Bump.
Just make sure that you do it prior to the Majors board. Plan on it taking two years to do. Don't wait too long planning to go resident or "get the gouge". Just bang it out. It's a stupid thing to get passed over for.
Three years later, this is more valid than ever. The Corps is...wait for it..."rightsizing" at the cyclic rate, and there is strong anecdotal evidence that some of those passed over on the recent Majors board (particularly in those MOSs that aren't really needed anymore) were passed due to not being EWS complete (emphasis on
complete...just being enrolled isn't good enough).
Remember, your package is briefed by a cross-section of MOSs. You may be the most shit-hot, uber-qualled Shitter driver, but there is a possibility that the Artillery LtCol reviewing/preparing to brief your package might not know what NSI/AFL/etc. means. All he sees is that you deployed a few times, look good in uniform, have a few personal awards, have high PFT/CFT scores, but *gasp*
you haven't completed EWS. All things being equal, your lack of PME completion...regardless of your aviation quals...is going to make it easy for him to put you in the "passed" pile and move on to the next package.
FWIW, my first OIC when I checked into my fleet squadron sat me down and told me...in a very one-way conversation...that I
shall enroll and complete EWS DEP prior to our next deployment (10 months later). While this was easier to do then that it is now, as it was the old bubble-sheet correspondence course, it was still a pain in the ass completing it while I tried to learn my aircraft, get my quals, learn my day job, learn how to be a Fleet nugget, etc. I cursed him a few times for making me do it. However, per his "request," I got it done prior to my first float, and haven't had to worry about it since. The box is checked. Now that I'm older and wiser, and understand why he did what he did, he
shall never again pay for a drink if I am around.
Marines:
Enroll and complete EWS DEP yesterday. I know, I know - you don't have time. Guess what? You'll
never have time. You'll always be working on quals, working on your day job, standing duty, doing investigations, writing awards, writing FitReps, going through workups, deploying, etc. The clock is ticking, and you're already ~2 yrs behind your peers by the time you earn your Wings. (Remember, your peers, whose "day jobs" are actually their MOSs, have had since TBS to get EWS done.) You'll be up for Major before you realize it. And, like Harrier Dude said, plan on taking
at least two years to do it. This means, based on your timing, that you may have to get it started no later than a year or two after your promotion to Captain!
Even if you don't want a full career in the Corps, be in a position to make that decision for
yourself.
Do not let the Corps make that decision for you.
