Throwback Thursday Classic Post – What is DOPMA and Why Should You Care?
DOPMA stands for Defense Officer Personnel Management Act. It has been the guideline for officer personnel management since December 1980. It was designed to help modernize management practices and correct problems with officer management that emerged in the post-World War II era. Its notable achievements include:
- Creating uniform promotion rates.
- Standardizing career lengths across the services.
- Regulating the number of senior officers as a proportion of the force.
- Creating reasonable and predictable expectations regarding when an officer would be eligible for promotion.
DOPMA has been criticized for creating a system with high turnover rates, frequent moves, and shorter military careers. It is often referred to as “up or out” and is the reason why LCDRs can only stay 20 years, CDRs 28 years, and CAPTs for 30 years.
In addition, the Medical and Dental Corps are “DOPMA exempt” when it comes to our promotion zones. This is why it is easy to predict when Medical Corps officers are going to be in zone. Our promotion zones are not reliant on how many senior physicians left the service.
The Nurse and Medical Service Corps are not DOPMA exempt. Their promotion zones vary from year to year depending on how many senior nurses or MSCs get out of the service.
For example, a Commander MSC friend of mine was stuck waiting for promotion to O6 until one of the CAPTs in his community retired. That would not happen to a physician or dentist because we are DOPMA exempt.
DOPMA has been under fire recently and is getting some attention toward revising it, which you can read about here:
The Defense Officer Personnel Management Act faces scrutiny in 2018
Up-or-out rules get new scrutiny from Congress
SG’s Op Order – Medical Power for Integrated Naval Superiority
Navy Medicine Shipmates,
In early November, I issued my SG’s Day One guidance and outlined how Navy Medicine will optimize to project medical power in support of Naval Superiority. I also promised that I would provide more detailed guidance on each of my priorities and the steps that we will take to build the Navy Medicine that our Nation needs to ensure that we prevail in any future fight. Attached you will find my operational order that describes the ideal end state for each of Navy Medicine’s priorities and charts the course that we will take to achieve these outcomes. I have also included a graphic version of these priorities for your reference and to help you carry the conversation to your work center. As a member of the One Navy Medicine team I am counting on your leadership, influence and personal commitment to help breathe life into these initiatives and bring them to full operating capability.
Thank you for your tireless efforts, professionalism and dedication to our Navy and Marine Corps team. I look forward to getting your feedback and seeing you on the deck plate.
-SG Sends
(Here is a link to a PAO summary of the OPORD as well.)
Post 9-11 GI Bill Policy Update
On 10 JAN 2020, the Navy released a NAVADMIN that updates the Post 9-11 GI Bill policy. What are the changes? It allows Service Members over 16 years of service to continue eligibility and transfer education benefits (TEB) to their dependents. This means that the restriction on TEB for anyone who had served 16 years that was to go into effect on 12 JAN 2020 has been lifted and will not affect your ability to transfer their education benefits.
3 Director Positions at Naval Hospital Beaufort
There are 3 director positions rotating at Naval Hospital Beaufort. Interested applicants should submit a CV, Bio, and Letter of Intent to the point of contact in each announcement below, which are available by clicking on the hyperlinks. If you are not already at NH Beaufort (or don’t already have orders to go there), you should get permission from your Detailer and Specialty Leader before applying.
Applications due by 31 JAN 2020:
- Director, Public Health – report NLT June 2020
- Director, Medical Services – report NLT June 2020
Applications due by 28 FEB 2020:
- Director, Surgical Services – report NLT June 2020
Guest Post – How to Apply for Continuation Pay Under the Blended Retirement System
By Dustin Schuett, DO
Note: The views expressed in this chapter are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the United States Government.
For those who elected into the Blended Retirement System (BRS), there is the opportunity to receive a one-time Continuation Pay bonus in exchange for 4 additional years of obligated service.
Continuation pay can in theory be taken anytime between 8 and 12 years of active service as calculated by the Pay Entry Base Date (PEBD, which can be found in block 4 of the LES labeled “PAY DATE”). The Navy (as well as the other branches) currently only allows Continuation Pay to be taken at the 12th anniversary of the member’s PEBD. Members can currently submit for Continuation pay when they are between 11.5 and 12 years from their PEBD. Essentially if you opted into the BRS and will be serving to 16 years due to pre-existing obligations or career plans/aspirations, you can take the continuation pay at 12 years. If you plan to get out of the Navy prior to serving 16 years, you should not take Continuation Pay as currently available.
The amount of the Continuation Pay can be set between 2.5 and 13 times monthly base pay for Active Duty servicemembers. The Navy (as well as the other branches) have taken the low end setting Continuation Pay bonus at 2.5x since its inception though 2020 rates have not been officially released. This bonus can be taken as a single lump sum or as 2 or 4 annual payments paying 50% or 25% per year respectively.
Understand that this means you will need to serve 4 years after receipt of the Continuation Pay. This obligation will “run concurrently with any other service obligation, unless other service obligations incurred specifically preclude concurrent obligations” per MILPERSMAN 1810-081 Section 7.
Verify that any pre-existing obligations can be served concurrent to (at the same time as) not consecutive to (following) any pre-existing obligations (ROTC, USNA, HPSP, USUHS, FTOS Training etc). I am currently carrying obligations for FTOS GME time for Fellowship training and a Retention Bonus which I am serving concurrently to my fellowship obligation as well as resident obligations. I contacted BUMED Special Pays who confirmed that my obligations do not require consecutive payback with other obligations.
I would strongly recommend anyone taking Continuation Pay to verify with BUMED Special Pays that their current obligations do not preclude a concurrent payback of obligation for Continuation Pay. Four years is a long additional commitment in exchange for only 2.5 months of base pay.
Here are the steps to obtain Continuation Pay in PDF form as well as below:.
- Go to the NSIPS website and log in.
- Select “Employee Self-Service” on the left side in the Menu box.
- Select “Blended Retirement System” under “Retirements and Separations” on the far right side.
- On the Blended Retirement System page, confirm that you are enrolled into the BRS and that the current date is between the 1st and last day eligible to elect by looking in the 2nd Box on this page.
- Select the “Continuation Pay” tab.
- Click the link for your “Continuation Pay Notification Letter” in the 3rd box from the top
- Save/print this letter for your records.
- Select “Yes, I elect Continuation Pay and agree to serve for an additional four years of obligated service from my date of eligibility”.
- Choose the Continuation Pay Payment option you desire from the listed options.
- Single Lump Sum Payment
- Two Annual Payments (50%)
- Four Annual Payments (25%)
- Click “Save” at the bottom of the page. This locks in your selection (don’t worry, you can still change the selection and opt out if you desire).
- I recommend checking to ensure everything has saved, to do this:
- Click “Home” in the top right corner of the page.
- Follow steps 2-5 above and ensure that your selections have been saved.
- Await your payment which per MILPERSMAN 1810-081 Section 8 b. will be on the 12th year anniversary of your PEBD (Pay Entry Base Date).
References:
Acting SECNAV Vector – 355 Ships
Here’s a link to the Acting SECNAV’s weekly vector that discusses the push to get to 355 ships:
MOAA: Benefits at Risk as Congress Advances Military Health System Reform Measures
Here’s a link to this article that summarizes the efforts to reform the Military Health System:
Benefits at Risk as Congress Advances Military Health System Reform Measures
Winter Uniform Newsgram
I’ve never seen this publication before, but it updates you on the latest uniform changes and clarifies a lot of NWU Type III questions:
In this edition:
- NAVADMIN 282/19
- Gold Star/Next of Kin Lapel Button
- Black Neck Gaiter Optional Wear
- Optional PRT Swimwear
- Acoustic Technician CWO Insignia
- Uniform Initiatives
- NWU Type III: Know Your Uniform
- Frequently Asked Questions
- ‘Tis the Season: Authorized Outerwear – Myth Busted: Navy-issued Safety Boots
- NWU Type III Fit Guide
- New Uniform Mandatory Wear Dates
Finance Friday Articles
Here are this week’s favorites:
10 Things Investors Can Expect in 2020
How a 28-Year-Old Used the GI Bill to Buy Multiple Rental Properties
Saving Money. How Much is Enough? The 30% Rule
Here are the rest of this week’s articles:
6 Life Laws That Will Make You Rich
7 Ways To Get Your Partner On Board Financially
8 Ways to Automate Your Finances
Are you a service member wanting to sock away $1 million for retirement? Here’s how
Episode #1: How Batching Might Save Your Personal Finances
From Residency to Real Money: Making the Transition as a Couple
How Much Money Do Doctors Make & Why It Doesn’t Matter
The Best Way for Millennials to Start Investing in Real Estate in 2020
Throwback Thursday Classic Post – What is a “Don’t Pick Me” Promotion Board Letter? Why Would You Send One?
If you go to the Navy Active Duty Officer Promotions Page, you’ll find this at the bottom:
Sample “Don’t Pick Me” Letter to the Board
Removing the introductory portion, here is what the meat of this letter says:
1. Per reference (a), please remove my record from consideration by the FY-2X Active Duty (Grade) (Competitive Category) Selection Board.
That’s it. All it says to the promotion board is, “Don’t pick me.”
Why would or should a physician send a letter requesting NOT to be considered by a promotion board? Here are a few reasons:
- You are an O4 or O5, know that you are resigning, and that you will not be joining the Reserves – If you are just paying your time back and getting out, do your fellow officer a favor and remove yourself from consideration. It is hard enough to promote to O5 and O6 nowadays. Having one less person to compete with helps out those who are willing to stick around. Yes, if you are picked and get promoted soon enough you could get some extra pay for a little while before you resign, but I’d say the general karma of letting someone else get the promotion outweighs that small financial benefit.
- You are an O4 or O5 who is retiring but you know that if selected for promotion you won’t accept it – Why would someone not accept a promotion? Because a promotion to O5 or O6 obligates you for 3 more years if you intend to retire. And the Navy still isn’t letting anyone get out early. If you want to get out as fast as possible with a 20 year retirement, taking a promotion to O6 in year 18 means you must stick around until year 21 at least.
Why is a “Don’t Pick Me” letter not applicable if you’re an O3? Because for physicians the promotion opportunity is “all fully qualified” or 100% for O4. In other words, if everyone in zone was fully qualified they could promote every physician who is a LT to LCDR. They generally don’t, but they could. You taking a promotion doesn’t really hinder someone else’s promotion like it does for O5 and O6.
So…if #1 or #2 above are applicable, consider sending a “Don’t Pick Me” letter. And remember, they are now due 10 days before a board convenes (not 24 hours like before).
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 