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Navy Publishes Leaders’ Handbook for COVID Guidance
WASHINGTON (NNS) — Navy leadership published a COVID-19 Leaders’ Handbook containing current Navy guidance on COVID mitigation measures and procedures 30 June as a reference for leaders throughout the fleet.
The handbook will act as a quick guide for leaders both ashore and at sea to educate their teams on the threat COVID poses to the Navy and give them key information on prevention and mitigation procedures.
As new information and research about the coronavirus comes available, the Navy updates and publishes guiding documents to inform and assist the fleets in their decision making processes. This handbook distills and collates key high-level guidance into one place to more easily allow leaders to make informed decisions and thrive within the COVID-19 environment.
The handbook will assist commands in the completion of their missions both at sea and ashore as they become accustomed to the “new normal” of operating in a COVID-19 environment. Guidelines require commands to establish and maintain COVID-free bubbles, adhere to the established prevention protocols, and be ready to fight through COVID outbreaks while continuing to provide mission assurance.
The handbook includes information on how COVID spreads, and promotes Public Health Mitigation Measures like self-monitoring and reporting, physical distancing, washing hands frequently, and wearing masks to prevent the spread of the disease that have been proven as effective tools in fighting the virus.
The handbook also covers protocols for containment in the event that there is an outbreak in addition to outlining the process of conducting methodical contact tracing to identify service members who may have been in close proximity to a COVID-positive Sailor.
“The handbook is designed to provide Leaders at all levels with a common understanding of the latest science, show them that current USN guidance is grounded in that science, provide them tools to prevent, and when necessary, contain COVID-19.” said Rear Adm. Will Pennington, Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations and Plans.
Newly established sentinel surveillance testing protocols are also outlined as a key resource for unit commanders to potentially identify asymptomatic COVID-positive individuals. The handbook stressed that scientific data informs operational guidance and frequent updates will be made.
“This handbook reinforces how individual responsibility and simple public health mitigation measures are critical to protecting the team, and is written to allow young leaders to distill and then disseminate the most pertinent guidance so we can successfully operate through this pandemic,” explained Rear Adm. Karl Thomas, Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy.
The Navy will continue to protect the health of the force and proactively fight complacency within the ranks. The Navy is prepared to fight and overcome the challenge of operating in a COVID-19 environment while delivering decisive sea power on, above, and under the sea.
To view and download the US Navy COVID-19 Leaders’ Handbook click here https://allhands.navy.mil/The-Way-Forward/US-Navy-COVID-19-Leaders-Handbook
BUMED GME Note Delayed
As with many other things this year, COVID has impacted the timing of the release of the BUMEDNOTE 1524 – 2020 Joint Service GME Selection Board Application Procedures. We realize many in the Medical Corps are looking forward to its publication and we will get it distributed as soon as possible. We apologize for the delay and will get it out ASAP.
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Navy Expands Government Travel Card Use for PCS Moves
MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) — Sailors are now authorized to use the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) for permanent change of station (PCS) moves. This announcement comes in advance of the conditions based restart to the PCS move process, and provides a proven and reliable option to Sailors to support their financial travel needs during a PCS move.
“Over the past year, the Navy has piloted the use of the GTCC for PCS travel expenses and the feedback we have received and our assessment give us confidence that this provides a great option for Sailors during the PCS move process,” said Capt. Chris Harris, Navy Personnel Command (NPC) Assignment, Leave and Travel business design owner.
“The ease of use combined with our new GTCC PCS Support Cell for immediate support during a PCS move really gives our Sailors a great resource to make the moving experience better.”
NAVADMIN 176/20 announced the final rollout of GTCC use for PCS travel and expands the program so that active-duty Sailors moving within or outside the continental U.S. can use the GTCC for PCS-related travel expenses in lieu of a traditional travel advance for PCS moves.
To provide enhanced customer support, NPC has established a GTCC PCS Support Cell within the MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) Contact Center to assist Sailors who have questions or are experiencing difficulties using their GTCC during PCS. This cell builds on the previous MNCC success with the Command Pay and Personal Administrator (CPPA) Pro-to-Pro cell stood up last year to provide direct support to CPPAs.
This cell is easily reached through the MNCC Contact Center and is staffed with subject matter experts including CPPAs and GTCC Agency Program Coordinators (APC) to quickly solve problems Sailors might experience while using their GTCC for PCS purposes after detaching from their previous command.
Additionally, Sailors in extremis can contact Citibank directly (number on the back of the card) for help requesting a temporary credit limit increase for up to five days under their “No Strand” policy.
Adding to the MNCC vast arsenal of tools to help Sailors, these GTCC PCS Support Cell agents are able to provide services such as placing a Sailor into a mission critical status during a PCS move in the event there is an issue. Upon normal check-out, APCs at the losing command should place cards in a mission critical status before the Sailor departs.
GTCC holders who elect not to use the card prior to travel may still activate it during the PCS process. The GTCC PCS Support Cell can be contacted by calling the 24/7 MNCC call center regarding issues related to the GTCC at 1-833-330-MNCC (1-833-330-6622) or by email at askmncc@navy.mil. Sailors will then be directed to a GTCC PCS Support Cell agent.
The option to use the GTCC for PCS travel is for active duty Sailors. Expenses covered include Temporary Lodging Expenses or Temporary Lodging Allowance at the old or new permanent duty station, fuel for a privately owned vehicle when authorized as the mode of transportation, rental cars and fuel (if authorized), lodging and meals in route, dislocation allowance expenses normally used to establish a household, and ATM withdrawals.
The use of the GTCC cannot be combined with a travel advance, used for personally procured moves (formerly known as do-it-yourself or DITY moves), used for commercial airfare for PCS travel (all commercial airfare for PCS travel will continue to be booked through the Navy Passenger Transportation Office), used for personal travel arrangements during leave in conjunction with orders, or used for medical expenses.
The GTCC option for PCS is another service provided by the MyNavy HR team to modernize the pay and personnel process and improve the customer experience for Sailors and their families. It adds to the number of recently released products to support Sailors during a PCS move that include numerous offerings available via the MyPCS Mobile web enabled site.
On MyPCS Mobile you can view a streamlined, plain language set of orders, complete an interactive PCS checklist tailored to your move plan, use a PCS Entitlements Calculator, and complete an easy to use electronic travel claim. MyPCS Mobile can be downloaded from the Navy App Locker at https://www.applocker.navy.mil.
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