Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Marine Administrative Message 521/14 announced new Professional Military Education requirements for enlisted members Marines on Oct. 16.
The changes were made in an effort to prepare Marines for the changing challenges enlisted Marines face, said Col. Richard Jordan, director, EPME, Marine Corps University, Training and Education Command.
PME promotion requirements include:
-Effective Oct. 1, 2015, all lance corporals must complete MarineNet “Leading Marines” Course, also known as EPME3000AA, and complete a command-sponsored Lance Corporals Leadership and Ethics Seminar.
-Effective Oct. 1, 2015, all corporals must complete MarineNet Distance Education “Corporals Course,” also known as EPME4000AA, and then complete a command-sponsored Corporals Course.
-Effective Oct. 1, 2016, all sergeants must complete MarineNet Distance Education “Sergeants Course,” also known as EMPE5000AA, and then complete the resident Sergeants Course at a Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
-Effective Oct. 1, 2016, all staff sergeants must complete MarineNet Distance Education “Career Course,” also known as EPME6000AA, and then complete the resident Career Course at a Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy or the Career Course Seminar Distance Education Program.
-Gunnery sergeants must complete MarineNet Distance Education “Advanced Course,” EPME7000AA, or Marine Corps Institute Distance Education 8200 “Advanced Course,” which must have been completed prior to July 1, 2012.
-First sergeants must complete a regional Master Sergeant/First Sergeant Seminar and the First Sergeants Course.
-Master sergeants must complete a regional Master Sergeant/First Sergeant Seminar.
-Sergeants major must complete the Sergeants Major Course.
-Master gunnery sergeants do not have a PME requirement.
While developing the course curriculum, the developers looked at the diverse number of challenges Marines face and worked to provide a larger scope than traditional training, said Jordan.
“Everyone has seen the importance of PME,” said James Cohn, dean of academics, EPME. “We were tasked to figure out how to increase attendance [at resident courses]. How can we get more students to the resident courses so everyone benefits?”
This was solved through updating the distance education curriculum, which in turn allowed for a reduced amount of time spent in a resident course, said Cohn.
Jordan emphasized that the promotion requirement was not the most important part of PME.
“Many are focused on the promotion requirement,” said Jordan. “I ask that they step back and note that the benefit gained from educating Marines will far surpass just the requirement for promotion.”
The new PMEs will help support and give the Marines the tools they will need to face not only today’s challenges but also tomorrow’s, said Jordan.