The Maritime Staff Operators Course (MSOC) prepares officers and senior enlisted personnel to effectively serve in operational staff assignments in Maritime Operations Centers (MOC), or represent maritime planning efforts while serving in other Service/Joint/Combined liaison billets. Officers receive an AQD upon completing the course and enlisted personnel (E-7 and above) receive an NEC (9596).

MSOC familiarizes students with operational and naval theory, concepts, doctrine, organizations, capabilities, responsibilities, functions, planning and execution processes techniques and practices. The course will better enable you to assume the duties as a staff member in a Numbered Fleet- Maritime Operations Center (MOC) staff. When designated by higher headquarters, the Numbered Fleet Commander may also act as a Joint Force Maritime Component Commander (JFMCC), a Naval Component Commander (NCC) or as a Joint Task Force Commander. The Commanders exercise a particular span of command and control over assigned maritime, joint and coalition forces, responsible for the planning and execution of operations focused at the operational and high tactical level of war. These organizations have a significant role in the execution of National Strategy for Maritime Security.

The course is designed to prepare officers and senior enlisted personnel to effectively serve on operational staffs. The curriculum material uses existing Joint, Service doctrine and developing concepts as primary references and is presented by experienced uniformed and civilian Naval War College faculty, with significant active duty Navy and Marine Corps experience including successful command, staff/planning experience and Joint Qualifications.

MSOC is for staff officers to gain an understanding of the Navy Planning process, joint/Service doctrine, concepts, organizations, functions, roles, responsibilities of the joint and MOC staffs, to enable you to effectively support the commander’s decision cycle, in both planning and execution of joint/coalition/multinational operations. The course builds on fundamentals and culminates with practical planning and execution application using a complex, fictitious case study, including a 4 1/2 day Battle Lab experience.