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MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N3N5N7/JAN//
SUBJ/ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-2026 MIT SEMINAR XXI AND DARK TRIDENT CALL FOR
APPLICATIONS//
REF/A/DOC/CNO NAVPLAN 2024/18SEP24//
NARR/Ref A is the CNOs 2024 Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN).
RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN is the call for applications for the Academic Year (AY)
2025-2026 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Seminar XXI program and
the Chief of Naval Operations? (CNOs) research group Dark Trident.
2. MIT Seminar XXI
a. Program Information. Seminar XXI represents a unique opportunity for
future policy leaders to share perspectives, while cultivating their
understanding of the intricate relationships among economy, society, and
culture in the international environment.
Seminar XXI Fellows develop broad perspectives and analytical skills that
enable them to evaluate and formulate national policy. Seminar XXI is an
educational development program for current and future leaders in the U.S.
national security and foreign policy communities. Administered by MIT's
Center for International Studies, the program is intended for professionals
with significant potential to move into key decision-making roles in the next
5-10 years.
Program participants, known as Fellows, come from a wide range of sponsoring
organizations including the armed forces, Federal agencies, non-governmental
organizations, and private companies. The goal of Seminar XXI is to equip
rising military officials and civilian executives with the multi-dimensional
analytic skills needed to understand foreign relations and shape effective
policy options for the United States.
b. Schedule. Participants will meet for a total of nine sessions during the
2025-26 academic year, beginning in September 2025 and ending in May 2026.
Sessions will include one (1) introductory session; three (3) weekend
sessions in Warrenton, VA; and five (5) weeknight sessions in Washington,
D.C.
c. Eligibility. Navy Seminar XXI Fellows will be Navy officers
(O5-O7) and civilians (GS14-15, SES, or equivalent) with clear promotion
potential, and opportunity to apply these skills in their future assignments
in the Navy. This application process is open only to individuals serving in
Navy organizations, on the Joint Staff, or in the Office of the Secretary of
Defense (OSD), or other offices without dedicated Seminar XXI quotas attached
to commands located within a 225-mile driving distance from the National
Capital Region for the entire period of September 2025 through May 2026. Navy
personnel in Government and Defense Agencies with MIT Seminar XXI programs
must apply through their parent organizations. Please contact the OPNAV N712
POCs listed in this NAVADMIN for questions on eligibility.
d. Program Specifics. For AY25-26, MIT will select a total of 80 personnel
across the Federal Government. Of these, 12 will be Navy nominees. A total of
twelve (12) Navy officers and Civilians will be selected for the AY25-26
Seminar XXI fellowships. Selectees must meet minimum attendance requirements
and are encouraged to attend every class with the full support of their
command. There is no tuition cost to the participants or their individual
commands, regardless of duty station. However, participants or their commands
are responsible for all non-tuition expenses, including travel, for Seminar
XXI meetings and activities.
e. Admission Process. A Navy selection panel will choose from all Navy
applicants those 12 individuals with the best combination of experience,
accomplishments, and clear potential for significant future advancement and
leadership positions. The selection panel will review applications for both
programs; MIT Seminar XXI nominees will be notified upon completion of panel
deliberations by early April 2025. OPNAV N3/N5/N7 will provide the list of
the 12 Navy nominees selected by the panel to the MIT Seminar XXI Admissions
Board by early April 2025. Navy nominees accepted by MIT will be notified by
mid-June 2025.
f. Service Obligation. Military MIT Seminar XXI Fellows incur a service
obligation of one year upon completion.
3. Dark Trident
a. Program Information. From 1981 to 2016 CNO was supported by the
Strategic Studies Group (SSG). Resident at the Naval War College
(NWC) in Newport, RI, and with a new cohort of SSG fellows each year, the SSG
worked directly for the CNO. Its initial purpose was to educate future flag
officers in strategic thinking; later, it was intended to deliver tangible
products to the CNO. In 2001, then CNO Admiral Vernon Clark created the Deep
Blue organization to conduct strategic analysis and work on special projects.
During AY25-26, CNO will stand up a new research group, Dark Trident, as a
pilot program. The purpose of Dark Trident is to leverage the expertise and
experience of select officers and civil servants, including those with
advanced education and/or developmental experiences, to assist in providing
advice on, and potential solutions to, current and future Navy challenges by
developing actionable products and plans to support execution of CNO?s
NAVPLAN and Project 33 targets as per reference (a). At the beginning of
AY25-26, CNO will provide a list of topics for Dark Trident to focus on. At
the end of the year, the group will brief the Navy 4-Star leadership on their
research findings and recommendations.
b. Schedule. Dark Trident will take a part-time, hybrid approach over the
course of AY25-26 (September 2025 - June 2026). Three (3) in-person sessions
are planned for development and research at appropriate Department of Navy
(DON) installations (such as the Naval War College, Naval Postgraduate
School, Navy Labs, Systems Commands, and Operational Commands). in between
in-person sessions, the group will meet and work collaboratively in a virtual
environment.
c. Eligibility. Dark Trident team members will be Navy officers (O4-O6,
Active Component and Training and Administration of the Reserve (TAR)) and
civilians (GS14-15 or equivalent) who will be stationed on shore duty within
the continental United States for the entire period of September 2025 through
June 2026. Applicants must be able to travel three times per year for in-
person sessions.
Please contact the OPNAV N712 POCs listed in this NAVADMIN for questions on
eligibility.
d. Program Specifics. Up to twelve (12) Navy officers and Civilians will be
selected for the AY25-26 Dark Trident team.
Selectees are strongly encouraged to attend every in-person and virtual
session with the full support of their command. Commands are responsible for
all travel/TDY expenses for Dark Trident in-person sessions and must
prioritize participants? Dark Trident related activities.
e. Admission Process. For AY25-26, the Navy will select up to 12 eligible
personnel to participate in Dark Trident. A Navy selection panel will choose
individuals with the best combination of experience, ideas, and potential to
work with other team members to develop actionable solutions for the CNO. The
selection panel will review applications for both programs; Dark Trident
selectees will be notified upon completion of panel deliberations by early
April 2025.
f. Service Obligation. There is no service obligation for participation in
this program.
4. Application Procedures. AY25-26 applications are due to OPNAV
N712 NLT 04 March 2025. Reserve Officers, please contact N095, as the
deadline for reservists may be earlier.
a. Individuals may apply for all programs for which they meet the
eligibility requirements via a single application; however, individuals will
only be selected to participate in one program.
Annotate which program(s) you are applying for in the subject line of your
application. Those applying for both programs shall rank their program
preferences in their application.
b. Application Package. Each nomination package must include the
following: an application letter including a personal statement, a Curriculum
Vitae (CV), a command endorsement letter acknowledging individual/command
responsibilities, and two letters of recommendation (one of which must be
from the first Flag officer or SES in the applicant's chain of command).
Prospective applicants should contact OPNAV N712 to request templates for all
required documents. All applications should be submitted by applicants
directly to OPNAV N712; copy your ranking authority (described below) as
applicable. The deadline for submission of all individuals application
materials to OPNAV N712 is 04 March 2025. Reserve Officers, please contact
OPNAV N095 for appropriate guidance, as the reserve process may vary.
c. Organization Rankings. Organizations with more than one applicant should
rank all candidates submitting application packages from their command.
Military and civilian applicants should be ranked separately, although a
combined ranking may also be submitted. MIT Seminar XXI and Dark Trident
applicants should also be ranked separately. A template for the ranking
memorandum is available upon request from the N712 POCs. The deadline for
rankings is 11 March 2025.
5. Points of Contact. Send requests for application document templates and
any questions to the OPNAV N712 or OPNAV N095 POCs as applicable:
a. OPNAV N712: Ms. Jennifer Rigdon Teter, Deputy Branch Head, 703-692-1934,
jennifer.c.rigdonteter.civ@us.navy.mil; LT Blake Copeland, Action Officer,
703-692-1184, Blake.A.Copeland3.mil@us.navy.mil; Ms. Hannah Olivieri,
Contract Support, 703-693-0450, hannah.g.olivieri.ctr@us.navy.mil.
b. OPNAV N095: LCDR Jason Ely, Deputy EA, 703-693-5757,
jason.m.ely.mil@us.navy.mil.
6. Released by VADM D.W. Dwyer, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for
Operations, Plans, Strategy, and Warfighting Development (N3N5N7).//
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