Director’s Guidance – The Career Intermission Program’s guidelines have recently been revised and updated with the release of OPNAVINST 1330.2C dated 12 March 2018. Senior MSC Officers should know of its existence as a talent management initiative and be able to discuss the potential benefits, risk and career impact with anyone who expresses a desire to participate.

Background – The Navy continues to explore talent management initiatives to ensure we are accessing and retaining the highest quality officers to ensure readiness. The CIP was piloted back in 2009 with the goal of reducing the number of quality service-members separating from Naval service for short- term personal reasons or to pursue professional or educational goals. The updated instruction delineates changes to the program, expands opportunities through the removal of the initial minimum service requirement and adds policy regarding ineligibility.

Key Messages:

• Participants are transferred from Active Duty to the In-active Ready Reserve (IRR) for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 36 months. This is a one-time per career opportunity.
• Participants and their families are still entitled to health care, commissary and exchange benefit.
• They will receive 2/30ths of their current base pay while in the IRR.
• Members must apply for CIP 12 months in advance of their PRD or “soft” end of active obligated service, whichever comes first.
• Participants are not eligible to receive any special or incentive pays or bonuses. Nor are they eligible for SGLI coverage, contributions to TSP or TA benefits.
• They will receive not observed fitreps during IRR.
• Participants are authorized PCS travel and transportation to their designated residence and to their subsequent duty station.
• Members must serve at least 12 months in IRR, but may return early.
• Some examples of non-eligible personnel: FOS’d officers, personnel in training pipeline, PFA failures within last 36 months or who don’t meet current standards, any record of legal issues within 36 months, currently deployed, limited duty status, or in receipt of PCS orders.
• Upon return to Active Duty, a service member’s date of rank (officers) or TIR (enlisted) will be adjusted 1 day forward for every day spent in the IRR (e.g, 365 days in the IRR will adjust a DOR of 1 January 2019).
• Requests will be processed as delineated in OPNAVINST 1330.2C

Talking Points:

• The Navy in general, and our Corps specifically, seeks to retain quality officers. The CIP is a talent management initiative to allow Sailors to take an intermission for personal or professional reasons.
• The Navy is tracking participation numbers in the CIP, retention numbers, and the impact of participation in the CIP as it relates to promotion statistics or leadership opportunities.
• It is a viable option for Sailors, officers and enlisted, to attain or achieve personal or professional goals without sacrificing their Naval careers.