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thedrifter
07-31-09, 07:16 AM
Use active-duty time to earn and learn

7/30/2009 By 2nd Lt. Scott Villiard , Marine Corps Base Quantico

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —Educational opportunities abound in today’s Marine Corps. Marines can take classes online, during their down time at off base institutions, through the education centers on base or through the Marine Corps Institute. For 109 Marines here, an educational opportunity of a lifetime is about to begin. They will attend an accredited university for up to four years while remaining on active duty.

Every year approximately 130-150 Marines are accepted into the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program. Those Marines will go to various colleges throughout the nation, where their objective is to obtain a bachelor’s degree, all while drawing full pay and allowances and remaining eligible for promotion.

The majority of them will first attend the nine-week MECEP Preparatory School, located here.

“The prep school was established in 1975,” according to Maj. Travis Butts.

The program was developed in 1973, but its first two years saw a high attrition rate among the Marines selected for MECEP, dictating the need for a prep school.

“The school was developed to prepare Marines to be full-time college students,” said Butts. “They will learn study skills and time management, as well as hone their leadership skills and enhance their level of physical fitness.”

On top of taking a full semester’s worth of classes, recent developments in MECEP Prep allow students to earn college credit for their time at the prep school.

“This will allow the Marines to earn their degree faster, getting them back to the [operating forces] sooner, and saving the Marine Corps money,” Butts said.

According to MCBUL 1560, applicants must have a minimum of one year in service, be a high school graduate or possess a GED, have a 74 or higher AFQT score or a minimum 1,000 combined math and critical reading score on the SAT or earn a minimum composite score of 22 on the ACT.

“The Marine Corps is looking for enlisted Marines that have shown the potential to lead Marines and bring positive experience from the enlisted ranks to the officer corps,” said Capt. Adam Scott, head of regular officer programs at Marine Corps Recruiting Command.

Of fiscal year 2009’s 331 applicants, 299 Marines were eligible for MECEP, and 150 were selected.

Marines interested in applying for MECEP should refer to MCBUL 1560 for all program requirements, application processes and application deadlines.

— Correspondent: brian.villiard@usmc.mil

Ellie