH MILITARY PERSONNEL OR<br>NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.<br>4. THE MARINE CORPS WILL NOMINATE A TOTAL OF FIVE (5) COMPANY GRADE<br>OFFICERS AND THREE (3) MAJORS TO OASD/PA FOR FINAL SELECTION TO<br>ACCOMMODATE THIS PROGRAM. INCLUSIVE TO THESE NOMINATIONS WILL BE A<br>TOTAL OF THREE (3) FEMALE OFFICERS TO SERVE AS ESCORTS FOR THE<br>FEMALE SENATE YOUTH GUESTS. ALL QUALIFIED OFFICERS ARE INVITED TO<br>APPLY FOR THIS PROGRAM. APPLICANTS MUST MEET MARINE CORPS HEIGHT AND<br>WEIGHT STANDARDS AND MUST SECURE COMMAND ENDORSEMENT FOR<br>PARTICIPATION. OFFICERS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS ESCORT<br>OFFICERS FOR THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM ARE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE<br>IN THE 2004 PROGRAM.  THIS MESSAGE IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS<br>RESERVE.<br>5. IF SELECTED AS AN ESCORT OFFICER, MILITARY DUTIES MUST NOT<br>CONFLICT WITH CONTINUOUS ASSIGNMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASSOCIATED<br>WITH THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM. ESCORT OFFICERS WILL BE<br>REQUIRED TO ATTEND A TWO-DAY ORIENTATION AND TRAINING COURSE AT THE<br>MAYFLOWER HOTEL IN WASHINGTON, DC FROM FEBRUARY 26-27 PRIOR TO<br>COMMENCEMENT OF THE ACTUAL PROGRAM FROM FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 6,<br>2004. OFFICERS SELECTED AS THE SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER OR ASSISTANT<br>SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND AN ADDITIONAL<br>ORIENTATION COURSE FROM FEBRUARY 24-25 PRIOR TO JOINING OTHER<br>OFFICERS FOR TRAINING ON FEBRUARY 26-27.<br>6. ESCORT OFFICERS MUST POSSESS PERMISSIVE TAD ORDERS (AT NO COST TO<br>THE GOVERNMENT) OR BE IN A LEAVE STATUS DURING THE PERIOD ASSIGNED.<br>COSTS FOR AIRFARE OR OTHER TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS TO/FROM WASHINGTON IS<br>AT THE PARTICIPANTS' OWN EXPENSE. THE WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST<br>FOUNDATION WILL PAY FOR ESCORT OFFICERS' LODGING, MEALS AND<br>INCIDENTAL COSTS SUCH AS LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING BETWEEN THE DATES<br>OF FEBRUARY 27 THROUGH MARCH 6, 2004. ESCORT OFFICERS FROM OUTSIDE<br>THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR) SHOULD BE PREPARED TO COVER THEIR<br>OWN LODING AND MEAL EXPENSES FOR FEBRUARY 25-26 IN ORDER TO<br>FACILITATE ATTENDANCE AT THE REQUIRED ORIENTATION TRAINING ON<br>FEBRUARY 26-27. THE SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER AND ASSISTANT SENIOR<br>ESCORT OFFICER SHOULD BE PREPARED TO COVER THEIR OWN LODGING AND<br>MEAL EXPENSE FOR FEBRUARY 23-26 AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO RESIDE AT<br>THE MAYFLOWER HOTEL FROM FEBRUARY 23 THROUGH COMPLETION OF THE<br>PROGRAM ON MARCH 6. THE SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER WILL ATTEMPT TO<br>RESERVE ROOMS AT BOQ FACILITIES ON LOCAL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS FOR<br>THOSE ESCORT OFFICERS FROM OUTSIDE THE NCR. ALL ESCORT OFFICERS WILL<br>BE REQUIRED TO CHECK INTO THE MAYFLOWER HOTEL ON FEBRUARY 27 AND<br>REMAIN AT THE HOTEL/WITH STUDENT DELEGATES FOR THE DURATION OF THE<br>PROGRAM (MARCH 6). DAILY COMMUTING FROM HOME IS NOT AUTHORIZED.<br>7. ALL QUALIFIED OFFICERS ARE INVITED TO APPLY FOR THIS COMPETITIVE<br>PROGRAM BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES THE<br>FOLLOWING MANDATORY ITEMS AND INFORMATION:<br>(A)   FULL NAME<br>(B)   RANK<br>(C)   DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH<br>(D)   HOME AND WORK MAILING ADDRESSES<br>(E)   EMAIL ADDRESS<br>(F)   BRIEF BIOGRAPHY. ITEMS THAT MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE BIOGRAPHY<br>ARE: EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND (UNIVERSITIES ATTENDED, DEGREES EARNED,<br>COURSE OF STUDY/MAJOR), MILITARY BACKGROUND (MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL<br>SPECIALTY, PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS, DUTY STATIONS, AWARDS/RECOGNITION),<br>AND EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH YOUTH GROUPS OR WITH YOUTH-RELATED<br>PROGRAMS (ON/OFF DUTY ACTIVITIES OR DURING HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE).<br>(G)   COMMAND ENDORSEMENT. THE APPLICANT'S IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR IS<br>ENCOURAGED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS FOCUSED ON MATURITY, LEADERSHIP<br>SKILLS, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AND COMMUNITY/YOUTH INVOLVEMENT. THE<br>ENDORSEMENT MUST INCLUDE A STATEMENT THAT, IF SELECTED, THE<br>APPLICANT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL FUNCTIONS DURING<br>THE TOTAL DURATION OF THE SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE<br>ORIENTATION TRAINING, FROM FEBRUARY 26 TO MARCH 6, 2004. MAJORS<br>SHOULD MODIFY THIS STATEMENT TO INDICATE AVAILABILITY FROM FEBRUARY<br>24 TO MARCH 6, 2004 IN THE EVENT THEY ARE SELECTED TO SERVE AS THE<br>SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER OR ASSISTANT SENIOR ESCORT OFFICER.<br>(H)   PHOTOGRAPH. APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT A 3X5 OR 5X7 FULL-LENGTH<br>PHOTO IN SERVICE ALPHA UNIFORM FOR USE IN DETERMINING MILITARY<br>APPEARANCE.<br>8. FINAL SELECTION OF ESCORT OFFICERS WILL BE COMPLETED DURING THE<br>WEEK OF JANUARY 5, 2004.  APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE OUTCOME<br>OF THE SELECTION PROCESS NO LATER THAN JANUARY 23, 2004.<br>9. HEADQUARTERS, U. S. MARINE CORPS, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS MUST<br>RECEIVE APPLICATIONS NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 12, 2003. APPLICATIONS<br>CAN BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY USING PDF FILES AND A DIGITAL<br>IMAGE/PHOTOGRAPH, SENT VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS SERVICE OR VIA REGULAR<br>MAIL.  IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT APPLICATIONS BE SENT<br>ELECTRONICALLY OR VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS SERVICE DUE TO THE LENGTHY<br>INCOMING MAIL SCREENING PROCESS AT THE PENTAGON FOR REGULAR MAIL<br>(MINIMUM TWO TO FOUR WEEKS FROM TIME OF POSTMARK TO TIME OF<br>DELIVERY). APPLICATIONS CAN BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO THE FOLLOWING<br>ADDRESS: <a href="mailto:COXSA@HQMC.USMC.MIL">COXSA@HQMC.USMC.MIL</a> APPLICATIONS CAN BE SENT VIA FEDERAL<br>EXPRESS SERVICE TO: HEADQUARTERS, U. S. MARINE CORPS, DIVISION OF<br>PUBLIC AFFAIRS, ATTENTION - COMMUNITY RELATIONS BRANCH (PAC),<br>PENTAGON, ROOM 4A532, WASHINGTON, DC, 20380-1775. APPLICATIONS CAN<br>BE SENT VIA REGULAR MAIL TO HEADQUARTERS, U. S. MARINE CORPS,<br>DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, ATTENTION - COMMUNITY RELATIONS BRANCH<br>(PAC), 2 NAVY ANNEX, WASHINGTON, DC, 20380-1775.<br>10. POINT OF CONTACT IS MAJOR STEVE COX, HEAD, COMMUNITY RELATIONS<br>BRANCH, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HQMC AT (703) 614-4308/1034.