Join the Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Town Hall on MS Teams on December 10, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. EST. The town hall will cover everything you need to know about applying to JPME, including courses, advanced residency programs, and training allowance billets (TABs) for service members.
“If your intention is to be a career military officer in the Coast Guard, JPME will give you an advanced degree that is more focused on strategic military operations bolstering your career progression, as compared with what you’d get from a typical public or private institution of higher education,” said LCDR Brian Shields, who manages the service’s Command and Staff and Advanced JPME programs for the Office of Counterterrorism & Defense Operations Policy.
What is JPME?
Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) is the U.S. military's education system, designed to prepare officers, enlisted, and civilian personnel to work effectively across the joint force and interagency. It focuses on:
- building strategic thinking,
- improving coordination in joint operations, and
- connecting tactical expertise with strategic planning to execute broader national strategy.
JPME competencies can be achieved online or virtually.
Both civilians and uniformed members are eligible for varying JPME programs. Advanced education opportunities, such as residence programs that lead to master’s degrees, are available for the highest-performing O4s.
While residence courses at the War Colleges are not the only way to achieve JPME, the Coast Guard recently tripled the number of graduate TABs, making JPME more available now than traditionally expected.
Watch the video to hear from recent Command and Staff graduates about how JPME shaped their careers. And check out the JPME SharePoint site to learn more about how this program helps sharpen members’ capabilities and makes them more agile in both military and interagency environments.
Our Strategic Imperative
The Coast Guard is changing to meet the demands of today’s security challenges. With Force Design 2028 guiding the way, we will continue to defend the Homeland, protect national interests, and respond to global threats.
“The contemporary security environment continues to evolve, and that means more demand on the armed services—including the U.S. Coast Guard,” said RADM Megan Dean, Assistant Commandant for Operations Integration and Response Policy (CG-3/5R). “We, uniformed and civilian teammates, must be prepared to respond, execute, and support missions as a member of the Joint Force. Similar to any pre-mission preparation, we must ensure our workforce is properly trained to operate in that Joint environment, including with the interagency, and Allies and partners – that’s where Joint Professional Military Education comes in.”
What JPME Does for You
JPME helps you combine your tactical expertise with strategic planning. Think of JPME as a “Masters in Public Administration” for the Profession of Arms. It expands your perspective, makes you more effective in joint and interagency operations, and even opens doors for career opportunities outside the Coast Guard.
The town hall is hosted by the Office of Counterterrorism & Defense Operations Policy, which manages the Coast Guard’s JPME advanced education TAB programs.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how JPME can shape your career and prepare you to meet the demands of today’s dynamic security environment.
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