Author: Joel Schofer, MD, MBA, CPE
How to Get the FY19 Promotion Board Lineal List
There are many ways to figure out if you are going to be ineligible, below zone, in zone, or above zone for promotion during the FY19 promotion boards. The easiest way is to find your name on the lineal list, but it has too much PII to post on a blog. Here’s what you can do:
- Go to this website (pick the e-mail certificate when you log-on):
https://esportal.med.navy.mil/bumed/m00/m00c/M00C1/SitePages/Home.aspx
- The lineal list can be found under “Career Management.”
- Search for your name.
- Those in zone for promotion are highlighted in yellow.
- If you are above the yellow you are either already selected for promotion or above zone.
- If you are in the grey zone below the yellow, you are below zone.
- If you are below the grey zone, you are ineligible for promotion in FY19.
You can also just read through the Promo Prep, which contains a chart that will allow you to use your date of rank to figure out your promotion zone status.
Specialty Leader Business Meeting – Career Planner Brief
Here are the PPT slides used by the Medical Corps Career Planner at the Specialty Leader Business Meeting:
The remainder of the slides are marked “For Official Use Only” and won’t be posted.
Specialty Leader Business Meeting – MHS Genesis Update
Here are the PPT slides from the Specialty Leader Business Meeting that provided an update on MHS Genesis:
Early Separation Policy NAVADMIN Cancellations
The NAVADMIN is below and here if you want to read it, but what is the short story? The Navy is growing, and they’re not going to let you out early anymore. In other words, if you want to RETIRE (not resign) as a CDR or CAPT, you are going to have to serve your full 3 years in that rank before they’ll let you out. You can read more details in this post.
UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE R 131504Z DEC 17 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// NAVADMIN 288/17 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/DEC// SUBJ/EARLY SEPARATION POLICY NAVADMIN CANCELLATIONS// REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/081628ZMAY14// REF/B/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/171732ZAUG16// REF/C/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/23AUG06// NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 103/14, ENLISTED EARLY TRANSITION PROGRAM. REF B IS NAVADMIN 182/16, TIME-IN-GRADE AND NEXT-LOWER-GRADE WAIVERS. REF C IS MILPERSMAN 1300-500, REASSIGNMENT FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS (HUMS).// RMKS/1. References (a) and (b) are cancelled. 2. We are in a growing Navy. This requires more people, at a time when we are still working our way back to desired sea duty manning levels, and when the competition for talent is especially keen. We will certainly recruit and train many more Sailors to help meet these demands, but that will not be enough. 3. Retention of every capable Sailor will be critical to the operational readiness of the Navy. Therefore all early out programs and minimum service requirement waiver programs are cancelled. Service commitments such as enlistment contracts, service obligations for accepting promotions, bonuses, education, etc., are expected to be fulfilled. 4. Service members experiencing difficulty in fulfilling obligated service requirements are encouraged to work with their chains of command and detailers to examine available alternatives to complete their obligation, to include reassignments to other duties for humanitarian reasons, in line with reference (c). 5. It has been decades since the last period of major personnel growth in our Navy. You will see many additional policy changes in the coming weeks and months to set us on the right course. However, the most important tool we have is deckplate leadership and its ability to influence retention. The Navy is counting on each of you. 6. Released by VADM R. P. Burke, N1.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//
Multiple Alternative Billet Opportunities Available
If you’re interested in any of these, contact your Detailer or Specialty Leader:
| Position | Command | Homeport | Rank (generally +/- one rank) | Traits | Fill date | Tour length |
| Student | Naval War College | Newport, Rhode Island | CDR | JPME1 completed | Summer 2018 | One year |
| Physician researcher | Naval Medical Research Center | Silver Springs, Maryland | All ranks | Researcher qualified | Summer 2018 | Three years |
| SMO | AS 39 Emory S Land | Guam | CAPT | Primary Care Skills | Summer 2018 | Two years |
| SMO | LHD 1 WASP | Sasebo, Japan | LCDR | Primary Care Skills | Spring 2018 | Two years |
| SMO | LHD 8 MAKIN ISLAND | San Diego, California | LCDR | Primary Care Skills | Summer 2018 | Two years |
| SMO | LCC 19 B RIDGE | Yokosuka, Japan | LCDR | Primary Care Skills | Spring 2018 | Two years |
| Group Surgeon | NCG 1 | Port Hueneme, California | CAPT | Marine Corp Experience | Late Summer 2018 | Three years |
| Physician | Sec Nav Physical Exam Board | NCR | CDR | Physician | Summer 2018 | Three years |
| Executive Medicine/Surgical Detailer | Navy Personal Command | Millington (Memphis) Tennessee | CAPT | Physician | Summer 2018 | Two years |
| GP MED/MEB SURGEON | 2 MEF | Camp Lejeune | LCDR | Physician/FMF | Apr-18 | Two years |
| CATF 7 Surgeon | Fleet Surgical Team 7 | Okinawa | CDR/CAPT | Physician/Fleet Experience | Jan-18 | Two Years |
| Med Homeport Program Mgr | BUMED | NCR | CDR | Physician | Summer 2018 | Three years |
| 3rd MLG Physician | 3rd MLG | Okinawa | LCDR | FMF/Primary Care Skills | Summer 2018 | Two Years |
| Force Surgeon | Navy Reserve Forces Command | Norfolk, VA | CAPT | Physician | Summer 2018 | Three years |
URGENT Special Pays Update – Possible Overpayment in 15 DEC Pay
BUMED Special Pays office has identified some Medical Corps and Dental Corps officers who will see a big increase in their 15 Dec 2017 paycheck, that is an overpayment of Incentive Pay (IP). DFAS has been contacted and is performing audits of records to determine who may have been overpaid, and how much. Once they are identified, DFAS will be inputting debts in those member’s accounts who have been overpaid.
Over the past couple of weeks, DFAS has tried to get caught up with the back log of special pays by processing what is called MASS TRANSACTIONS. However, in processing the MASS TRANSACTIONS, DFAS used the full annual IP
rate in determining the monthly amounts of IP to be paid vice the adjusted annual IP amount for those who received an ASP or ISP under the Legacy Special Pays where those pays crossed the start date of the new IP. This will mostly impact MC, but there may be some DC officers particularly OMFS who receive ISP, and those DC officers who entered an IP prior to the expiration of their ASP agreement.
DFAS and BUMED Special Pays office are working to try and audit all the records that may have been impacted, but it is going to take time to complete. In the meantime, the EOY tax cutoff is next week, which means any
records not completed, or the overpayment not repaid by then may have an impact on their 2017 taxes, which may require a Corrected W2 to have to be prepared. BUMED Special Pays office has inquired with DFAS how this is all
going to be corrected, and requested a time line, which they are still awaiting a response.
BUMED Special Pays office is asking that anyone who believes their 15 Dec 2017 paycheck may have an overpayment, to contact their command special pays office, or email BUMED Special Pays office (usn.ncr.bumedfchva.mbx.specialpays-bumed < at > mail.mil), so they can review the member’s record and notify DFAS if the member is overpaid, in order to get it completed hopefully in time for the 2017 tax year.
Specialty Leader Business Meeting Slides – Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Brief
Over the next 1-2 weeks, I’m going to post the slides from the Specialty Leader Business Meeting that was held the day after the GME Selection Board finished. Here are the slides that talk about the new clinical communities and Chief Medical Officer role, which I strongly encourage any interested senior LCDRs or CDRs to apply for. I strongly believe that a successful CMO will make CAPT:
How to Prepare for Important Navy Interviews
A reader recently asked me for help preparing for a big interview that I had done in the past (the interview to become a Specialty Leader). We both thought that interview prep would be a good blog post, so here is my advice after 10+ interviews for significant leadership positions:
- Be prepared for an in-depth and long interview. My interview for Specialty Leader was with VADM Bono when she was a two star and the Navy Medical Corps Chief. It thought that it was going to be 15-20 minutes with a max of 30 minutes because she was (is) so busy. She talked to me for an hour and 15 minutes and it was a very, very thorough and in-depth interview. Although I got the position, I probably should have been more mentally prepared for the possibility that it could have lasted over an hour.
- Always have a reasonable understanding about the current state of the position you are interviewing for. I ensure this by talking with the incumbent for at least 15 minutes about the position. Ask how it is going, what they liked or didn’t like about it, what has gone well and what hasn’t, etc. In addition, try to meet with their immediate supervisor to ask them a few questions about the position. I try to find out what they would like out of the position in the future, what they need more of, and what their strategic priorities are.
- Make sure you’ve read all of the core strategic documents. To me, these include the Navy Medicine Commander’s Guidance (Short Version and Long Version), the DHA Director’s Priorities and Vision, and your command’s mission/vision statements. There may be others, depending on what you’re interviewing for. For example, I like this article on Value Based Healthcare.
- If given the position, always have a plan for what you want to do in the future. Ideally, your plan needs to support the strategic documents in #3 above.
- Tell the truth and be honest to yourself. In other words, don’t try to be who you think they want. Be who you are. If you’re not what they want, it is probably better if you don’t get the job anyway.
- As soon as you are done with the interview, write down the questions they asked. Then you can use these questions to prepare for future interviews. The list of questions I’ve been asked in the last few years include:
- What do you see as the role of (insert whatever position you’re interviewing for)?
- What has prepared you for this position?
- How do you see yourself in this position supporting the Surgeon General’s strategic initiatives?
- What do you see as the role of the senior enlisted leader?
- Describe your leadership style.
- How would you handle a disagreement between you and the CO?
- How do you handle it when you make a decision and someone who works for you disagrees with you?
- How would you handle the multiple priorities associated with being a director, especially as it relates to GME?
- How do you see your role on the Executive Steering Committee/Command Evaluation Board?
- What are your top 3 priorities?
- What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have they impacted you as a leader?
- How do you think you and your direct boss/supervisor will work together?
- What part of the directorate is most interesting to you?
- Why did you apply for this job?
- What are your biggest leadership challenges?
- How do you handle disagreement or conflict?
- Tell me about your leadership style.
- As soon as the results of the interview are released, no matter whether you got the position or not, always ask a few of your interviewers for feedback so you can grow professionally. They’re usually happy to give both positive and negative feedback.
Doximity Physician Compensation Report
I recently came across the Doximity 2017 Physician Compensation Report, which you might find interesting. We all get out of the Navy, it is just a question of when.
Director of Surgical Services at NH Camp Pendleton
The Director for Surgical Services (DSS) maintains overall fiscal, operational and clinical oversight for all surgical specialties at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (NHCP). Oversight includes responsibility for over 260 personnel and a $17M budget. Areas of clinical responsibility include:
- Ambulatory Procedure Unit
- Anesthesiology
- General Surgery (including Bariatric)
- Main Operating Room (including Central/Sterile Processing and Recovery Room)
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthopedics (including Podiatry)
- Otolaryngology (including Audiology and Speech Pathology)
- Pain Management
- Urology
The DSS is a core member of the NHCP Executive Steering Council requiring involvement in the governance of hospital operations, the Personnel Management Committee, the Equipment Program Review Committee and the Space Utilization Committee. Although the Director position requires full-time participation, there is an expectation that ongoing involvement in clinical activities will be maintained on a part-time basis. The position is open to Navy Medical Department officers of all Corps at the O5/O6 level with a professional surgical background. Individuals not already in the local commuting area will need to be available for a summer 2018 PCS move in anticipation of a 2-year assignment.
The preferred candidate will have the following attributes:
- A track record of broad superior performance in both clinical and leadership positions including military, civilian, and contract supervision/awareness
- Effective organizational, interpersonal, communication and collaborative skills
- Proven ability to function in operational and academic settings with the ability to support currency and academic imperatives through strategic planning
- Understanding of surgical quality initiatives and accreditation standards
- Business acumen, including fiscal stewardship and program accountability
- Superior military bearing, including no PFA failures in the past 3 years
Interested candidates should send an email to CAPT Thomas J. Nelson (e-mail address is in the global) no later than Friday, 29 December 2017 with the following attachments (templates available here):
- Letter of intent
- CV
- Bio
Interviews will be conducted in early January for assumption of the position in Early May.
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 