The Marine Corps Congressional Fellowship Program (CFP) offers participants the opportunity to work in the legislative branch of the federal government for one session of Congress. Eligibility requirements can be found in the MARADMIN. The CFP is a 42-month tour. The program can be broken down into four phases.
Phase 1: Professional Development (6 months): Selectees generally report to OLA in June, approximately six months in advance of their first day as a Fellow on Capitol Hill. This is the designated education and professional development period that helps prepare Fellows for their time on the Hill.
- Officers enroll at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. During this six-month period, officers earn a majority of the credits required to earn a Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) degree. The remaining credits must be completed online and at night while the Fellows are on the Hill or during their utilization tours.
- SNCOs and civilians receive blended training and education through the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University. Portions of this education carry over into the fellowship and utilization periods.
Phase 2: Congressional Fellowship (1 year): Fellows serve as a personal staff member on Capitol Hill in the office of a Senator or Member of Congress for one year, starting in January. This is a uniquely valuable opportunity to observe how our government works and learn about the people and institutions that shape our Corps.
Phase 3: Utilization Tour (2 years): Marine Fellows must complete a 24-month utilization tour immediately upon completion of their fellowship year on Capitol Hill. OLA coordinates with M&RA to assign Fellows to billets in the NCR. The intent is to place fellows into billets that leverage Fellows’ experience with policy, appropriations, and the legislative process.
Phase 4: Additional Obligated Service: After completing their two-year utilization tour, Fellows have a remaining obligation for an additional year of service. Per federal law (10 USC § 2603), each applicant who is accepted for the Congressional Fellowship Program must agree in writing to a three-year service obligation that begins immediately upon completion of the fellowship year on Capitol Hill. Two of the three years include the utilization tour. The remaining year is coordinated through M&RA and MOS Occupational Field Specialists. Fellows that complete the graduate education program will also incur obligated service IAW MCO 1524.1, the Graduate Education Order. These obligations run concurrently.
