FY20 Commandant of the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program (PHDP) Selection Board Results

1.  Purpose.  To announce the results of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Program Selection Board.
2.  The board met from 10-11 September 2019 and selected two officers as primaries for the Commandant of the Marine Corps Strategist Program (CMCSP) and two officers as primaries for the Marine Corps Doctor of Philosophy Technical Program (PHDP-T).  To accommodate the extremely competitive admissions process at top civilian universities and the Naval Postgraduate School, additional officers were selected as alternates and found to be highly qualified by the board.
3.  Primaries selected to participate in the CMCSP are listed below.  Primaries are expected to apply to high quality Ph.D. programs.
Name                      PMOS    MCC
Helms, Lucas A.           0202    V35
Sinnott, Shawna L.        0202    078
4.  The alternates selected to participate in the CMCSP are listed below alphabetically.  The following alternates are highly encouraged to apply to high quality Ph.D. programs in order to have the opportunity to attend in the event a primary selectee cannot attend for any reason.
Name                      PMOS    MCC
Devries, Christopher D.   0302    B40
Spaeder III, Leo P.       0402    1GF
5.  Primaries selected to participate in the PHDP-T are listed below.  Primaries are expected to apply to the specified Ph.D. programs at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Name                      PMOS    MCC     Academic Program
Humr, Scott A.            3002    1DX     Information Sciences
Ortiz, Pedro              0602    1GF     Computer Science
6.  The alternates selected to participate in the PHDP-T are listed below alphabetically.  The following alternates are highly encouraged to apply to the specified Ph.D. program at the Naval Postgraduate School in order to have the opportunity to attend in the event a primary selectee cannot attend for any reason.
Name                      PMOS    MCC     Academic Program
Akin, Micah, P.           0602    QDC     Computer Science
Kline, Thomas D.          6002    TKX     Information Sciences
7.  Officers must agree not to tender resignation or request retirement while enrolled in the program.  Officers must further agree to remain on active duty after completion of degree requirements or upon separation from the program for any other reason.  Service obligations incurred for this program are in accordance with the references.
8.  Selected officers for CMCSP will be contacted by Marine Corps University to confirm acceptance of this assignment and to provide assistance with the completion of Ph.D. applications.  Selected officers for PHDP-T will be contacted by Deputy Commandant Combat Development and Integration, Operations Analysis Directorate to confirm acceptance of this assignment and to provide assistance with the completion of Ph.D. applications.
9.  Officers must contact MMOA-3 via email at smbmanpowerofficerpr@usmc.mil and respective program POCs to confirm acceptance of this assignment NLT 6 November 2019.  Primary selectees declining acceptance must route their request through the first general officer in their chain of command.
10.  Selections are contingent upon acceptance to one of the specified doctoral programs.  NLT 30 April 2020, all doctoral program acceptance letters need to be scanned and emailed to MMOA-3.  Report dates and orders will be coordinated through MMOA-3.
11.  Upon reporting to administrative units, officers will coordinate fitness report and accountability procedures.  Officers will always maintain a full time student status.  If a student anticipates not meeting program requirements, notify this headquarters immediately.
12.  This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
13.  Release authorized by MajGen David A. Ottignon, Director, Manpower Management Division.