Fiscal Year 2006 Joint Civilian Orientation Conference Announcement and Nomination Procedures

1. THIS MESSAGE SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR 
THE FY2006 JOINT CIVILIAN ORIENTATION CONFERENCE (JCOC-71). THE
JCOC IS A MULTI-SERVICE SERIES OF CONFERENCES FOR PUBLIC OPINION
LEADERS. IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1948, IT IS THE ONLY CIVILIAN
ORIENTATION PROGRAM OF ITS KIND. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RUMSFELD HAS
UNDERSCORED HIS PERSONAL INTEREST IN THIS PROGRAM.
2. THE PURPOSE OF JCOC IS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A DIVERSE 
CROSS-SECTION OF INFLUENTIAL U.S. OPINION LEADERS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND MISSIONS AND GOALS OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AND TO
MEET SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN. JCOC PARTICIPANTS ATTEND BRIEFINGS IN
THE PENTAGON GIVEN BY THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
(DOD) CIVILIAN AND MILITARY LEADERSHIP. PARTICIPANTS THEN SPEND TIME
IN THE FIELD WITH ALL OF THE MILITARY SERVICES, OBSERVE EXERCISES
AND DEMONSTRATIONS, FIRE WEAPONS AND PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING.
3. JCOC-71 IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, 23 APRIL TO 
SATURDAY, 29 APRIL 2006. THE CONFERENCE BEGINS IN WASHINGTON DC,
MOVES TO CENTRAL COMMAND, TAMPA, FL, FOLLOWED BY MOVEMENT TO
INSTALLATIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN THE CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF
OPERATIONS. PARTICIPANTS OR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATION,
APPROXIMATELY $3,500. NOMINATORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE
FEES.
4. NOMINATORS ARE ASKED TO FOCUS ON LEADERS OF INSTITUTIONS AND
ORGANIZATIONS WHO, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, COMMUNICATE
WITH KEY AUDIENCES. EXAMPLES OF APPROPRIATE NOMINEES INCLUDE:
PRESIDENTS OF UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES; PUBLISHERS AND EDITORS OF
NEWSPAPERS, AND OTHERS WITH MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN PRINT AND
BROADCAST MEDIA; PUBLISHED AUTHORS AND SYNDICATED COLUMNISTS;
NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEADERS OF PROFESSIONAL GROUPS, MINORITY AND
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS; RISING STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED AND APPOINTED
OFFICIALS; AND CEOS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISES WITH
REGIONAL OR NATIONAL REACH. NOMINATORS SHOULD FOCUS ON YOUNGER AND
EMERGING LEADERS WITH A POTENTIAL TO RISE TO POSITIONS OF INCREASED
RESPONSIBILITY. ALL NOMINEES MUST BE IN GOOD HEALTH, CAPABLE OF
ENDURING 12-HOUR DAYS OF STRENUOUS ACTIVITY, INCLUDING CLIMBING,
WALKING, AND WEAPONS FIRING.
8. ALL NOMINATIONS WILL BE SENT TO HQMC DIV PA FOR ROUTING TO DOD. 
DIV PA MUST RECEIVE ALL NOMINATIONS NLT 15 DECEMBER 2005. NOMINATION 
FORMS CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM THE MARINE CORPS WEBSITE AT 
HTTP:/WWW.MARINES.MIL/JCOC.
9. POINT OF CONTACT IS MAJOR CHRIS HUGHES, HEAD, COMMUNITY RELATIONS
BRANCH, DIV PA, HQMC AT (703) 614-1034; HUGHESCW@HQMC.USMC.MIL.