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FY26 STO Planner (MOS 8016) FMOS Selection Panel Open

MARADMIN 173/26·April 17, 2026·3 min read·Official source
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The Marine Corps is running the FY26 selection panel for the Special Technical Operations (STO) Planner free MOS, designated 8016. The panel convenes at HQMC from 1-5 June 2025. If you have a qualifying Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations (IJSTO) background and want the 8016 added to your OMPF, this is your window.

Bottom line: Applications are due 15 May 2025 via SIPRNET, and the eligibility requirements are strict with very few waivers available.

Who it affects

Officers O-1 to O-6, warrant officers WO-1 to CWO-5, and enlisted Marines E-6 to E-9 who have worked in IJSTO-indoctrinated billets. This MARADMIN explicitly applies to the Reserve.

What you need to do

You need to meet all of the following eligibility requirements (none can be waived unless noted):

  1. Currently serve or have previously served in an IJSTO-indoctrinated billet.
  2. Complete a STO Planners Course that meets CJCS academic requirements.
  3. Complete the CJCS-approved Planning and Decision Aid System (PDAS) Operators Course, resident or computer-based. This requirement can be waived with demonstrated proficiency.
  4. Serve at least six months in a deployed billet where IJSTO was the primary function, or one year in a billet where IJSTO was a function.
  5. Demonstrate the capability to plan, coordinate, and execute IJSTO activities across the range of military operations, especially integration into coalition, joint, or Marine Corps plans and exercises.
  6. Serve in a STO Planner position supporting CJCS, a Combatant Command, or Service STO requirements.

If you meet the criteria, here is how to apply:

  1. Write your application to clearly describe how you met requirements 4, 5, and 6 above. Be specific. Panel members will not know your portfolio.
  2. Get a STO Chief and an O-6 or higher endorsement. These should contextualize your actual IJSTO actions, not be boilerplate. Generic template endorsements are explicitly discouraged.
  3. Attach supporting documentation: fitness reports, awards, appointment letters that document your STO work. Do not attach certificates from courses other than STO Planners Course, STO Chief's Course, or the PDAS Operators Course.
  4. Submit everything via the SIPRNET Intelink SharePoint site. A SIPR Intelink account is required. Templates, forms, FAQs, and sample submissions are available on that site.
  5. Contact your nearest Marine Corps STO Chief for help with Security Classification Guide reviews and submission requirements. For questions on submission specifics, call the 8016 Occupational Field Sponsor at (703) 692-4331.

After selection, approved Marines must submit an EPAR with the results MARADMIN and selection memorandum attached to add 8016 to their OMPF.

Key dates

  • 15 May 2025: Application deadline (must be received, not just submitted)
  • 1-5 June 2025: Panel convenes at HQMC
  • Results will be posted on the SIPRNET Intelink site after the panel; a follow-on MARADMIN will announce completion

The official version

This is MARADMIN 173/26. Referenced documents are CJCSI 3120.08E (CJCS instruction for Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations), MCO S3120.2A (Marine Corps order for IJSTO), and NAVMC 1200.1M (Marine Corps MOS Manual). The MCO is classified; contact your STO Chief for access.

POC: Maj Alexander Livingston, PPO G39, alexander.livingston@usmc.mil, (703) 692-4331. Civilian POC: Burkett Cochrane, burkett.cochrane@usmc.mil, (703) 614-0285.

This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.

Resources & references

The documents this bulletin points to, with a plain-English note on why each matters. Links marked CAC required need a government login.

  • Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations instruction (CJCSI 3120.08E)Reference

    This is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs instruction governing Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations. It defines the requisite operational planning and security skills that applicants must meet to be eligible for the 8016 FMOS.

  • Marine Corps Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations order (MCO S3120.2A)Reference

    This is the Marine Corps-specific order for Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations. Along with the CJCSI, it defines the eligibility criteria applicants must satisfy for the 8016 FMOS selection panel.

  • Marine Corps MOS Manual (NAVMC 1200.1M)Reference

    This is the authoritative Marine Corps manual for Military Occupational Specialties. It contains the official requirements and descriptions for the 8016 STO Planner FMOS that this selection panel awards.

  • SIPRNET Intelink 8016 application portalCAC required

    This is the SIPRNET SharePoint site where all 8016 FMOS applications must be submitted by 15 May 2025. It also hosts templates, forms, previous submissions, FAQs, and guidance for application and endorsement letters, so applicants should review it before submitting.

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