MCO 1553.4B governs Marine Corps professional military education requirements, objectives, policies, programs, and responsibilities.
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MCO 1553.4B covers officer and enlisted PME, resident instruction, distance education, professional self-study, and JPME requirements. It establishes PME completion criteria, enrollment eligibility, grade-based requirements, waivers, and equivalencies.
Applies to: This Order is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force.
The program consists of resident instruction, distance education, professional self-study, and The Marine Corps Professional Reading Program. (paragraph 4)
Captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels can complete their PME either in residence or through nonresident DEPs. (paragraph 4)
JPME Phase I credit is awarded for intermediate level resident and DEP completion and senior level DEP completion. JPME Phase II is awarded for senior level resident program completion. (paragraph 4)
All Marine Corps captains, first lieutenants, chief warrant officers 2 and 3; Marine Corps majors who are neither enrolled in nor completed CSCDEP; other sister service officers, government civilians, and international officers of the same grade to fill seminar vacancies; Marine Corps warrant officers; and Marine Corps gunnery sergeants through sergeants major/master gunnery sergeants who have completed all EPME requirements, if seminar vacancies are available. (paragraph 1)
To be considered PME complete, Marine captains must: (1) Attend and complete EWS, OR (2) Complete the EWSDEP, OR (3) Attend and complete an ACCC. (paragraph 4)