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You Didn’t Make CDR. Now What?
I receive questions all the time about what happens when you are passed over for promotion and are now “above-zone”. If you find yourself in this position, here is what you need to do:
- Realize that it is not the end of the world. Based on the FY 17 CDR promotion board statistics, 56% of in zone officers were passed over, but a large number of the officers selected were from the above zone group.
- If you do nothing, you will continue to get looked at by promotion boards until you retire, resign, or are forced out of the Navy. There is no limit on the number of chances you get to promote and your record will be evaluated for promotion every year. That said…
- You need to try to promote. At a minimum, you need to send a letter to the promotion board. What do you say in this letter? First, briefly state that you want to be promoted and to continue your career in the Navy. Second, explain what a promotion would allow you to do that you can’t do at your current rank. Answer the question, “Why should they promote you?” For example, if you want to be a Department Head at a large military treatment facility (MTF) or a Residency Director (or whatever you want to do), tell them that you need to be promoted to CDR to be competitive for these jobs. The Navy wants to promote leaders. Make it clear to them that you are a motivated future leader.
- Try and get letters of support to attach to your letter. These letters should be from the most senior officers who can personally attest to your value to the Navy. In other words, it is probably better to get a letter from an O6 who knows you well than a 3 star who doesn’t. If you are not sure who to ask for letters, ask those more senior to you or your Detailer for advice. Your Specialty Leader is always someone to consider if he/she knows you well and can speak to your contributions to the specialty and Navy.
- Have your record reviewed by your Detailer, Specialty Leader, other trusted senior advisor, or by me. Because of promotion board confidentiality, you will never know the reason(s) you did not promote, but most of the time experienced reviewers can come up with an educated guess. They’ll often find things that you were not even aware of, like potentially adverse fitreps, or information missing from your record. My promo prep document will help you as well.
- Do everything you can to get “early promote” or “EP” fitreps. This is largely accomplished by continually striving for positions of increased leadership. You need to get a job that has historically led to a promotion. As a LCDR who got passed over for CDR, try to get one of these jobs and excel at it (this list is not exhaustive and these positions are not the only path to CDR, but they are a good start):
- Assistant/Associate Residency Director
- Department Head at a small/medium sized MTF
- Senior Medical Officer or Medical Director
- Chair of a hospital committee
- MEC member
- Meet with your chain-of-command. After you’ve been passed over is not the time to be passive. You need to sit down with your leadership and get an honest assessment from them of how you’re doing and what they would recommend continuing to advance your career. You may not like what you hear, but it is better to find out early if they don’t think you’re doing a good job or that you are unlikely to break out on your fitreps. That way you can try and put yourself in a better situation by changing commands.
In addition to the above list of things you should do, there are a few things you should not do:
- Do not lie in your letter to the board. In other words, don’t tell them you want to do Executive Medicine if you don’t really want to. Your record reads like a book, and if it tells a story that is contrary to what your letter says, this is unlikely to help you and may hurt you.
- Do not send long correspondence. Promotion boards have to read everything sent to them, and a long letter may not be appreciated. Keep it brief and to the point.
- Do not ask your current CO to write you a letter to the board if they’ve done an observed fitrep on you. His or her opinion about you should be reflected on that fitrep, so they don’t need to write you a letter. If they’ve never given you an observed fitrep or there is some new information not reflected on prior fitreps, they could either write you a letter or give you a special fitrep. Ultimately it is up to them whether they do either of these or none.
- Do not discuss anything adverse unless you want the board to notice and discuss it. This issue comes up frequently and people will ask me for advice, but ultimately it is up to the individual officer. The one thing I can guarantee is that if you send a letter to the board and discuss something adverse, they will notice it because they will read your letter! If you think there is a chance the adverse matter will get overlooked, it is probably better not to mention it and keep your fingers crossed.
Those are my tips for those who find themselves above zone. Most importantly, if you want to promote, NEVER STOP TRYING. You can stay in as a LCDR for 20 years, and I personally know of people who got promoted their 4th look and have heard of people who succeeded on their 9th try!
You Made CDR! Now What?
If you are one of the lucky people who made CDR, I have some things for you to consider:
- The next 2-3 years of fitreps may mean very little to your overall career. First, you are soon going to be in the most competitive group in the Medical Corps, Commanders scratching and clawing to make Captain. If you are at a medium to large command, no matter what you do as a junior Commander, you are likely to get promotable on your fitreps. That is just how it works for most commands.
- This first bullet means that now is the PERFECT time to do something “alternative” (off the usual career path for a physician) or take a position that you know will get you 1/1 fitreps or be part of a very small competitive group. Go to the War College. Take a senior operational job where you’ll get a 1/1 fitrep. Become a Detailer. Apply for fellowship because the NOB fitreps won’t hurt you as a junior Commander or Commander Select. Now is the time to do these type of things. You don’t want to wait until you are a few years below zone for Captain. When you reach this stage you’ll need competitive EP fitreps.
- After you are selected for your next rank is also a great time to move/PCS. Have you ever been OCONUS? If not, now would be a great time to go. You can PCS somewhere for 2-3 years and then PCS to the command where you are going to set up shop and try to make Captain. At OCONUS commands there is more turnover of staff, so major leadership jobs like MEC President, Department Head, and director positions open up more frequently, setting you up to get a senior position when you return to CONUS.
- You may think I’m crazy, but it is time to start thinking about how you are going to make Captain. As I mentioned in the first bullet, getting a job that will make you a Captain is tough and competitive. Now is the time to do the things that will make you an excellent candidate for one of those jobs. Want to be a residency director? Maybe you should get a degree in adult or medical education. Want to be a director? Maybe you should get a management degree like a Masters in Medical Management or an MBA. Want to be a senior operational leader? Now is the time to do Joint Professional Military Education I and/or II.
- Here is a list of the jobs that I think will make you a Captain. Read the list…figure out which of these jobs you are going to use to make Captain…and get busy preparing yourself to get them:
- Residency Director
- Department Head in a large MTF
- Associate Professor at USUHS
- Director
- Officer-in-Charge
- Major committee chair
- Medical Executive Committee President
- BUMED staff
- Specialty Leader
- Deployment requiring an O-5
- Detailer
- Senior operational leader
- Division/Group/Wing Surgeon
- CATF Surgeon
- Amphib or CVN Senior Medical Officer
Optimally you’ll have the time when you are an O5 to do multiple jobs on the preceding list. For example, as an O5 I have been a Detailer, a Specialty Leader, and CO of a deployed unit. My next step is to become a director at a major MTF, and while I was a senior LCDR and CDR I obtained a Naval Postgraduate School MBA as well as achieved certification as a Certified Physician Executive to try and make myself a competitive candidate for a director position.
Congratulations on making Commander…take a deep breath…and start thinking about some of the things I mentioned in this post. Before you know it you’ll be in zone for Captain.
FY-17 Commander Select List is Out!
Here is a link to the message, which is pasted below.
UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 011500Z JUL 16
FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO ALNAV
INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
CNO WASHINGTON DC
CMC WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
ALNAV 047/16
MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/JUL//
SUBJ/FY-17 ACTIVE-DUTY NAVY COMMANDER STAFF CORPS SELECTIONS//
RMKS/1. I am pleased to announce the following Staff Corps Officers on the
active-duty list for promotion to the permanent grade of Commander.
2. This message is not authority to deliver appointments. Authority to
effect promotion will normally be issued by future NAVADMINs requiring
NAVPERS 1421/7 preparation and forwarding of document to PERS-806.
3. Frocking is not authorized for any Officer listed below until specific
authorization is received per SECNAVINST 1420.2A.
4. For proper alphabetical order read from left to right on each line. The
numbers following each name indicate the relative seniority among the
selectees within each competitive category. Members are directed to verify
their select status via BUPERS On-Line.
Medical Corps
Aban Kenric Turingan 0088 Adams Shannon P 0108
Alvarez Bryan Thomas 0079 Arnold Ryan D 0112
Bailey James Richard 0050 Belverud Shawn A 0098
Blackmer Shannon Renee 0054 Bomia Mark E 0101
Bradley Matthew J 0114 Breeden April L 0119
Brooks Daren Richard 0028 Browske Kristin Mary 0020
Burkhart Timothy Marti 0015 Burnett Jeremiah Danie 0024
Buryk Melissa Anne 0125 Carmichael Jacob Jonas 0033
Chiu Alden V 0102 Cimino Francesca M 0067
Cobb William T II 0007 Cole Peter Matthew 0081
Colmenar Derrick H 0065 Conley Sean P 0121
Deafenbaugh Bradley K 0074 Deising Adam Christoph 0110
Delarosa Kristina Mari 0086 Donaldson Chadwick J 0003
Douglas Thomas J III 0082 Erpenbach Jonathan D 0096
Fellars Todd Allen 0090 Fernandez Dominick Reo 0031
Fitzpatrick Joseph D 0006 Fortunato Michael Anth 0062
Foster David T 0019 Gaffigan Matthew Edwar 0045
Gallagher Robert Matth 0071 Galloway Terrel Lee 0046
Garcia Shawn Marie Sta 0105 Garland Joshua Paul 0078
Gates Gregory Alan 0021 Gilson James Thomas 0047
Gleeson Tifani Lowe 0026 Glenn Cavin H 0027
Gocke Ryan Thomas 0034 Gonzalez Sara C 0063
Grauerholz Maria Louis 0010 Gregory Todd Eugene 0116
Griffin Stacy S 0040 Grossgold Erik T 0072
Gustafson Corey Gerald 0012 Hammond James E 0117
Hansen Robert Brock 0030 Heckert Reed Mitchell 0076
Hegde Vijay Gopal 0009 Henry Jason Lemarr 0005
Hessert Maryjo Josephi 0104 Hoden Ingrid Elizabeth 0041
Hodges James Walter III 0051 Hoffman Roy A 0004
Hurd Edward Scott 0014 Jilinski Sherry L 0070
Joas Christopher S 0001 Johansson Melanie Dyan 0049
Kim Michael B 0056 Kotora Joseph G 0118
Kuettel Matthew A 0100 Lafreniere Justin Paul 0124
Laird John E 0123 Langton Richard Samuel 0044
Lawson Robert Daniel 0077 Leclere Lance E 0122
Lee Jessica J 0093 Lefringhouse Jason Rie 0091
Letizia Andrew Gordon 0008 Lewis Stephen Lloyd 0042
Liang James M 0038 Lin Thuy K 0099
Lizewski Rhonda Ann 0032 Lobraico Dayna T 0111
Lovern Robert E 0094 Mack Takman Eric 0066
Mcewan Gavin C 0095 Miller Nancy L 0103
Mondzelewski Lisa Mari 0011 Moon Deepti Suresh 0083
Moore Jeremy P 0052 Morris Tod A 0068
Nguyen Christopher Dac 0035 Onifer Dana John 0087
Oreilly Eamon Boyce 0039 Palmer Jason Patrick 0017
Park Sanghee D 0080 Pattison Gretchen Eliz 0055
Perry Adam D 0092 Philip Andrew I 0113
Podraza Caleb John 0029 Prudhomme Michael 0016
Puttler Krista Maren 0085 Ramey Erik L 0023
Roberts John Joseph 0025 Robles Glenda B 0097
Rogers David Mcadoo 0061 Ross Elliot Mitchell 0084
Schultheiss C Christop 0109 Self Amanda R 0058
Silvestri Peter Jason 0013 Sklar Marvin J 0107
Smiley Michael R 0060 Smith Asher O 0057
Smith Linda Colleen Du 0018 Starsiak Michael David 0043
Sterling Todd Henry 0037 Stevens Kristin Adria 0036
Taylor Bradley Michael 0048 Tintle Scott Matthew 0115
Tracey Robert W 0064 Tschanz Mark P 0106
Turner Samuel D 0002 Valentine James C Jr 0075
Velazquez Torrin Willi 0089 Waltz Robert Anthony 0069
Warkentien Tyler E 0059 Welch Scott Allen 0022
West Janet M 0053 Wilson Addison Graves Jr 0073
Yeung Eric H 0120
Dental Corps
Alston Teresita 0021 Burns Casey Jean 0007
Checchi Mitchell Roger 0006 Flannery Michael Benja 0012
Franzke Joseph Jackson 0014 Giauque Frederic 0003
Godfrey Bracken Robert 0023 Haveman Kevin Wade 0016
Hayes Jeremy D 0002 Henson Joshua Frederic 0010
Hilley Jeffrey William 0009 Jorden Monserrat 0011
Koontz Gregory Leonard 0001 Lawson Sarah Thornton 0019
Moncayo Max Paul 0018 Pasieta Scott Anthony 0004
Roldanwhitaker Angela 0022 Smith Jennifer Lynn 0015
Tinucci Raymond Faust 0005 Ton Vinh That 0024
Ward Nicole Gay 0020 Wier Kirstin Caye 0017
Ye Ling 0008 Zizak Erin Kendra 0013
Medical Service Corps
Adams Brent Neil 0033 Allen Roman G 0048
Barbara Kathryn Ann 0063 Bentley David Griffith 0056
Brown Carlis Wayne 0050 Campbell Justin Seawyn 0023
Chandler Coleman C Jr 0062 Chieves Lakesha Ann 0030
Clayton Rollin Sherwin 0006 Cline Tiffany Faye 0021
Coker Timothy Joe 0028 Dietrich Darla Marie 0043
Dietrich Erich J 0027 Engesser Brian Douglas 0040
Espinosa Benjamin John 0058 Evans John Porter 0020
Ferrell Timothy Wayne 0013 Foster Thomas Christia 0022
Frank Aaron Jack 0039 Goad Robert Dean 0015
Grimm Vincent John 0005 Hower Brian Michael 0060
Jones Thomas Christoph 0044 Kasper Matthew Robert 0057
Kee Kyle Edward 0029 Kitchens Jo Marie 0059
Kwak Stacy Leeann 0011 Long James Claude 0014
Malboeuf Susan 0054 Marcinkiewicz Matthew 0051
Marty Stephen Anthony 0024 Mccullough Darion 0046
Mcgillvery Ronnie Roge 0017 Mckendall Jared Ahmad 0061
Moss Alice Patricio 0038 Musa Kimberly Ann 0002
Olson Tatana Michelle 0041 Parsons Eric Ronald 0007
Porton Joshua Michael 0001 Pyles Jeremy Shawn 0018
Quach Linh Hoai 0037 Riggs Tinsika Isidra 0012
Schmiege Larry John 0004 Schmittschmitt Jason P 0019
Scott Tiffany Lynn 0008 Sprague Emily Jean 0034
Stacey Richard Clarke 0010 Suba Jeffrey Espanta 0016
Suftko Karen Michelle 0026 Turner Bobbie Jane 0053
Turner Stacie Lynette 0035 Veenhuis David Allen 0009
Verhulst Daren Alexand 0052 Wallinger Jennifer Chr 0003
Weimer Christy Annette 0047 Wells Wilfred Henry 0049
Wicker Arcelia 0042 Wilhite Charles Robert 0045
Williams Maya 0055 Wytzka Marjorie Ann 0025
Zywicke Emily Louise 0036
Judge Advocate General’s Corps
Burch Dylan Ted 0029 Butler Derek 0009
Connel Liam Ayers 0015 Degroot Sara Renu 0016
Flintoft Timothy Micha 0019 Flynn Jonathan Todd 0030
Grant Trevor James 0004 Hawks Justin Lee 0005
Ivey Matthew William 0022 Kagle Barbara A 0006
Kimball Christopher P 0010 Kirby James H 0003
Kirby Tracy Durbeck 0024 Lahiff Patrick L 0014
Layne Charles Michael 0017 Lucier George W 0012
Mcewen Justin 0002 Ostrom Donald R 0008
Padilla Geraldo 0011 Parker Bradley S 0013
Pierce Edward Michael 0018 Pilling Justin 0001
Quay Erin Cathleen 0020 Rosen Michele Valerie 0025
Stampfli Maryann Montg 0023 Sullivan Sean Michael 0007
Temple Chad Christophe 0027 Toohey James Michael 0028
Whittemore Luke Andrew 0021
Nurse Corps
Basford Brooke Michell 0052 Baudek Aric Vincent 0027
Baumannfreund Troy Jos 0058 Beale Brian Benstead 0031
Beale Constance 0037 Belko Vavadee Victoria 0062
Bradford Glenn Allen 0038 Caffrey Kathleen Marie 0056
Dobbins Keith G 0002 Edgar Kristin Lorraine 0053
Fuentes Neva R 0030 Goodrich David Roger 0013
Gore John Bradford 0008 Gray Jerri Marie 0012
Haffner James L Jr 0019 Hernandez Paulo M 0049
Hinds Kyle Douglas 0068 Hoyer Eric Michael 0040
Huss Frederick Lee Jr 0023 Johnson Patrielle R 0064
Kennedy Melissa Maree 0060 Kulhan Eric Jon 0036
Leate Cassandra M 0048 Litchfield Jason Shane 0032
Lumba Christina Balles 0066 Luna Catherine Anne 0014
Mccullough Tracy Miche 0054 Mcginnis Tara Norean 0022
Mcintire David John 0028 Melendez Christian Tom 0024
Miller Jennifer Lezcan 0007 Miller Merideth Lynne 0063
Mojica Susan Louise 0029 Mortimer Mary R 0009
Odea Andrew Ryan 0003 Pappalardo Carla A 0057
Pascual Remy Rojas 0050 Passons Shawn Rae 0042
Perez Holly Marie 0016 Pozniak Richard A Jr 0018
Pucha Angelica M 0033 Radford Kennett D 0045
Rahn Marddi J 0043 Raniowski Ann Marie 0044
Reilly James M 0026 Sanjuan Rodolfo Gonzal 0041
Sanluis Edgar Oliver 0015 Scheel Misty Dawn 0067
Shattuck Heather Ann 0051 Shaubell Elizabeth J 0025
Sinclair John 0011 Skeet Denita Jill 0034
Spradling James C 0021 Stewart Kathryn M Raab 0046
Stone Amy Marie 0055 Tellez Christina L 0047
Tessier James Clinton 0059 Torres Tony 0065
Tyson Craig Allen Sr 0010 Uranga Tiffany Ann 0061
Vernon Tarail 0017 Vincent Tracy Lynn 0004
Weiss Rivka Leah 0006 Weldon Edwardo Chavelo 0020
Wickersham Malissa Daw 0035
Supply Corps
Anderson Ryan Paul 0009 Augustine Michael 0042
Bannister Anthony Paul 0038 Bolarinwa Bisioye Adey 0049
Booth Christian Kindt 0004 Carroll Bradley Cannon 0040
Crowley Christin Eliza 0016 Darring Stephen Anthon 0022
Davisreid Deborah Kay 0017 Dean Rodeece Lareece 0043
Dillon Jeretta Rae 0026 Dozeman Rustin James 0047
Ellis Russell Lynden 0051 Elston Josh Andrew 0003
Evangelista Amy Alliso 0005 Fox Paul Edwin 0048
Freeman Timothy Ray 0021 French John Anthony 0032
Harrington Peter F 0006 Hasis Jason Eric 0011
Heivly Joshua Marshall 0030 Henson John Michael 0018
Henwood Andrew Emile 0044 Herbert Dana Michelle 0031
Hill Joshua Robert 0045 Jenkins Douglas Ray 0035
Jones Bari Jarrod 0019 Jones David Kent Jr 0020
Kaczur Alexander Paul 0034 Kim Frank Dong 0015
Kovack Robert George Jr 0014 Kulzy Walter W 0002
Lancaster Joshua Todd 0013 Lee Evelyn Collier 0050
Lewis Scott Joseph 0028 Luna Alvaro 0010
Malveo April Estelle 0025 Mcghie Llahn A 0027
Mckibben Allen Harley II 0023 Mcnulty Kevin Sean 0039
Mielkie Charles M III 0054 Milius Mark David 0052
Newton James Matthew 0053 Oswald Andrew James 0041
Perry James Thomas Jr 0029 Reilly Bruce Michael II 0046
Saucedo Pamela Rodrigu 0012 Sherman Frank Warren 0055
Tate Monica Renee 0036 Vetsch Daniel Joseph 0033
Wallace Larry Scott 0008 Wharton Rachele Anne 0024
Wilson Scott Albert 0037
Chaplain Corps
Bowden Jennifer Dianne 0007 Brooks Allen Keith 0024
Carter John Allen 0015 Cauble Christopher Sco 0028
Cullen David James III 0029 Fuson Jaisen Eric 0025
Giralmo Mark A 0021 Harris Ferguson Lee 0022
Hester Chris Elmer 0008 Jacobson Brian L 0030
Kane Cynthia Lynnette 0017 Kersten Jay Joseph 0014
Michaelis Kurt A 0019 Pena Alfred Victor 0011
Peugh James Murle 0010 Quinn Jeffrey 0018
Roberts Steven Leonard 0016 Rogers Mark Alan 0020
Rumery Paul Nathan 0003 Rutledge Clifford Phil 0023
Sias Leslie Kim 0006 Slater David Lloyd 0004
Solomon William Nathan 0013 Statler Thomas Jerry 0002
Stewart William M Jr 0012 Stougard Steven Earl 0005
Stroud David Aaron 0001 Thornton Garry Ross Jr 0009
Weems Matthew Steven 0031 Wiggins Arthur Lee Jr 0027
Wills Robert Bryant 0026
Civil Engineer Corps
Baer Bradley Michael 0014 Beattie John Herbert 0021
Beyer Scott N 0018 Brooks Beau 0030
Brown John Clayton 0013 Carr Michael William II 0033
Chapman Kendall Christ 0029 Contreras Richard R Jr 0009
Fahy Jason Patrick 0036 Foster Brian L 0007
Herrin John Douglas 0011 Higdon Jonathan Lewis 0035
Honek Kenneth Frank 0032 Jarosz Michael Martin 0012
Jasinski Jared Adam 0015 Kim Chris Donghyun 0031
King Debra Elayne 0027 Lockhart Jason Howard 0005
Matvay David Michael Jr 0008 Nieman Jonathan David 0024
Padhi Stephen T 0002 Perrins Adam Sheue 0003
Pocholski Richard Jose 0028 Richardson Matthew Ala 0017
Sibley Walter Charles 0010 Simodynes Kent Ryan 0034
Singleton Michael Scot 0020 Sullivan James Rueben 0019
Tolhurst Matthew Clee 0022 Turke Aaron Michael 0006
Wadsworth Robert Aveso 0001 Wainwright Benjamin V 0025
Watanabe Grant Hiromu 0004 Williams Matthew Thoma 0016
Wohead William Wesley 0023 Woods Gregory John 0026
5. Released by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy.//
BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//
Consolidated Special Pays
I recently attended a brief where we were given an update on the upcoming change in how we receive our special pays. This new plan is called “Consolidated Special Pays” or “CSP”. Many of the details of the new plan are not finalized or available yet, but here are the highlights:
- All of the different special pays we received will be consolidated into three pays:
- Incentive Pay (IP) – This will replace Variable Special Pay (VSP), Additional Special Pay (ASP), and Incentive Special Pay (ISP). Currently ASP and ISP are paid in lump sums, but the IP will be paid monthly.
- Retention Bonus (RB) – This will replace Multiyear Special Pay (MSP) but will continue to be paid as a lump sum.
- Board Certification Pay (BCP) – This will change to a flat annual total of $6K instead of varying based on how long you’ve been in the Navy. It will be paid monthly.
- The current plan, always subject to change, is for everyone to convert to the CSP in FY17. Officers under an existing agreement (such as a MSP contract) will be allowed to remain under that agreement for the duration of agreement.
- The Navy is still working out the details and the answers to detailed questions may not be available. Because of this you won’t find any details yet on the BUMED Special Pays page. Despite this, they have been briefing these changes for a while at AMDOC and in other settings, so I think it is important to get the word out even if all the details have not been worked out.
House & Senate Defense Bills – How They Could Affect You
Here is the full article from the Military Officers Association of America:
House and Senate Divide on Defense Bill
Here are the issues mentioned that would affect Navy physicians:
- For new entrants after 1 JAN 2018, and upon the first PCS after that date for those already serving, basic allowance for housing (BAH) would be calculated using the servicemember’s actual housing cost or the BAH rate, whichever is less.
- The bill proposes dividing the normal BAH rate by the number of BAH-eligible occupants, meaning dual military couples or roommates could receive a significantly smaller allowance.
- The committee also included proposals to change family leave policies. Servicemembers that are primary caregivers would receive six weeks of leave. Secondary caregivers would receive three weeks. This parental leave would be in addition to six weeks of convalescent leave allowed for a servicemember who gives birth.
- Establishing TRICARE Prime only in areas with Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs).
- Changing the name of TRICARE Standard to TRICARE Choice.
- Authorizing the treatment of veterans and civilians in MTFs as needed to maintain operational skills.
- Directing DoD to create a program to improve quality of care in MTFs.
- Promotion boards would be able to identify up to 20 percent of selectees as “top performers” to go to the top of promotion lists.
- The services will be authorized to give continuation pay to eligible servicemembers with eight to 12 years of service.
- The service secretaries will be able to designate specialties to allow officers to serve up to 40 years.
Guest Post: Supplemental Disability Insurance for Active Duty Physicians
(EDITOR’S NOTE: While we have great benefits in the military, one area where our benefits fall short is disability insurance. If we were to be disabled on active duty, our disability pay would not reflect our physician bonuses and higher income. For years I struggled to find supplemental disability insurance. I used the American Medical Association plan because they’d give me up to $2500/month of additional coverage and it was all I could find. That was until I contacted Andy Borgia at DI4MDs.com. He was able to get me the amount of coverage I needed when many, many other people couldn’t. For some reason many disability insurers don’t want to cover active duty. Below is a post from Andy about supplemental disability insurance.)
May is disability insurance awareness month and also the time of the year a number of physicians transition into new positions due to the completion of most training programs July 1st. As a result, it is an excellent time to examine protecting the most valuable asset any physician has, their ability to practice and earn an income. Whether you are a military physician with a number of years left to serve, soon to be exiting the military or currently in a residency/fellowship program, it would be prudent make certain you are adequately protected in the event you become disabled and unable to practice due to a sickness or accident. Statistics, which can be found all over the internet, including our site, indicate approximately 1 in 3 people will be disabled during their working career, which can be the cause of financial ruin. Disability insurance for physicians is universally recommended.
Being active duty military, you may think you are already adequately protected. This is far from accurate since military disability benefits only cover base pay and do not include incentive, special or bonus pay, allowances or private earned income. These extra forms of income usually provide the majority of a military physician’s pay and should and can be protected. If you are about to leave the military, the day after you are discharged, any military disability coverage will cease and you will be completely unprotected. Establishing an individual disability insurance policy can take up to 4 months, since medical records must be obtained so to be adequately protected requires advanced planning.
To make certain you and your family are protected, establish an individual disability insurance
policy. The individual policy contractual provisions should protect you in your chosen medical specialty for the entire benefit period, provide both total and partial disability benefits, allow for an increase in coverage upon completion of duty without additional medical requirements, and be noncancelable and guaranteed renewable (policy cannot be cancelled, premiums changed, coverage altered by the insurance company). Residents and fellows may be eligible for discounted polices if established prior to completion of training and should be taken advantage of.
Contact an experienced insurance agent that represents a number of companies and is familiar with contractual provisions and underwriting procedures, it does make a difference, to explore your
options. Please visit our website www.DI4MDS.com to obtain our Military Physician Disability Insurance Guide. This will provide an educational first step.
For a complementary personal disability insurance consultation please contact me directly (Andy G Borgia CLU, andyb@di4mds.com, 888-934-4637).
FY17 CAPT Board Statistics and Basic Promotion Board Math
The FY17 Staff Corps O6 promotion board basic statistics are here. I don’t have the specialty specific ones yet, but I’m sure they’ll be coming soon.
Let’s go over the basic stats for Medical Corps so that everyone understands them as they can be very confusing.
According to page 2 of the convening order, the promotion opportunity was 70%. The number of people in zone was 91. In order to find the total number of officers they could select for promotion, you take the promotion opportunity x the size of the zone:
(70% promotion opportunity) x (91 officer zone size) = 64 officers could be selected for promotion
As you see in the stats, they selected exactly 64:
- Above Zone – selected 32 of 183 or 17.5%
- In Zone – selected 31 of 91 or 34.1%
- Below Zone – selected 1 of 150 or 0.7%
As you can see, even though the promotion opportunity was 70%, the chance you got selected in zone was only 34.1% because selects came from above and below zone.
CDC-DoD Liaison Position Available
1. Job: DOD Liaison to the Centers for Disease Control 2. Fill date: Summer 2016 3. Rank: CDR and above (although if I was a LCDR I'd apply) 4. Population health background required and must be eligible for orders. The relevant documents that describe everything are here and here. Anyone interested should contact their Detailer.
What are AQDs and How Do You Get Them?
Additional Qualification Designation Codes or AQDs are 3 letter codes that:
- Identify special skills required by a billet.
- Identify a qualification awarded to an officer for serving in a specially coded billet.
In other words, they are tools used by Navy Personnel Command (PERS) to assign officers to billets.
They also serve another purpose, though, because they feed the “Special Qualifications” section in the lower left of your Officer Summary Record (OSR), which is seen by promotion boards. (This section is noted the the lower left circle on this fabricated OSR.) This is why officers try to get as many AQDs as they can. The more things are in your Special Qualifications section, the better it looks to a promotion board. (That said, I have to tell you that some officers can get a little carried away with AQDs. Get as many as you can that make sense for your specialty and career, but don’t chase AQDs because you think they’ll get you promoted. AQDs, in general, don’t get you promoted. Competitive EP fitreps do.)
The full list of AQDs can be found here, and the list of medical AQDs can be found here, but I think a very useful list to have would be a list of all the AQDs that any physician can get irrespective of their specialty. That list is below, and if you qualify for any of them you’ll have to send your Detailer the proof that you qualify in order to get them added to your record.
What’s the bottom line? To make sure you have all the AQDs you can get, you have to do 4 things:
- Review the chart below and see which general AQDs you qualify for.
- Review the AQDs for your specialty in this document.
- If you had a prior career before you became a Medical Corps officer of any kind, you’re stuck reviewing the complete list of AQDs and seeing if there are any you qualify for that weren’t covered by #1 or #2 above.
- For any AQDs you qualify for, you send your Detailer the 3 letter code, the year you qualified, and the proof that you qualify (usually scanned copies of fitreps, certificates, etc.).
| CODE | TITLE | CRITERIA TO GET IT |
| BT1 | Parachutist, Static-line Qualified | Qualified IAW MILPERSMAN 1220-030. |
| BT2 | Parachutist, Freefall Qualified | Qualified IAW MILPERSMAN 1220-030. |
| BX2 | Fleet Marine Force Warfare Officer | Qualified IAW current fleet instructions and SECNAVINST 1412.10. |
| BX3 | Expeditionary Warfare | Successfully completed at least 18 months in an operational expeditionary warfare billet within the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Force. |
| JS7 | Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase I | Successfully completed JPME Phase I from schools defined by the Joint Staff:
(a) Naval War College for classes commencing March 1989 and beyond (to include the Distance Learning, Non- Resident curriculum), OR (b) Other service colleges for classes commending August 1989 and beyond (to include the Distance Learning, Non- Resident curriculum), OR (c) Selected Foreign War Colleges, OR (d) Selected Fellowship programs. |
| JS8 | JPME Phase II | Successfully completed JPME Phase II from schools defined by the Joint Staff:
(a) Joint Forces Staff College, Joint & Combined Warfighting School, OR (b) Senior Level Service War Colleges. |
| J1M | Joint Staff Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Interservice Interagency Coalition) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| J2M | Multinational HQ Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Interservice Interagency Coalition) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| J3M | Combatant Commander Level Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Interservice Interagency Coalition) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| J4M | Fleet/Division Staff Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Interservice Interagency Coalition) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| J5M | Joint Task Force Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Interservice Interagency Coalition) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| J6M | Other Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Interservice Interagency Coalition) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| LA7 | Qualified Medical Department | Officer who has qualified as a Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer IAW OPNAVINST 1412.8. |
| U1M | Joint Staff Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Intra Service) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| U2M | Multinational HQ Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Intra Service) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| U3M | Combatant Commander Level Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Intra Service) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| U4M | Fleet/Division Staff Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Intra Service) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| U5M | Joint Task Force Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Intra Service) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| U6M | Other Medical | Successfully completed assignment to an Individual Augmentation (Intra Service) for a minimum period of 6 months. |
| 233 | White House Fellowship | Participant in White House Fellowship Program. |
| 2C1 | Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Green Belt Certified | Certified as a Green Belt per local command policy and recommended by the Commanding Officer via the local command’s Certified Black Belt/Master Black Belt. The command’s Certified Black Belt/Master Black Belt (NMSC CPI/LSS PMO for Navy Medicine Corps) will validate completion of the following requirements:
(a) Formal training (A-557-0003 or A-557-3100); AND (b) The DON approved JQR standards have been met: – Lead two LSS full DMAIC projects; OR – Lead two KAIZENs/RIEs; OR – Lead one full DMAIC project and one KAIZEN/RIE. |
| 2C2 | CPI Black Belt Certified | Certified as a Black Belt per local command policy and recommended by the Commanding Officer via the local command’s Certified Black Belt/Master Black Belt. The command’s Certified Black Belt/Master Black Belt (NMSC CPI/LSS PMO for Navy Medicine Corps) will validate completion of the following requirements:
(a) Formal training (A-557-0009 or A-557-3005); AND (b) The DON approved JQR standards have been met: – Lead two LSS full DMAIC projects and one KAIZEN/RIE; AND – Mentor two Green Belts through one full DMAIC project each or two KAIZENs/RIEs. |
| 234 | Legislative Fellowship | Successfully completed at least 9 months in a Legislative Fellow assignment. |
| 24F | SECDEF Corporate Fellow | Successfully participated in the Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows program. |
| 6AA | Aviation Medical Examiner | Medical Corps Officer from the Primary Care medical subspecialty codes who has successfully completed Aviation Medical Examiner training at the Naval Aerospace and Operational Medical Institute. |
| 6AB | General Flight Officer | Medical Corps Officer who has successfully completed a formal flight surgeon training program and is a designated Naval Flight Surgeon. |
| 6AC | Naval Aviator (Naval Flight Officer (NFO))/ Aeromedical Officer | Medical Corps Officer who is a designated Naval Flight Surgeon and NFO. |
| 6AE | Naval Aviator (Pilot)/ Aeromedical Officer | Medical Corps Officer who is a designated Naval Flight Surgeon and Naval Aviator (Pilot). |
| 6AG | Aerospace Medicine (Preventive Medicine) | Medical Corps Officer who has successfully completed:
a. formal Flight Surgeon Training program at NAMI; b. a tour as a flight surgeon; c. an approved Master’s degree program in public health; and d. an approved Aerospace Medicine residency program; or e. is eligible for the Aerospace Medicine specialty examination offered by the Board of Preventive Medicine. |
| 6FA | Marine Corps Medical Department Officer | Successfully completed a deployment of 90 or more consecutive days with the Marine Corps. |
| 6FC | Fleet Marine Force Medical Logistics | (a) Successfully completed the USMC Ground Supply Officer School, AND
(b) Holds AQD 6FA. |
| 6FD | Surface Experienced Medical Officer | (a) Successfully completed an internship with sufficient primary care training to operate within the needs and operations of the fleet, AND
(b) Has successfully completed a tour of duty with the Surface Fleet. |
| 6FE | Senior Marine Corps Staff Officer | Successfully completed a senior Marine Corps staff position.
NOTE: Brigade, Group, Wing, Division and Force Surgeons, Force Preventive Medicine Officers, and the Headquarters Director for medical programs qualify. |
| 6OB | Shipboard Assignment | Successfully completed an assignment of 90 or more consecutive days aboard a ship (other than a hospital ship). |
| 6OC | Hospital Ship Assignment | Successfully completed an assignment of 90 or more consecutive days aboard a hospital ship. |
| 6OH | Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Response | (1) Served a minimum 90 days in one or more foreign or domestic HA/DR missions and demonstrated operational competence relevant to assigned position in the following HA/DR mission elements: mission leadership and planning (operations, manpower and logistics), international diplomacy, cultural awareness, host nation centered HA/DR health care, IT, communications and administration. AND
(2) Completed two of the following: (a) Military Medical Humanitarian Assistance Course (MMHAC), (b) Combined Humanitarian Assistance Response Training (CHART), (c) Joint Humanitarian Operations Course (JHOC), (d) Joint Operations Medical Managers Course (JOMMC), (e) UM-CMCoord IMPACT Course, (f) NATO CIMIC Basic Course (NCBC), (g) Health Emergencies in Large Populations (H.E.L.P .), (h) Joint Planning Orientation Course (JPOC), (i) Joint Medical Planners Course (JMPC) , (j) Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Planner’s Course (JIMPC), (k) JTF Senior Medical Leader Seminar, (l) Asia-Pacific Orientation Course (APOC), (m) SWMI Humanitarian Assistance Course, (n) CATF Surgeons Course, (o) DMRTI Medical Stability Operations (MSO) Course, (p) Alternate course(s) deemed to have sufficient didactic content comparable with other qualifying courses by the Mission Commander, T-AH Commander, MTF Commanding Officer, CATF Surgeon, Navy Medical Mission Commander, or USMC Task Force/Group Surgeon or USMC Medical Element Commander. NOTE: Verification that member has met the above prerequisites must be provided via endorsement by the Mission Commander, T-AH Commander, MTF Commanding Officer, CATF Surgeon, Navy Medical Mission Commander, USMC Task Force/Group Surgeon, or USMC Medical Element Commander. |
| 6OR | CATF Surgeon | Any Medical Department Officer who has:
(a) Successfully completed CATF Surgeon course; OR (b) Successfully completed a tour as CATF surgeon; OR (c) Successfully completed: 1. Surface Warfare Medical Officer Indoctrination course or holds AQD 6OB or 6FA; AND 2. Medical Regulating course; AND 3. Landing Force Medical Staff Planning course; AND 4. Amphibious Indoctrination course.
|
| 6OU | Fleet Hospital Assignment | Successfully completed an assignment of 90 or more consecutive days at a deployed fleet hospital/EMF. |
| 6OW | Trauma Team Trained Officer | Completed formal Navy Trauma training at NHSH-SD (NTCC USC-LAC Hospital) or equivalent Army or Air Force course. |
| 6UD | Diver | Qualified in Saturation Diving IAW MILPERSMAN 1210-140. |
| 6UM | Submarine | Qualified in Undersea Medicine IAW MILPERSMAN 1210-130. |
| 6ZA | Instructor | Medical Department Officer awarded the academic faculty position of instructor by an accredited U.S. University consistent with the officer’s field of training. |
| 6ZB | Assistant Professor | Medical Department Officer awarded the academic faculty position of instructor by an accredited U.S. University consistent with the officer’s field of training. |
| 6ZC | Associate Professor | Medical Department Officer awarded the academic faculty position of instructor by an accredited U.S. University consistent with the officer’s field of training. |
| 6ZD | Professor | Medical Department Officer awarded the academic faculty position of instructor by an accredited U.S. University consistent with the officer’s field of training. |
| 6ZE | Medical Ethicist | Medical Department Officer who has successfully completed an officially approved program of training in Medical Ethics. |
| 6ZF | Researcher | (a) Completed an IRB approved research project fully consistent with the guidelines as promulgated by HSETC; AND (b) Met the rigorous guidelines of their medical community for publication in a Peer-reviewed journal. |
| 6ZG | Residency Program Director | Medical Department Officer who has met all the established criteria of the certifying agencies (i.e., Residency Review Committees for conducting an accredited training program for officers in training). |
| 62D | Faculty Development | (a) Completed an ACGME approved residency, AND (b) Completed an accredited advanced residency in Faculty Development. |
| 62L | Clinical Epidemiology | Established competence in biostatistics, epidemiology, and informatics. Preferably, a Masters in Public Health degree or comparable training/experience. |
| 67A | Executive Medicine | Met all the competencies of the Joint Medical Executive Skills Program (JMESDP). |
| 67B | Expeditionary Medicine | Completed the Expeditionary Medicine core operational training courses. |
| 67H | Ambulatory Care Administration (ACA) Officer | A master’s degree and has successfully completed: (a) 18 months in an ACA officer related position; OR (b) 12 months in an ACA officer related position provided master’s degree obtained in concentration in ACA. |
| 68H | Health Promotion Coordinator | Completed the Navy Environmental Health Center Health Promotion Director Course and one year experience as a coordinator. |
| 68I | Health Care Management | Completed a Masters of Science in Health Care Management. |
| 68J | Public Health Emergency Officer (PHEO) | (a) Completed an MPH degree or 4 years of public health experience as outlined by BUMEDINST 6200.17A;
AND(b) Successfully completed the following distance learning courses:- FEMA IS-100.A, Introduction to Incident Command System
– FEMA IS-200.A, Incident Command System for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents – FEMA IS-700.A, National Incident Management System, An Introduction – FEMA IS-800.B, National Response Framework, An Introduction; OR (c) Completed the Defense Medical Training Institute tri-service PHEO training course. AND (d) Successfully performed as a PHEO for 12 months. NOTE: Per BUMEDINST 6200.17A, PHEOs must be clinicians, as defined as officers who can diagnose, treat, and prescribe treatment for illness and injury. |
| 68K | Alternate Public Health Emergency Officer (APHEO) | (a) Completed an MPH degree or 4 years of public health experience as outlined by BUMEDINST 6200.17A;
AND(b) Successfully complete the following distance learning courses:- FEMA IS-100.A, Introduction to Incident Command System
– FEMA IS-200.A, Incident Command System for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents – FEMA IS-700.A, National Incident Management System, An Introduction – FEMA IS-800.B, National Response Framework, An Introduction; OR (c) Completed the Defense Medical Training Institute tri-service PHEO training course. AND (d) Successfully performed as an APHEO for 12 months. |
| 68L | Clinical Informatics | (1) Completed the corps appropriate certification exam or fellowship, OR
(2) Completed a certificate program or graduate degree in Informatics, or the AMIA 10X10, OR (3) Worked >50% of their time in informatics for at least 12 months. |
FY17 O5 Promotion Opportunity Decreased to 65% for Medical Corps
The FY17 O5 Staff Corps Promotion Board just concluded. Here is the convening order and here is the board membership.
Of note, all CDR hopefuls should read the convening order because that is the document that explains what the board was looking for when selecting people for CDR. The language is very similar to the O6 convening order that I already broke down in detail in this post, so I won’t do that again. The major takeaway is that the promotion opportunity was down to 65%. Here is the historical trend taken from Joel Schofer’s Promo Prep:
| FY08 | FY09 | FY10 | FY11 | FY12 | FY13 | FY14 | FY15 | FY16 | FY17 | |
| LCDR | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
| CDR | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 70% | 70% | 65% |
| CAPT | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 50% | 70% |
Promotion opportunity. This percentage is multiplied by the zone size to give the number of officers to be selected for promotion. For example, if the promotion opportunity is 60% and there are 100 officers in-zone, then 60 will be selected for promotion. This 60, however, may come from officers who are below-zone, in-zone, or above-zone. For example, maybe 50 of the 60 are in-zone, and 10 are above-zone. That is why the percentage of people in-zone who are selected for promotion is always lower than the promotion opportunity. See below…
| FY08 | FY09 | FY10 | FY11 | FY12 | FY13 | FY14 | FY15 | FY16 | FY17 | |
| LCDR | Average of 94% (best data I could find) | 97% | 89% | 90% | 93% | |||||
| CDR | Average of 62% (best data I could find) | 58% | 66% | 49% | 53% | |||||
| CAPT | Average of 60% (best data I could find) | 55% | 43% | 47% | 39% | |||||
Actual percentage of in-zone candidates selected for promotion.
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 