USMC Enlisted
to Officer Commissioning Programs
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The U.S. Marine Corps offers enlisted
Marines several ways to earn a commission and join the Officer Corps.
The following are descriptions of each of the Marine Corps Enlisted
to Officer Programs:
Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education
Program (MECEP)
Enlisted Commissioning Program (ECP)
Meritorious Commissioning Program (MCP)
Reserve Enlisted Commissioning Program (RECP)
Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and
Training (BOOST)
Marine Option Naval Reserve Officer Training
Corps (NROTC)
Warrant Officer (Regular, Reserve, Gunner, and Recruiter)
(WO)
United States Naval Academy (USNA)
 Marine
Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP)
The Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) is designed
to provide outstanding enlisted Marines the opportunity to become
Marine Corps Officers. MECEP is open to all active duty Marines
and Marines in the Active Reserve (AR) program who meet the eligibility
requirements. Marines successfully completing the program receive
a Baccalaureate Degree and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in
the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Selection is based on an
individual's potential for commissioned service as demonstrated
by their service record, previous academic record, and evidence
of career and academic self-improvement.
The basic eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:
Corporal or Above
At least 20 years of age but less than 26
Ranked in the Top 50% of high school class or
GED score of 75
SAT score of 1000 or ACT of 45 or
AFQT of 74.
Enlisted
Commissioning Program (ECP)
The Enlisted Commissioning Program allows qualified enlisted Marines
in the Regular Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Active Reserve
(AR) Program to apply for assignment to Officer Candidates School
(OCS) and subsequent appointment to unrestricted commissioned officer
grade in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. The policy, eligibility
criteria, and application process are contained in MCO
1040.43A.
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The MECEP is designed to provide outstanding enlisted Marines
the opportunity to become Marine Corps Officers. |
The basic eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:
Marines with a 4 Year Baccalaureate Degree
U.S. Citizen
Be of Officer Caliber
Be of Good Moral Character & Integrity
Not previously failed any Officer Programs
Min. AFQT of 74 or
Min. SAT of 1000 or
Min. ACT of 45
At least 21 years of age but less than 30
Meritorious
Commissioning Program (MCP)
The Meritorious Commissioning Program allows commanding officers
to nominate qualified enlisted Marines in the Regular Marine Corps
and the Marine Corps Active Reserve (AR) Program, who have demonstrated
exceptional leadership potential, for assignment to Officer Candidates
School (OCS) and subsequent commissioning in the Marine Corps Reserve.
The policy, eligibility criteria, and application process is contained
in MCO
1040.43A.
The basic eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:
Marines with at least 75 semester hours of actual coursework.
A letter of acceptance from an NROTC affiliated College or University
U.S. Citizen
Be of Officer Caliber
Be of Good Moral Character & Integrity
Not previously failed any Officer Programs
Min. AFQT of 74 or Min. SAT of 1000 or
Min. ACT of 45
At least 21 years of age but less than 30
Reserve
Enlisted Commissioning Program (RECP)
The Reserve Enlisted Commissioning Program allows qualified enlisted
Marines in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) Program to apply
for assignment to Officer Candidates School (OCS) and subsequent
appointment to unrestricted commissioned officer grade in the U.S.
Marine Corps Reserve. The policy, eligibility criteria, and application
process are contained in MCO
1040R.10k.
The basic eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:
SMCR with a 4 Year Baccalaureate Degree
U.S. Citizen
Be of Officer Caliber
Be of Good Moral Character & Integrity
Not previously failed any Officer Programs
Min. AFQT of 74 or Min. SAT of 1000 or
Min. ACT of 45
At least 21 years of age but less than 33
Qualified to fill a SMCR Officer billet as announced by CMC (Reserve
Affairs)
Broadened
Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST)
The Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training
(BOOST) program provides an educational enhancement opportunity
for those eligible enlisted Marines that desire to seek a college
education and enter a commissioning program. These programs include
The U.S. Naval Academy, Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Education
Program (MECEP), and the Marine Option Naval Reserve Officer Training
Corps Scholarship program (NROTC). BOOST is a demanding 10-month
academic improvement course providing remedial high school and college
preparatory level instruction. BOOST is open to all enlisted active
duty Marines and Marines in the Active Reserve (AR) program who
meet the basic eligibility and academic requirements.
Basic eligibility requirements for BOOST are as follows:
Active Duty or Active Reserve
Lance Corporal or above
1 year of active duty completed after recruit training
19 years of age, but not more than 25
High School Diploma or GED
SAT score of 900 or ACT score of 40 or EL score of 110
Marine
Option Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC)
The purpose of the Marine Option Naval Reserve Officer Training
Corps program is to educate and train highly qualified young men
and women for careers as commissioned officers in the United States
Marine Corps.
The Marine Option NROTC units are located at selected colleges and
universities throughout the United States. Upon graduation and successful
completion of required courses and training, a Midshipman is appointed
a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. While
attending a university as a scholarship student, active duty Marines
who are selected as Marine Option NROTC scholarship recipients are
released to the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR) and do not receive
pay and allowances.
The Marine Corps conducts two selection boards per year. The Early
Board in November, and the National Board in February. Selected
applicants for the Marine Option NROTC Scholarship Program are awarded
scholarships through a highly competitive national selection process,
and receive full tuition, books, fees and other financial benefits
at many of the country's leading colleges and universities.
The general eligibility requirements for the program are as follows:
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Be 17 years of age by September 1 of the year starting college
and
less than 23 on June 30 of that year.
- Applicants must not have reached their 27th birthday by June
30 of the year in which college graduation and commissioning
are anticipated. (Applicants who have prior active duty military
service may be eligible for age adjustments for the amount of
time equal to their prior service, on a month-for-month basis,
for a maximum of 36 months, provided they do not reach their
30th birthday by June 30 of the year in which graduation and
commissioning are anticipated.)
- Be a high school graduate or possess equivalency certificates
by
- August 1 of the same year entrance into the four-year NROTC
Scholarship
- Program is anticipated.
- Be physically qualified by Navy or Marine Corps standards.
- Have no moral obligations or personal convictions that will
prevent conscientious bearing of arms and supporting and supporting
and defending the Constitution of the United States against
all enemies, foreign or domestic.
- Have no record of military or civilian offenses.
- Apply for and gain admission to NROTC colleges. (Admission
to an NROTC institution is not required during the selection
process. However, notification of admission must be received
before the scholarship can be activated.)
- Achieve qualifying scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test
(SAT) of 1000 composite, or the American College Test (ACT)
of 45 composite.
- Both the SAT/ACT math and English scores must be from the
same test.
- Applicants cannot combine their best math score and their
best English score to achieve the qualifying score for application
Warrant
Officer (Regular, Reserve, Gunner, and Recruiter) (WO)
The Enlisted to Warrant Officer Program is a program whereby qualified
enlisted Marines, who are the technical experts in their field,
may apply for appointment to warrant officer in the military occupational
specialty (MOS) they are considered to be technically and proficiently
qualified to serve.
There are five categories of warrant officers: Regular Active Duty,
Active Reserve, Selected Marine Corps Reserve, Marine Gunner, and
Career Recruiter. The policy and eligibility criteria are contained
in SecNavInst 1120.11 and the application format is located in MCO
1040.42A. Annual Marine Corps Administrative (MARADMIN) messages
are released announcing the application deadlines, MOS vacancies,
and any guidance that is new or needs clarification since the last
rewrite of the directives.
United
States Naval Academy (USNA)
Enlisted active duty Marines and Marines serving in the active reserve
(AR) program that meet the eligibility requirements may apply for
nomination and appointment to The United States Naval Academy (USNA).
The Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) obtains its' students
from USNA applicants that, in the opinion of the USNA Admissions
Board, could profit from an additional year of academic preparation.
Marines who wish to be considered for admission to NAPS must state
their willingness on their USNA application.
Basic eligibility requirements for admission to the Naval Academy
are:
United States Citizen
Have good moral character
Be unmarried
At least 17 years of age but less than 23
Have no dependents
Not pregnant
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