The Marine Corps is soliciting officer volunteers to serve as military mentors for the 2027 USSYP Washington Week, held in person in Washington, DC from March 6-13, 2027. Selected mentors must be available starting March 1 (or March 4 for most). The program pairs military officers with 104 high school student delegates to expose them to federal government and national defense. It is a fully immersive, structured week with 18-hour days and no downtime.
Bottom line: Applications are due to HQMC by 0800 EDT on 16 November 2026, and a late or improperly formatted package is an automatic disqualification.
Who it affects
Active duty and Active Reserve officers in the grades of 1stLt through LtCol. The Marine Corps will nominate up to 10 officers total for final selection. One hard rule for LtCols: you must have previously served as a USSYP military mentor to be eligible. LtCol packages without that prior service will be automatically rejected.
What you need to do
This is a competitive application with a strict, multi-page format. A package submitted in the wrong format or as a single PDF is automatically disqualified. Here is what the package requires, in order:
- Page 1 (Word format): Contact information page using the template in the MARADMIN. Plain 8.5x11, Times New Roman 12pt, 1-inch margins, no letterhead. Include the Privacy Act disclosure statement. Filename:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME_PAGE 1 - Page 2 (Word format): Official biography. Filename:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME_PAGE 2 - Page 3 (Word format): Supervisor letter of recommendation. Must explicitly state the nominee will be available for the full program duration including pre-program training. Filename:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME_PAGE 3 - Page 4 (PDF format): Personal statement of availability. 1stLts and Captains state availability March 4-13; Majors and LtCols state availability March 1-13 in case selected as Senior Military Mentor (SMM) or Assistant Senior Military Mentor (ASMM). Limit one page. Filename:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME_PAGE 4 - Page 5 (JPG, min 300 dpi): Full-length photo in Service C uniform. Filename:
LAST NAME, FIRST NAME_PAGE 5
Submit the complete package electronically to: hqmc.comrel@usmc.mil
Use the subject line format: 2027 U.S. Senate Youth Military Mentor Selection Panel ICO rank name
Do not consolidate the package into a single PDF. Address all letters and documents to the 2027 USSYP Military Mentor Selection Panel. Your command is responsible for funding your travel to DC and placing you on official orders if selected.
Key dates
- 16 November 2026, 0800 EDT: Application deadline. Late packages are automatically disqualified.
- Mid-January 2027: Notifications of selection.
- 1 March 2027: SMM and ASMM report to DC for advanced preparation training.
- 4 March 2027: All other selected mentors report to DC.
- 13 March 2027 (no earlier than 1200): Program concludes.
The official version
This is MARADMIN 506/26. The DoD-hosted USSYP Military Mentor Candidate site (CAC required) is at https://dod365.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/OSDPA-Senate-Youth. General program info is at www.ussenateyouth.org. POCs at HQMC Community Relations are LtCol J.M. Davie at justine.m.davie.mil@usmc.mil (771-216-5264) and T.H. Campbell at tracey.campbell2@usmc.mil (703-571-1905).
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.