This MARADMIN documents the official process for Invitational PME (I-PME), the program that brings allied and partner nation military students to Marine Corps University schools: Marine Corps War College, Command and Staff College, and Expeditionary Warfare School. It's a staff-level security cooperation process, not a program individual Marines apply to or manage at the unit level.
Heads up: This is a staff and headquarters process document. Unless you work security cooperation, international affairs, or a MARFOR or CCMD staff, this does not require action from you.
Who it affects
This primarily affects personnel on MARFOR staffs, HQMC (specifically DC PP&O and DC T&E), and U.S. Embassy Military Groups involved in security cooperation planning. It is not directed at SMCR units, IMAs, or IRR Marines in typical billets. If you work international affairs or security cooperation in any capacity, read the full MARADMIN.
What you need to do
Nothing, for most reservists. If you are on a MARFOR or CCMD staff with security cooperation responsibilities, the MARADMIN spells out your role in the I-PME cycle, including coordinating with MILGPs, registering requests through the Combined Education and Training Program Plan (CETPP) before the annual Security Cooperation Education and Training Working Group (SCETWG), and ensuring your prioritization inputs reach the CCMD before lists are locked and sent to the Joint Staff.
The key procedural points for those staffs:
- MILGPs register partner nation requests in the CETPP no later than 30 days before the annual SCETWG.
- MARFORs coordinate with MILGPs and the CCMD before the SCETWG to align inputs with USMC priorities.
- MARFORs proactively engage the CCMD to get additions or removals into prioritization lists before they are approved. Out-of-cycle requests have a very low chance of being accommodated.
- CCMDs submit final prioritization lists to the Joint Staff J-5 by mid-November.
- HQMC DC PP&O (specifically the International Affairs Branch, PLU) builds the primary and alternate invitation lists for each MCU school and staffs them through MARFOR leadership before distributing invitations, which go out roughly 12 to 18 months before a partner nation student enrolls.
Key dates
- 30 days before the annual SCETWG: CETPP registration deadline for MILGP requests
- Mid-November: CCMDs submit final I-PME prioritization lists to the Joint Staff
- 12 to 18 months before enrollment: Invitations distributed to partner nations
The official version
See MARADMIN 492/26 for the full text.
Referenced orders: MCO 5710.6E (Marine Corps Security Cooperation), CJCSI 1807.01A (International PME Strategy), and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency Security Assistance Management Manual (SAMM) 5105.38-M. Links to those documents were not provided in the MARADMIN; contact your staff judge advocate or security cooperation officer for copies.
POC: J. M. Goldman, 703-692-4340, JUSTIN.GOLDMAN@USMC.MIL
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.