R 302057Z MAY 24
MARADMIN 253/24
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2024 MARINE CORPS TALENT ACQUISITION PILOT//
REF/A/DOC/CMC/01NOV2021//
REF/B/DOC/CMC/01JAN2023//
REF/C/DOC/CMC/01MAR2023//
REF/D/DOC/CMC/01MAR2020//
REF/E/DOC/CMC/18JUL2023//
REF/F/DOC/MCRC/01MAY2020//
REF/G/DOC/CMC/14JUN2012//
REF/H/DOC/CMC/09JUN2023//
NARR/REF A IS TALENT MANAGEMENT 2030. REF B IS TRAINING AND
EDUCATION 2030. REF C IS THE TALENT MANAGEMENT 2030 UPDATE. REF D IS
THE FORCE DESIGN 2030 UPDATE. REF E IS THE MARINE CORPS TALENT
MANAGEMENT CAMPAIGN PLAN 2023-2025. REF F IS MCRCO 1100.1A
ENLISTMENT PROCESSING MANUAL. REF G IS MCO P1400.32D ENLISTED
PROMOTIONS. REF H IS NAVMC 1200.1J MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL
SPECIALITIES MANUAL//
POC/ S. L. GOYDA/MGYSGT/M&RA//
POC/A. F. CALLANAN/LTCOL/DCI//
POC/A. M. FALLAN/MSGT/DCI//
POC/M. R. HART/LTCOL/DCI//
POC/ M. G. DUVALL/DCI//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This MARADMIN announces the initiation of the
Marine Corps Talent Acquisition Pilot (MCTAP) Program to provide
select opportunities for candidates to enlist in the Marine Corps
to serve within specific Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) at
a rank commensurate with their experience, up to Gunnery Sergeant
(E7).
2. Purpose. The Marine Corps Talent Acquisition Pilot (MCTAP)
Program is designed to address the Corps' need for a rapid process
to identify, train, and employ personnel who possess essential
skills and relevant experience to meet warfighting requirements
at the point and time of need.
3. Background. Talent Management requires that we recruit, retain,
and align the best talent with the needs of the service - to meet
Marine Corps warfighting requirements in the Active or Reserve
Component. Lateral Entry grants constructive service credit for
private sector training or experience.
4. Eligibility
4.a. Marine Corps prior service.
4.b. Prior service other service.
4.c. Non-prior service.
5. Scope. The initial focus is on MOSs with shortfalls that are
difficult to recruit, retain, and sustain, and where there are
other means of obtaining the credentials and experience outside of
the service. Current identified requirements are Cyber and Signals
Intelligence. This Pilot Program will also assess the feasibility of
expansion into other occupational specialties and ranks.
5.a. Active and Reserve Component. Primary Military Occupational
Specialty (PMOS) 1721 Cyberspace Warfare Operator.
5.b. Active Component. PMOS 2629 Signals Intelligence Collection
Manager.
6. Procedures. MCTAP will follow a four-phase approach: Identify,
recruit, earn, and serve. These phases will serve as a roadmap for
the Pilot Program, guiding its efforts to identify the Marine
Corps' requirements, recruit highly skilled individuals with desired
qualifications, provide them with training to earn the title of
Marine, and ultimately enable them to serve in roles that align
with the Marine Corps' warfighting requirements.
7. Phase 1 / Identify. Manpower & Reserve Affairs (M&RA),
Occupational Field (OccFLD) managers, and OccFLD specialists
validated the following requirements for this Pilot Program and
communicated them to the Commanding General, Marine Corps Recruiting
Command (MCRC).
8. PMOS 1721 Cyberspace Warfare Operator PMOS in both active and
reserve component.
8.a. Description. The Cyberspace Warfare Operator is familiar with
all aspects of cyberspace maneuver operations. They employ offensive
and defensive cyber tools, tactics, techniques, and procedures. They
integrate effects into warfighting functions to achieve tactical,
operational, and strategic objectives. The Cyber Warfare Operator
provides the means to emulate tactics, techniques, and procedures
used by known adversaries to identify unmitigated vulnerabilities
through simulated exploitation or attacks on department of defense
information systems. They are familiar with digital network concepts
and analytical techniques that support tactical cyber operations.
Utilizing these skills to enumerate friendly environments, these
operators search for and respond to targeted adversary presence
within friendly terrain.
8.b. Duties. Exploitation Analysts are the primary technical
planners for offensive cyberspace operations. The exploitation
analyst must be an expert with adversary systems, networks,
technologies, tools, techniques, and procedures. The duties for this
position encompass generating intelligence, converting intelligence
to operational planning, developing significant target awareness,
and balancing levels of risk against operational goals. Duties
increase with experience to encompass the management of target
packages and developing new techniques and procedures for offensive
cyber operations.
8.c. Qualifications / Education / Experience
8.c.(1) Prior Service USMC. Former MOS of 2611, 1711, or 1721
Marine. Minimum: Completed the Joint Cyberspace Analyst Course.
Preferred: Completed the United States Cyber Command (USCC)/National
Security Agency (NSA) exploitation analyst work role certification.
8.c.(2) Prior Service-Other Service. Former Army 17 series MOS;
Former Air Force 1B series MOS; Former Navy Cryptologic Technician
Networks (CTN) / Cyber Warfare Technician series MOS.
Preferred: Completed the USCC/NSA Exploitation Analyst work role
certification.
8.c.(3) Non-Prior Service. Degree in computer science, information
systems, engineering, or other related discipline. Knowledge/
experience with NSA’s post-apprentice Cryptologic Cyber Network
Operator training standards.
8.c.(4) Desired: Cyberspace Operations Planners’ Course, 1713
additional MOS.
8.c.(5) Applicants who have prior service in the USMC or other
services but gained experience and education upon being discharged
from service and meet criteria as described under non-prior service
criteria can apply.
9. PMOS 2629 Signals Intelligence Collection Manager in active
component.
9.a. Description. This PMOS requires Signals Intelligence
(SIGINT), Electromagnetic Warfare (EW), and support to Cyberspace
Operations (CO) training focused on collection management,
operational planning and coordination, analysis, reporting,
exploitation, and dissemination in support of the seven warfighting
functions. Duties encompass the supervision of tasking, collection,
processing, exploitation, and dissemination of products related to
the three disciplines of SIGINT. Communications Intelligence
Electronic Intelligence and Foreign Instrumentation Signals
Intelligence. EW duties encompass the planning, coordination, and
execution of full spectrum Marine Air Ground Task Force EW
operations, including Electromagnetic Warfare Support,
Electromagnetic Protect, and Electromagnetic Attack. Provides
intelligence support to full spectrum CO defined as Offensive
Cyberspace Operations, Defensive Cyberspace Operations, and
Department of Defense Information Network Operations. Technicians
develop and maintain records on technical aspects of target
emitters, develop and maintain communications order of battle files,
situation maps, and other related SIGINT/EW/CO files. Technicians
prepare and issue reports to include intelligence reports, technical
reports, and summaries. Technicians are required to perform
SIGINT/EW/CO briefings.
9.b. Duties. Responsible for performing intelligence collections
management functions. Provide technical and analytical advice to
headquarters staff sections, subordinate commands, and units in
matters relating to intelligence collection. Responsible for issues
pertaining to all-source intelligence collection and production
requirements and management. Serve as intelligence requirements
management projections officer for routing, special access program,
and compartmented projects, operations, or exercises. Plan and
execute collection management within priorities established through
the collection management process while using appropriate collection
strategies. Develop collection strategies and address challenges
related to gathering information from relevant sources and
shortfalls in collection tasking. Provide centralized
administration, governance, and coordination of collection
management requirements in support of cyberspace operations.
9.c. Qualifications / Education / Experience
9.c.(1) Prior Service USMC. Former MOS of 2621, 2631, 2641, 2651,
entry level training
9.c.(2) Prior Service - Other Service. Former Army 35 series MOS;
Former Air Force 1N series MOS; Former Navy Cryptologic Technician
(CT) series MOS.
9.c.(3) Non-Prior Service. Degree in computer science, information
systems, engineering, or other related discipline. Knowledge/
experience with the SIGINT/EW/CO collection and ground processing
architecture and associated systems. The ideal candidate would be
SIGINT/EW/CO systems subject matter expert. They should be familiar
with the end-to-end system, including tasking, collection
management, collection operations, processing and dissemination
components, and processes.
9.c.(4) Applicants who have prior service in the USMC or other
services but gained experience and education upon being discharged
from service and meet criteria as described under non-prior service
criteria can apply.
10. Phase 2 / Recruit. MCRC serves as the primary recruiter for
prior service applicants. Due to the specific focus and niche
capabilities of MCTAP, a representative from the community of
interest is responsible for primary recruitment of non-prior service
applicants and referring prior service applicants to MCRC.
10.a. Interview. Once applicants are identified, they will
interview with an Acquisition Panel (AP), composed of the OccFLD
specialists, MCRC, and Fleet Marine Force (as required). This
panel verifies applicant qualifications, as detailed in the
requirement notification. Applicants should be prepared to provide
the following prior to the interview:
(1) Resume
(2) Certifications (civilian and military)
(3) Transcripts (as related to position)
(4) Letters of recommendation (as directed)
(5) Practical application examination (as directed at the interview)
10.b. Following the interview, the AP will submit their
recommendations to MCRC for follow on screening per reference (f).
The AP should at a minimum:
(1) Validate credentials per reference (h)
(2) Recommended MOS training (if required)
(3) Recommended professional military education (if required)
(4) Recommended rank up to Gunnery Sergeant (E7) commensurate with
qualifications and experience
10.c. Once qualified for enlistment, MCRC shall submit a complete
package to the DC, M&RA for approval. A completed package will
include:
(1) AP recommendation letter
(2) Waiver coversheet
(3) Waiver documents (if required)
(4) Resume
(5) Transcripts
(6) Certificates
(7) Letters of recommendation (as directed)
(8) Practical examination results (as directed)
10.d. Determination. If the DC, M&RA approves, MCRC will receive
the final approval letter, to include the contract
proposal, and shall process the applicant in accordance with
reference (f).
10.e. Acceptance. MCRC will communicate the DC, M&RA’s
determination to the applicant for the applicant’s acceptance.
11. Phase 3 / Earn. It is a steadfast commitment of the Marine
Corps that all new Marines will undergo appropriate entry-level
training to earn the title Marine as follows:
11.a. Prior Service USMC. Applicants who have successfully
completed Marine Corps recruit training are not required to
attend Marine Corps recruit training again, as they have already
earned the title of Marine.
11.b. Prior Service Other Service. Applicants must complete Marine
Corps recruit training.
11.c. Non-Prior Service. Applicants must complete Marine Corps
recruit training.
12. Phase 4 / Serve. Applicants will serve in the predetermined
billet and location based on identified requirements. Applicants are
not eligible for permanent change of station or reassignment during
their first enlistment. Applicants who submit, are approved, and
accept reenlistment may be subject to follow on assignments in a
different geographical location from their initial duty station.
13. Coordinating Instructions
13.a. Term of Enlistment. The specific length of the contract will
be determined based on the requirement filled,
communicated to the AP, and confirmed with the applicant during
their interview.
13.b. MOS Training. If MOS training is necessary, the AP will
provide appropriate recommendations. For example, depending on the
experience of the applicant, MOS training may be customized to
provide appropriate overview and orientation to the service.
Additionally, applicants may be asked to complete testable sections
of basic or advanced MOS schools as part of their training
requirements.
13.c. Grade. The AP shall recommend an initial rank for the
applicant up to Gunnery Sergeant (E7). Upon receiving approval from
DC, M&RA, the pay for the contracted rank will commence from the
basic training phase. Recruits will start receiving their
contracted pay as soon as they begin their basic training. Rank
will be worn upon completion of any required MOS training.
13.d. Promotion. Due to the specialized focus and unique
competencies of MCTAP, Marines participating in the initial pilot
program will have promotion opportunities to the ranks of
Master Sergeant and Master Gunnery Sergeant. The option to submit
for promotion to ranks of First Sergeant or Sergeant Major will not
be available to these Marines. For Marines entering service through
MCTAP, their initial promotion opportunity will be based on
non-competitive consideration with the exception that professional
military education is required.
13.e. Specialized Recruiting. For the Pilot Program, a
representative from the community of interest will serve as subject
matter expert recruiter in a Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) / surge
(requirement or time) capacity with MCRC and have primary
recruitment responsibility of non-prior service applicants.
13.f. Specialized Recruiting TAD Funding. The community of interest
will be responsible for funding TAD expenses for specialized
recruiters. TAD funding requests can be submitted to MCRC for
consideration.
13.g. Feedback. OccFLD specialists shall provide feedback on
the performance of MCTAP Marines and the MCTAP process itself to
Headquarters United States Marine Corps at 6 months and 12 months
from the date the applicant begins serving in their designated
billet.
13.h. How to Apply. Applicants will submit required documentation
per paragraph 10.a. to the following organizational mailbox:
[email protected], with the subject line reading MCTAP.
14. Release authorized by Lieutenant General James F. Glynn,
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.//