Want to become a certified Special Technical Operations Planner? The FY26 selection panel is open now.

A new MARADMIN just dropped announcing the FY26 board to award the 8016 Free MOS.

If you work in Special Technical Operations, this is your window to get the credential that formally recognizes that work.

The deadline is closer than you think.

Reference: MARADMIN 173/26, signed 14 April 2026. Governed by CJCSI 3120.08E, MCO S3120.2A, and the NAVMC 1200.1M MOS Manual.

The old problem

The 8016 MOS recognizes highly specialized STO planning expertise.

But without a formal annual selection cycle, qualified Marines had no clear path to document and credential that experience.

The result: skilled STO planners carrying work that never showed up on their MOS record.

The new rule (in one line)

HQMC is convening a formal selection panel 1–5 June 2025 to award the 8016 Free MOS to qualified Marines across officer, warrant officer, and enlisted ranks.

Who is eligible

This is open to:

✦ Officers: O-1 through O-6 ✦ Warrant Officers: WO-1 through CWO-5 ✦ Enlisted: E-6 through E-9

You need to meet all of the following. Most requirements cannot be waived.

1. Current or past IJSTO-indoctrinated billet. You must have served in a billet formally indoctrinated into Integrated Joint Special Technical Operations. No waiver available.

2. Completed an approved STO Planners Course. The course must meet Chairman of the Joint Chiefs academic standards. No waiver available.

3. Completed the PDAS Operators Course. This is the Planning and Decision Aid System course, available resident or online. This one can be waived if you can demonstrate proficiency through your record.

4. Deployed STO experience. Either six months in a billet where IJSTO was the primary function, or one year in a billet where it was a function. No waiver available.

5. Demonstrated planning capability. You need to show you can plan, coordinate, and execute IJSTO activities across the full range of military operations. That includes integrating STO functions into coalition, joint, or Marine Corps plans and exercises.

6. Served in a STO Planner position. That position must support CJCS, a Combatant Command, or Service STO requirements.

How to apply

The deadline is 15 May 2025.

(Yes, that is about a month from when this was published. Move now.)

All applications are submitted via SIPRNET Intelink. You will need a SIPR Intelink account to access the SharePoint and submit.

The SharePoint page is: https://intelshare.intelink.sgov.gov/sites/USMC8016/SitePages/8016Home.aspx

That site has templates, forms, example submissions, FAQs, and guidance on what to write.

Build a strong package. Here is what that looks like:

Clearly describe how you met requirements 2.d, 2.e, and 2.f specifically. The panel does not know your portfolio. Show your work.
Get an O-6 or higher endorsement from your STO Chief. That endorsement should add context, not just echo your application. The MARADMIN specifically discourages template endorsements that say nothing.
You may include fitness reports, awards, and appointment letters that document STO work.
Do not include miscellaneous course certificates. Only include certs from the STO Planner's Course, STO Chief's Course, or PDAS Operators Course.

Questions? Contact the 8016 Occupational Field Sponsor directly: Maj Alexander Livingston: (703) 692-4331 or alexander.livingston(at)usmc.mil Burkett Cochrane (Civ): (703) 614-0285 or burkett.cochrane(at)usmc.mil

Also contact your nearest Marine Corps STO Chief for help with classification reviews and submission requirements.

Why this is a big deal

The 8016 Free MOS is not a routine credential.

It formally documents that you are a qualified STO planner at the joint and combined level. That distinction matters for assignments, career progression, and the broader Marine Corps effort to maintain a credible STO planning workforce.

For Reserve Marines, this is especially significant.

IMA and SMCR billets tied to STO functions exist precisely because this expertise is needed across the force, not just on active duty. If you have been doing this work in a reserve capacity, this panel is your official recognition pathway.

(The MARADMIN explicitly states it applies to the Marine Corps Reserve.)

A smaller note for active-duty Marines

This panel is equally open to active-duty Marines meeting the same criteria. If you are currently in or have served in an IJSTO-indoctrinated billet, the application process and deadline are identical. Check the SIPR SharePoint for templates and contact the POCs above.

The bottom line

The FY26 8016 FMOS Selection Panel convenes 1–5 June 2025.

Applications are due 15 May 2025 via SIPRNET.

If you have done the work in STO, this is how you make it official.

What to do with this

If you think you are eligible: Pull up the SIPR SharePoint now. Review the eligibility checklist. Contact your STO Chief about endorsement and classification guidance. Do not wait until mid-May.

If you are a unit S-1 or career planner: Identify any Marines in your unit who hold or have held IJSTO-indoctrinated billets. Flag this MARADMIN to them directly. The deadline is tight.

If you are a commander or STO Chief: You may be asked to provide an O-6-or-higher endorsement. The MARADMIN is clear that generic template letters are not helpful. Be specific about what your Marine actually did.

If you are selected: A follow-on MARADMIN will announce results. Selected Marines will need to submit an EPAR with the results MARADMIN and selection memorandum attached to add the 8016 FMOS to their OMPF.

If you are not sure whether you qualify: Call the POC. That is what they are there for.

This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.

Need a shorter version of this? A one-paragraph summary for a unit brief is available on request. Need a deeper breakdown of the IJSTO eligibility requirements? That version exists too.

CONVENING OF THE FISCAL YEAR (FY) 26 SPECIAL TECHNICAL OPERATIONS (STO) FREE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (FMOS) SELECTION PANEL