Modeling and simulation (M&S) officers are the Marine Corps subject-matter experts across the seven pillars of DOD M&S: Acquisition, Analysis, Experimentation, Intelligence, Planning, Test and Evaluation, and Training. Their duties are both managerial and technical with Service-specific and national impacts. Therefore, M&S officers must remain current and adaptable to a rapidly evolving environment. They must be able to provide M&S expertise for operational and functional requirements; conceptual model design; statistically relevant metrics; analysis of alternatives; software/hardware implementation; verification, validation, and accreditation of M&S; program of record sustainment activities; and joint capabilities integration and development system (JCIDS) processes.

To become an 8825, a Marine must complete the Modeling and Simulation  curriculum at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Monterey, CA, or equivalent postgraduate degree from an accredited university. The MOVES master’s program is a 2-year, 8-quarter program, covering the fundamentals of M&S. For students who have not been in an academic environment for an extended period or who lack a technical undergraduate degree with above-average performance, a 12-week refresher is offered and highly recommended. To qualify for the MOVES program, Marines must have an Academic Profile Code of 325. 

Assignments for 8825s are located across the Marine Corps providing a variety of support to operational training, analysis, and experimentation. Assignments exist at the MEF level, Office of Naval Research, Joint Staff, Training and Education Command, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, and Office of Combat Development and Integration. If interested in more information, please contact MCMSO directly at 703-784-0432.