It's that time of year when the Army announces application rules, deadlines and other information about several prestigious scholarship and fellowship programs for officers, warrant officers and noncommissioned officers.
To compete for enrollment in one of these fiscal 2015, 2016 or 2017 broadening programs, officers and NCOs must submit a personnel action request (DA Form 4187) to the Human Resources Command on the deadlines shown below.
Available programs are:
White House Fellows 2015
Selected Regular Army and Active Guard and Reserve soldiers will work with White House staffers and cabinet officials on policy and leadership issues. Army candidates will be selected by a board that meets Nov. 11-14. The application deadline is Oct. 27.
Open to captains, majors, lieutenant colonels, warrant officers and NCOs in the ranks of sergeant and above, who have a baccalaureate degree or higher, and who have completed the appropriate military education courses and assignments for their grade.
The 12-month fellowship will begin in August 2015. Participating soldiers will incur a three-year active-duty service obligation.
Congressional Fellowship 2017
Selected soldiers of the Regular Army, National Guard and Army Reserve will pursue a master's degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University, and will serve on the staff of a member of Congress or a congressional committee, and in a congressionally related duty position with the Army Staff or Joint Staff.
As part of this program, fellows typically are given responsibility for drafting legislation, arranging hearings, writing speeches and floor statements, handling defense-related constituent issues and briefing legislators for committee deliberations.
To qualify for the 43-month program, active component captains must be in year groups 2007-09 and majors in year groups 2003-05; National Guard captains and majors in the Title 10 or Title 32 Active Guard and Reserve Program, while Army Reserve officers must have a basic date of July 1, 2002, or later, and a mandatory retirement date of July 1, 2024, or later.
NCO applicants must be E9s who have at least two years in grade, and who have completed the Sergeants Major Course.
The fellowship begins in May 2016, completes in January 2016, and will be followed by a two-year utilization tour in congressional liaison duties. Soldiers will incur a service obligation of about four years.
Olmsted Scholar Program 2016
Selected active-component officers with three to 11 years of service will pursue two years of graduate studies at a non-English speaking university overseas. Language training for graduate school will begin in the fall of 2016.
The program is open to officers of the Infantry, Engineer, Field Artillery, Air Defense, Aviation, Special Forces, Armor, Signal, Electronic Warfare, Information Operations, Military Police, Strategic Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, Space Operations, Chemical and Logistics career fields who have completed at least one key developmental assignment for their rank and specialty.
Application packets must be received at HRC no later than Dec. 30. Army candidates will be selected by a board that meets May 12-15.
Downing Scholarship Program 2016
Sponsored by the West Point Association, the Gen. Wayne Downing Scholarship Program provides selected captains and majors of the Regular Army with advanced education, language skills and cultural immersion necessary for understanding and combating international terrorism.
Participating universities include Columbia, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Yale, Syracuse, Tufts, Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Kings College (London), St. Andrews (Scotland), Queen's College (Ireland), Lauder School of Government (Israel) and Nanyang Tech (Singapore).
The program is restricted to active component captains and majors of the Infantry, Engineer, Field Artillery, Air Defense, Aviation, Special Forces, Armor, Information Operations, Military Police, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs and Chemical career fields.
Application packets must be received at HRC by Dec. 30. Candidates will be nominated by a board that meets May 12-15, with final selections being made by the West Point Association. Scholars will begin the 24-month program in the fall of 2016.
Pentagon Internships 2016
The Joint Chiefs of Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Army Staff Internship Program is a three-year, three-phase master's degree regimen conducted at the Public Policy Institute of Georgetown University and Pentagon staff agencies. Upon earning a degree in policy management, officers spend the second year assigned to the Joint Staff or Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the third year as a member of the Army Staff.
The internships are open to Army Competitive Category captains in year groups 2007-10 who have completed the Captains Career Course, have served a key developmental assignment for their branch or functional area, and can complete a three-year assignment without interruption. Officers will incur a three-year service obligation.
Application packets for this program must be received at the Human Resources Command by Dec. 30. Selections will be made by a board that meets May 12-15. Officers will begin their internship in May 2016.
Arroyo Center Fellowships 2016
These 12-month research and development fellowships begin in the summer of 2016 at the Arroyo Center, the federally funded Army research center at Santa Monica, Calif.
Applications will be accepted from Regular Army and Army Reserve majors and lieutenant colonels with graduate degrees who have completed Intermediate Level Education and have served at least one key developmental assignment for their rank and specialty.
Application packets must be received at HRC by Dec. 20. Fellowships will begin in the summer of 2016.
Harvard Strategist Program 2016
This 12-month master's degree program in public administration at Harvard University is for Regular Army and Army Reserve captains, followed by a utilization tour in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans.
Applications will be accepted from RA captains in year groups 2004-08, and Army Reserve captains with dates of rank of Jan. 1, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2013. Junior USAR majors may apply but must not have more than 18 months' time-in-grade as of July 1, 2016.
Application packets must be received at HRC by Dec. 30. Studies will begin in July 2016. Graduates of the program will be awarded skill identifier 6Z, strategic education and development, and officers will have the option of transferring to FA 59 (strategist).
Cyber Scholarship Program 2015
Sponsored by Army Cyber Command, this two year master's degree program is for basic-branch chief warrant officers, captains and majors of the Regular Army. Selected officers will pursue a degree in cybersecurity from the Air Force Institute of Technology, the Naval Postgraduate School or selected universities. Government-funded tuition at civilian universities is capped at $43,000 per academic year.
Applications will be accepted from captains and majors in year groups 2007 to 2010, although majors must have fewer than 18 months' time-in-grade. Warrant officers must be in grades CW2 or CW3, and have at least two, but fewer than 16, years of active warrant service. All applicants must have a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering or information technology. Officers with degrees in related disciplines, such as math, physics, or systems engineering will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Application packets must be received at HRC by Dec. 30. Final selections will be made by Army Cyber Command, and will be announced in May 2015. Studies will begin in the summer or fall of 2015.
British Advanced Command and Staff Course 2015
This 46-week course prepares promotable majors (year groups 1997-99) and lieutenant colonels for joint and single-service duties by developing their command, analytical and communication skills.
While U. S. students do not receive military education level credit, they are eligible to receive a master's degree in security studies from King's College, London.
Applicants must have credit for Intermediate Level Education, and be from one of the following career fields: Infantry, Field Artillery, Air Defense, Aviation, Special Forces, Armor, Engineer, Information Operations, Military Police, Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, Public Affairs, Strategy or Chemical.
Application packets must be received at HRC by Nov. 21. Candidates will be selected by a board that meets Jan. 13-16. Final selections will be made by U.S. Army Europe and the British Ministry of Defence. Studies will begin in July 2015.
