Navy Asks Congress for More Authority to Sidestep ‘Up-or-Out’ Personnel System
This article is an interesting read about continued efforts to revise the Navy personnel system:
Navy Asks Congress for More Authority to Sidestep ‘Up-or-Out’ Personnel System
CNO/VCNO’s Updated Leadership Guidance
There have been a few recent updates from the most senior leaders of the Navy:
- Here’s an article about the CNO’s new leadership training – CNO’s New Navy Leadership Training Emphasizes Character, Ethics
- Here’s the new Navy Leader Development Framework.
- Here’s an article from the Vice CNO about raising our leadership standards – Raising Our Standards
CO/XO Application Process
All of the information needed to apply for CO/XO can be found at this link (select your e-mail CAC certificate):
https://es.med.navy.mil/bumed/m00/m00c/pages/executivemedicine.aspx
The documents you need are here:
Director of Public Health – NMC San Diego
The details of this position are here:
DPH Applicant Announcement 2018
Applications are due 23 APR 2018. Templates of CV, bio, and letter of intent can be found here.
Internal Medicine Program Director – National Capital Consortium
The details of this position are in this document:
SG Announcement Ltr for Internal Medicine Residency Program Director Search 29 March 2018
The applications are due by 30 APR. Templates of the CV, bio, and letter of intent can be found here.
Next Medical Corps Admiral Announced – Congrats to RDML(s) Darin Via
Flag Officer Announcements
Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis announced today that the president has made the following nominations:
Navy Capt. Darin K. Via has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Via is currently serving as command surgeon, U.S. Central Command, Tampa, Florida.
You Should Care About Promotion Board Precepts and Convening Orders
Whenever a promotion board starts, the members are provided two items to guide them as they decide who to promote, the board precept and the convening order. These documents are available on-line and should be used to figure out how to promote and write your fitrep.
The Board Precept
The precept is released in December and can be seen anytime afterwards. For example, if you go to the FY19 O4 Staff Corps Promotion Board page and click on the link marked with an arrow, you’ll get the board precept even though this board hasn’t started yet:
The Convening Order
The convening order for a promotion board is not released until it starts. If you monitor the board page closely, you’ll usually be able to get it within 1-2 days after the board begins. You just click the link that reads “Board Convening Order”:
Incidentally, this is how I always find out the promotion opportunity for all the boards and post it on the blog. It is in the convening order.
Why You Should Care
You should care about the precept and convening order because they tell you how to promote to the next rank. Go to this page and download them from the most recent boards of your next rank. You can see all the different boards circled in red here:
Click on the board for the next rank you’ll be competing for, and download the precept and convening order. If the board hasn’t happened yet (like the FY19 O4 board), then you’ll have to look at last year’s convening order (FY18).
Use these documents for two things. First, to figure out how to promote. For example, I deconstructed a past O6 convening order here.
Second, use them to come up with wording for your fitrep bullets, as discussed here where I showed you how to pull phrases for your block 41.
The Bottom Line
- Go to this page.
- Get the precept and convening order for your next rank. You might have to go to last year’s board for the convening order if the board hasn’t started yet.
- Use them to figure out how to get promoted and for writing your fitrep.
No More Letters of Intent Due to 6 Month Lead Time for PCS Orders
The navy released a NAVADMIN about PCS orders. In summary, it says:
- With increased orders lead time (OLT), letters of intent (LOI) are no longer as impactful and less critical for Sailors and their dependents.
- OLT is expected to remain around six months in aggregate for the foreseeable future. Sailors should receive orders with adequate time to complete the required documentation and logistical planning for both continental United States (CONUS) and overseas/remote assignments before beginning the permanent change of station (PCS) process, negating the need for the LOI.
When orders were being released less than 2 months before a PCS, officers were able to get a LOI so they could get on waiting lists for base housing or child development centers. It sounds like we won’t need those for the foreseeable future.
3rd/4th Quarter FY18 Reductions to Centrally Funded Leadership Courses
1. Navy Medicine Education, Training, and Logistics Command (NMETLC) has an unexpected $2.4 million unfunded requirement for operational training. As such, they do not expect to be able to fund any travel or per diem for courses that are centrally funded likeAdvanced Medical Department Officer Course (AMDOC) or the Tricare Financial Management Executive Program. ***This is only for the 3rd/4th Quarters of FY18***
2. For the Medical Corps (MC) specifically:
- This DOES NOT affect MC board certification related training, nor does it affect any GME related training (FTOS).
- This DOES affect CME for those medical officers in non-BSO-18 commands (70% reduction in the remaining travel funds). [a non-BSO-18 command is basically anything that is not a Navy hospital/clinic]
- For MC Officers in non-BSO-18 commands, the remaining 30% is earmarked for those who MUST have CME for licensure. Navy Medicine Professional Development Center (NMPDC) will be the final decision making authority. Of course, a given command may fund CME travel if they choose. There are limited dollars (with no clear relief on the horizon), so the priority will be given to those that truly need the CME and their command cannot fund.
3. There are no additional restrictions for normal CME related travel (i.e. travel funded by the commands or any other source).
4. Remaining FY18 classes will continue to be held for local (National Capital Area) attendees or to anyone else on a no-cost basis, if minimum class size is attained. Commands can fund their staff or members may attend while in a no-cost TAD status at their own expense. Courses primarily impacted will be:
- Advanced Medical Department Officer Course (AMDOC)
- Tricare Financial Management Executive Program (TFMEP)
BUMED hopes that this impact can be somewhat mitigated by alternate funding if available at local commands.
Section Head of Undersea Medicine, BUMED
Position: Section Head of Undersea Medicine, BUMED (M95), Falls Church, Virginia
Desired Rank: CDR (LCDR or CAPT generally will be considered)
Desired Report Date: JUL 2018
Tour Length: 3 years
If you are interested, submit your CV/BIO by 6 APR 2018 to CAPT Jeffrey McClellan (e-mail address is in the global address book)
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 