To train and evaluate Marines in individual events according to training and readiness manual standards for the operation and maintenance of Marine Corps communications systems in order to enable Marine Commanders the ability to command and control across the full range of military operations.

History:  The Communications Officer School was formally established during the height of World War II on 1 June 1944, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel C. Nelson.  At that time, a 20-week Communications Officer Course, which provided instruction on the newest communications techniques, procedures, and equipment, was designed to help standardize communications planning and employment throughout the Marine Corps based on lessons learned acquired through nearly three years of war.  The first class, which was the forerunner to the Advanced Communications Officer Course, graduated in October 1944.

In February 1954, ground was broken for a new, $300,000 building on the edge of the Potomac in Quantico. The building was dedicated on 12 December 1955 and named "Edson Hall" in honor of Major General Merritt A. Edson, the World War II Marine hero, leader of the famed "Edson's Raiders," and a vocal proponent of the criticality of communications in combat.

The first Communication Officers Orientation Course was convened in April 1955. The four-week course was designed to give recent Basic School graduates a background in communications prior to reporting to the Fleet Marine Forces. That course has evolved into the current Basic Communications Officer Course (BCOC), a 21-week course designed to provide initial communications skills training to company grade officers. The course stresses hands-on equipment training combined with realistic field exercises.

In 1973, the school's advanced course lengthened to 41 weeks and additional emphasis was placed on amphibious command and control techniques. In 1989, the course became the Command and Control Systems Course (CCSC) and addressed technological advances in C2 systems used by commanders. Expeditionary Warfare School was created in 2002, combining elements of Marine Corps career-level PME curricula (the Amphibious Warfare School and CCSC), resulting in Communications School refocusing its career-level instruction with the creation of an advanced course designed to train communications planning at the MSC level. That course is now the ten-week Advanced Communications Officer Course (ACOC), designed for captains and majors. February 2002 also saw the creation of three nine-week courses for qualification of Warrant Officers in the planning, design, engineering and employment of transmission systems, tactical switching, and data networks.

Communications School continues to provide quality instruction at both the basic and advanced levels to selected Marine Corps communications officers, as well as officers from other services and nations. Many graduates of this school have achieved success in a wide variety of endeavors, including U.S. Senator John Warner (R-Va.) and General Alfred M. Gray (ret), 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps.

During 2014 Communication School was relocated to Twentynine Palms California under Marine Corps Communication Electronics School.

On 12 Mar 2015 Communication Training Battalion was formally activated in compliance with MCBul 5400 dtd 18Dec14.

Mailing Address

Commanding Officer
Communication Training Battalion, MCCES
Training Command
Box 788251
Twentynine Palms, CA 92278-8251

Phone

Commanding Officer    
COM: (760) 830-1635

Executive Officer     
COM: (760) 830-1637

Senior Enlisted Advisor     
COM: (760) 830-6156

Operations Officer     
COM: (760) 830-1852

Communications Chief         
COM: (760) 830-1853

Operations Chief     
COM: (760) 830-1269

Contact Us

Commanding Officer     
COM: (760) 830-8657

Executive Officer     
COM: (760) 830-6476

Senior Enlisted Advisor     
COM: (760) 830-8269

Operations Officer     
COM: (760) 830-6476

Advanced Communications Training Section OIC     
COM: (760) 830-8901

Telephone Training Officer     
COM: (760) 830-8659

Technical Control Chief     
COM: (760) 830-8265

TCP&E Training Officer     
COM: (760) 830-8665

Network Operations / Systems Officer     
COM: (760) 830-8901

Communications Chief Course SNCOIC     
COM: (760) 401-3160

Course Coordinator     
COM: (760) 830-6863

Mission

The mission of the Warfighter Support Branch is to advance knowledge and enhance MCCES training efforts by developing blended distributed learning environments and outreach programs to better-fit the operational demands of Marines in the tactical air and ground communication and ground electronic maintenance occupational fields.

Contact Us

Director     
COM: (760) 830-4304

SNCOIC     
COM: (760) 830-1269

CTC-1 Mission

To plan, coordinate, execute and supervise communication systems training in the regional area of I Marine Expeditionary Force. This includes formal and informal training, contracted training, vendor training, and New Equipment Training (NET).

To design, develop, conduct, and evaluate training and education for Marine Corps personnel related to communication systems.

To conduct prescribed training and certification of Marines as Information Assurance (IA) professionals in accordance with DOD 8570.1.

To participate in the review and development of doctrinal publications

CTC-1 Contact Information

Regional Director
COM: (760) 763-7030

Deputy Regional Director
COM: (760) 763-7898

SNCOIC
COM: (760) 763-7029

CTC-2 Mission

To plan, coordinate, execute and supervise communication systems training in the regional area of I Marine Expeditionary Force. This includes formal and informal training, contracted training, vendor training, and New Equipment Training (NET).

To design, develop, conduct, and evaluate training and education for Marine Corps personnel related to communication systems.

To conduct prescribed training and certification of Marines as Information Assurance (IA) professionals in accordance with DOD 8570.1.

To participate in the review and development of doctrinal publications

CTC-2 Contact Information

Director     
COM: (910) 451-2887

Deputy Director     
COM: (910) 451-2878

Senior Enlisted Advisor
COM: (910) 449-9271

CTC-3 Mission

Communication Training Center-3 trains Marines assigned within the United States Pacific Command Area of Responsibility on 2000 level core-plus tactical communication and ground electronics maintenance training and readiness events through formal programs of instruction in order to ensure commanders at all levels have the capability to exert command and control throughout the operational environment.

CTC-3 Contact Information

Director     
COM: +81 (098) 969-1052     
DSN: (315) 623-1052

Deputy Director     
COM: +81 (098) 969-1051     
DSN: (315) 623-1051

Senior Enlisted Advisor     
COM +81 (098) 969-1053     
DSN: (315) 623-1053