Students Currently Enroll For Fall EWS / CSC Seminars

2nd Lt. Lindsay Pirek
okinawa marine press officer

CAMP FOSTER — Enrollment for academic year 2011 at the College of Distance Education and Training, formerly known as the College of Continuing Education, is now open.

“The academic year begins Sept. 27 and ends the first of June. Classes are once a week, in the evening from 6-8 p.m., typically. They are on every base. The office on Camp Foster manages students from Korea, Iwakuni, Fuji, six bases and camps on Okinawa, and people who are deployed from this region to Afghanistan and Iraq,” explained James Hopkins, regional coordinator, Okinawa Region, Training and Education Command, CDET.

The College of Distance Education offers two seminar programs: Expeditionary Warfare School Distance Education Program and Command and Staff College Distance Education Program.

The EWSDEP is a seven course career level school that is designed to be completed over two academic years. The program is a professional military education obligation for the ranks of captain and chief warrant officer three; however, first lieutenants and CWO2s are also eligible to participate. Interested staff noncommissioned officers, gunnery sergeant and above, may participate providing they have completed all required enlisted PME and obtain a waiver from the CDET director and the sergeant major of Marine Corps University.

“The course is designed to challenge the students from an intellectual standpoint while providing academic content that is relevant to developing them for positions at the companyand field-grade levels. Conducting the classes in a seminar setting further allows the students to closely interact with individuals from other MOSs and services. The ability to discuss and debate issues within a group of such diverse backgrounds and experiences significantly enhances the learning environment for the students,” said William Hardy, former instructor at the CDET.

“This is the very first year that we are offering EWS online, and it’s the first year program. Next year, both the first year and second year will be offered online. We are reserving online spots for those Marines who cannot make it to onsite seminars. We are going to be selective and the online version is only going to be offered to captains and other ranks who simply cannot be present in the classroom,” explained Hopkins of those Marines deployed to Afghanistan and extended exercises in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Distance education is very accommodating. It’s accommodating for the instructors, who are 99% active duty here and it’s accommodating for Marines on temporary assigned duty. For example, when someone goes to (support Exercise) Cobra Gold, they can drop the course and pick up the next one, or they can do make-ups. The policy limits a Marine to three missed seminars per course, or they can switch to an online course,” said Hopkins.

CSCDEP is an eight course intermediate level school, spanning two academic years, which satisfies both Marine Corps PME and Joint PME I requirements. The program is a PME obligation for the ranks of major and CWO4. The ranks of captain and CWO3 who have completed EWS are also eligible, as well as master sergeant/first sergeant and above who have completed EWS and have the appropriate waivers.

“An important change to the Command and Staff program is a linkage to a Master’s degree program with the University of Oklahoma. When the Marine completes Command and Staff, they can go online and take six courses and get a Master’s degree,” said Hopkins.

“Officer PME is essential to the growth and development of our officer corps. Marine Corps formal schools do a good job providing the knowledge and skills necessary for MOS proficiency. Likewise, the less tangible aspects of leadership, command and staff functions must be taught emphasizing what is necessary and important at each stage in a Marine’s career. The EWS and CSC focus on these critical areas. For those members of the officer population who do not have the opportunity to attend the resident schools, the CDET provides a similar academic and intellectual learning experience,” said Hardy.

To enroll, contact the CDET at 645-2230 or e-mail Jim Hopkins, Regional Coordinator, at Jhopkins@CoTs.com, or Brenda Burke, Administrative assistant, at Bburke@CoTs.com.