{"id":32324,"date":"2022-09-26T17:39:21","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T17:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/09\/26\/this-new-pilot-program-will-be-required-for-marine-master-sergeants\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T21:05:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T21:05:54","slug":"this-new-pilot-program-will-be-required-for-marine-master-sergeants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2022\/09\/26\/this-new-pilot-program-will-be-required-for-marine-master-sergeants\/","title":{"rendered":"This pilot program will be required for Marine master, first sergeants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new Marine Corps pilot program aims to supplement the limited amount of time enlisted service members are given for professional military education, according to the most senior enlisted member of the Marine Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program \u2015 previously a voluntary course for senior enlisted Marines<\/a> \u2015 is now being tested as a part of the standard course load for E-8 service members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe developed the Senior Enlisted Blended Seminar Program comprised of eight weeks of nonresident seminar instruction followed by a two-week resident session, and it will be a requirement for First Sergeants and Master Sergeants,\u201d Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Troy Black<\/a> said in a statement to Marine Corps Times. \u201cThe program is currently in a pilot phase.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe SEBSP leverages lessons from the Marine Corps University\u2019s College of Distance Education and Training, delivered blended programs for Expeditionary Warfare School and Command and Staff College Distance Education Programs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First announced in February, the previously voluntary six-week course was \u201cneither available to the majority of the E-8 population nor a PME requirement for promotion,\u201d according to a MARADMIN post<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another weeklong required seminar for promotion to E-9 also will be phased out, the February MARADMIN added, though a timeline on this hasn\u2019t been announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the Marine Corps\u2019 professional military education program has evolved over time<\/a>, this combined in-person and online seminar is being considered a favorable step forward to expand higher learning opportunities for enlisted Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black briefly spoke about the pilot program, and the status of enlisted professional military education in the Marine Corps, to a group of service members in an hourlong podcast conversation on Sept. 16 at the Marine Corps University\u2019s Brute Krulak Center<\/a> for Innovation & Future Warfare in Quantico, Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\t