This update provided refreshed content, simplified the user experience and accreditation, and combined the officer and enlisted courses. With this update, our previous courses have been discontinued. Below are the new courses with the associated course codes (note the xx moniker is a placeholder for the two digit region/CCMD code)
As the United States’ premier crisis response force, the Marine Corps must be ready to deploy to any clime or place at any given time. This demands a flexible, responsive organization and a Corps of Marines with the regional, cultural, and language skills that inform planning and operations anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. Recognizing the time and resource investments required to develop regional, cultural, and language capabilities across the general purpose force, the Marine Corps adopted a long-term strategy designed to establish a set of core cultural concepts and skills throughout the Corps. Marines exercise these skills in specific regional studies as well as gain exposure to tactical language skills. The desired end state is a cultural capability for leaders to leverage in support of missions and requirements around the globe.
The RCSP is founded on culture general concepts and skills. Through this program, the Marine Corps instills in Marines transferable cultural concepts and skills that can be used in any operating environment and intercultural exchange. Marines gain insights into human behavior, alternative ways to problem solve, application of lessons learned from other areas of the world, and the ability to access and critically consume information. Marines are then provided regional and cultural content that displays these concepts and skills so that Marines can apply and reflect on them in specific context. The rationale for Marines’ being assigned a region is that it elevates the Marine Corps’ understanding of all parts of the world, not just those the Corps routinely engages, so as to heighten preparedness for the unexpected.
Headstart2 languages are no longer a requirement to be RCSP complete for grade. However, Headstart2 languages will continue to be available and as always CRSS encourages review of Headstart2 as the software covers military-specific terminology that may not be known or covered in other language software and can help prepare Marines for a Defense Language Proficiency Test. Marines can find all HeadStart2 languages available on Joint Knowledge Online (JKO). Those Marine Corps Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) and programs requiring language proficiency will continue to receive those skills through established processes as outlined within MARADMIN 348/19 and will not garner them from RCSP.
With our January 2020 update, our previous courses have been discontinued. Below are the new courses with the associated course code (note the xx moniker is a placeholder for the two digit region/COCOM code)
An Introduction to YourMicro-Region (RCLF1Axx00) replaced Enlisted Block 3 (CLRE3xx00A) and Officer Block 2 (CLRO2xx00A)
Applied Region and Culture Studies (RCLF1Bxx00) replaced Enlisted Block 4 (CLRE4xx00B) and Officer Block 3 (CLRO3xx00AB)
Continued Region and Culture Studies (RCLF2Axx00) replaced Enlisted Block 5 (CLRE5xx00B) and Officer Block 4 (CLRO4xx00B)
Advanced Region and Culture Studies (RCLF2Bxx00) replaced Enlisted Block 6 (CLRE6xx00B) and Officer Block 5 (CLRO5xx00B)
Click HERE to download a cheat sheet showing how to access the CRSS Moodle page for RCLF block materials.
RCSP is designated as a PME requirement as decided by MROC decision 38-2012. RCSP completion is tracked in MCTFS. MARADMIN 348/19 specifies RCSP completion to be be briefed starting with FY22 promotion boards. Completion is a way of breaking yourself out from the pack.
Yes. Change requests require a formal submission and justification; these are boarded monthly; however, the needs of the Marine Corps come first.
RCSP is accredited through the American Council on Education and Marines can currently receive up to six college credits for completion. Additionally, RCSP is a PME accomplishment that can increase FITREP evaluations. Lastly, reservists can accumulate up to 12 retirement points for program completion.
No. While you may have robust knowledge of a region, RCSP incorporates cultural knowledge that extends beyond regional studies. As such, RCSP requirements cannot be tested out of.
Officers can work one block ahead, enlisted cannot. Language can be started at any point.
CAOCL has uploaded all course materials to the MarineNet Library (accessible from the MarineNet homepage). This enables any Marine to access any block or regional material without having to register for any course. This way, senior leaders can review those materials their Marines are working; young Marines can begin to "read ahead" on materials for future blocks; and all Marines can access materials to use for PME, in preparation for a deployment or for self-education. Please note only the downloadable reading materials (for all blocks and regions) will be made available on the library. Some RCSP courses contain Computer Based Training (CBT) scenarios, and all courses contain a student assessment and course evaluation. Those items will still only be available for Marines who enroll in the respective course by block and region, to enable MCTFS to accurately account for course completion.
Yes. The grandfather exemption is applicable to enlisted Marines who maintain an enlisted career track. Those that cross over from enlisted to officer are considered under their new DOR, not their old.
While all Marines are encouraged to participate in the RCSP, the only Marines assigned RCSP regions are active component sergeants with a date of rank on or after 1 October 2012, reserve component sergeants with a date of rank on or after 1 May 2013, officers commissioned on or after 1 April 2009, and warrant officers appointed on or after 1 February 2011. All other Marines are grandfathered out of the RCSP.
Some Marines currently have a language skill set documented in MCTFS. For those Marines who currently have a language skill documented, would this be grounds for reassignment to a region associated with that language skill?
Consideration of current or past language capability is not currently integrated into the enlisted assignment process. RCSP regions are randomly assigned to enlisted Marines using a pre-determined algorithm, which means the assigned RCSP region may not align with previous language skills. Marines have the option to submit a Region Change Request Form for consideration of reassignment to a region that aligns with previous language and other personal or professional education and/or experience.
At the time the RCLF program was created, a decision was made that no RCLF regions were required for those areas. CRSS has no plans in place to create two new RCSP regions (or change any of the current 17 regions), but Russian influence in accordance with the National Defense Strategy is incorporated into all RCSP regions.
Our staff is aware of an issue within MarineNet that causes course CBTs to not display correctly. The problem resides within the Internet Explorer (IE) browser and can be fixed by going to the internet Settings Menu (gear icon in the top right hand corner), selecting Compatibility View settings and adding 'marinenet.mil' into the compatibility view settings.
If you are experiencing difficulties, please contact us by email at CRSS_Admin@usmcu.edu
The Region Change Request Form allows a Marine to justify why he or she should be re-assigned to a particular region. For example, if a Marine was assigned to the South America region but that Marine spent several years living and working in North Africa prior to entering the Marine Corps and is fluent in Modern Standard Arabic, then the Marine could complete a Region Change Request Form and submit it to CRSS_Admin if he or she wishes to continue to build upon that previous experience instead of learning about another region. Please note that upon approval of a region change, Marines will start the new curriculum at Block 1A for the new region regardless of how many modules the Marine completed in the current region.
RCSP hosts our content on the Marine Corps distance learning network, MarineNet, which provides 24/7 access to thousands of online courses. You can find the RCSP content in the course catalog, under the "Language and Culture" tab or if you're just looking for our workbooks, you can find those available for download via the MarineNet library.