This Job Will Probably Make You a Captain
Whenever a position is advertised a second time, that usually means there is little qualified interest in the position. I’m not saying everyone would like this job or be good at it, but this position has been advertised a second time by BUMED:
BUMED Policy and Practice Officer
It is great prep for anyone looking to do Executive Medicine and is a high-level position at BUMED, which has historically led to promotion to O6. If you’re an O5, I’d look at this position and consider applying.
End-of-the-Month Financial Post Summary
Here is the summary of my financial writings this month:
Another Simple Way to Get Rich in the Military – Become a Super Saver
Blended Retirement System Opt-In Period Now Open
Federal Student Loan Benefits for Military Members
File Taxes for Free with MilTax
How to Easily Figure Out the Dollar Value of Staying In vs Getting Out of the Military
Opting into the Blended Retirement System Video
The Blended Retirement System Lump Sum – Probably Not a Good Idea
The Easiest Way to Figure Out Your Optimal TSP Investment Plan
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
10 Years of O5 and O6 Promotion Rates by Specialty
The Non-Surgical Detailer and I are working on a research project to take a deep dive on how all the various career factors affect the ability of physicians to promote. One of the first products of our preliminary research is a spreadsheet that shows 10 years of promotion rates to O5 and O6 by specialty. I’m sure the MCCareer.org audience would enjoy checking it out, so here it is:
CAPT and CDR (2100) Selection Rate by Specialty
There are multiple tabs, one for each fiscal year as well as the first tab, which is an overview.
FY18 Special Pay NAVADMIN Released
The FY18 NAVADMIN has been released, and the NAVADMIN and the FY18 Pay Guidance for each Corps is attached here:
Medical Corps Special Pay Guidance
Officers can now submit for special pays through your command’s Special Pay coordinator with an effective date of 1 Oct 2017, until now, if they meet the eligibility requirements. Remember the request and endorsement cannot be dated earlier than the release date of the NAVADMIN, which is 25 Jan 2018.
Call for Navy and Marine Corps Attendance at the 21st Century Battlefield Medical Care Symposium
UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE R 241240Z JAN 18 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//DNS// BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 011/18 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N093// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS// SUBJ/CALL FOR NAVY AND MARINE CORPS ATTENDANCE AT THE 21ST CENTURY BATTLEFIELD MEDICAL CARE SYMPOSIUM// POC/LCDR KATHLEEN DAGHER/BUMED/M9/DSN: 761-1648/TEL: (703) 681-1648/ EMAIL: KATHLEEN.R.DAGHER.MIL(AT)MAIL.MIL// RMKS/1. On 14 - 15 February 2018, the Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics, the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps, and the Surgeon General of the United States Navy will host the 21st Century Battlefield Medical Care Symposium at the Gray Research Center in Quantico, VA. This event will review lessons learned in Navy and Joint Medicine from Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and explore promising new ideas and technology to improve the treatment and movement of casualties in a future distributed operational environment and extend the Golden Hour. 2. Day one of the event will feature military and civilian speakers, as well as panels, discussing battlefield medicine lessons learned from recent operations. There will be representation from across the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Government with experts including providers, logisticians, planners, corpsmen, and medics. Day two will focus on emerging medical technology and patient care. A range of panels and presentations will provide a view into the future of medicine. Speakers will include renowned futurists, ground-breaking and innovative physicians, as well as medical providers from a variety of fields. 3. Anticipated attendees include Naval, DoD, and other Service medical professionals, industry representatives, civilian medical professionals, and academics. There will be a range of emerging technology displays throughout the two days of the symposium to highlight and explain innovative approaches to medicine and technology as applied to future battlefield care. 4. Marines and Sailors in commands and specialties where battlefield medical care is a critical consideration in their mission are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the future of battlefield medical care in the 21st century by attending the symposium. 5. Additional information including registration details can be found at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/21st-century-battlefield-medical-care-symposium-registration-40159611479?aff=eac2 6. Released by Vice Admiral K. M. Donegan, Director Navy Staff.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//
Navy Legislative Fellowship Call for Applications – O3-O5
Here you go…
UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 221506Z JAN 18
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 010/18
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JAN//
SUBJ/2019 NAVY LEGISLATIVE FELLOWSHIP CALL FOR APPLICATIONS//
REF/A/DOC/BUPERS/12NOV10//
AMPN/REF A IS BUPERSINST 1560.21F, LEGISLATIVE FELLOWS PROGRAM.//
RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN solicits applications for the 2019 Navy Legislative
Fellows Program. The Legislative Fellows Program allows naval officers,
senior enlisted and Department of the Navy civilians to broaden their
understanding of the legislative process and the operation of the U.S.
Congress through a year-long full-time assignment to the office of a member
of the House of Representatives or the Senate. The Legislative Fellows
Program also enhances the ability of the Navy to fulfill its role in the
national policy development process.
2. This is a highly competitive program. Records must reflect sustained
superior performance and potential for future assignments in critical
billets. Upon completion of the program, officers earn an additional
legislative qualification designator. Additionally, there is an opportunity
to earn a legislative studies certificate through a sponsoring agency.
3. Military Applicants. Participation is open to all Active Duty and Full-
Time Support unrestricted line officers, restricted line officers, and staff
corps officers in the permanent grades of O-3 through O-5. Enlisted
participation is open to all Navy occupational specialty codes in the
permanent grades of E-7 through E-9. The selection process will focus on
individual performance, promotion potential, academic and subspecialty
qualifications, needs of the Navy and availability for follow-on assignment.
Officers with permanent change of station orders already issued will not be
considered.
a. Applicants must be available for permanent change of station
assignment to Washington, DC, from November 2018 through December 2019.
During the fellowship, officers and senior enlisted Sailors will be assigned
to the Office of Legislative Affairs for administrative purposes. Upon
execution of orders, fellows agree to serve for 3 years following completion
or termination of the fellowship. A follow-on utilization tour in
legislative affairs is preferred (making career timing an important
consideration), but depends on community-specific billet requirements, needed
officer progression and availability of legislative assignments. All officer
applicants must contact their detailers for counseling on the career impact
of participation in the Legislative Fellowship Program.
b. Submit applications via email to the Office of Legislative Affairs
point of contact no later than 31 March 2018. Program information and
submission guidance is available on the Navy Legislative Affairs website at
http://www.navy.mil/local/ola/legislative_fellowship1.asp.
c. Points of contact are CDR Danielle Wooten, Navy Fellows
Program Manager, who can be reached at (703) 697-2885/DSN 227 or via e-mail
at danielle.wooten(at)navy.mil, LCDR Ian Lopez, Graduate Education Placement,
PERS-440, who can be reached at (901) 874-4056/DSN 882 or via email at
ian.lopez(at)navy.mil or LCDR Kevin Yost who can be reached at (901) 874-
3996/DSN 882 or via e-mail at kevin.yost1(at)navy.mil.
4. Civilian Applicants. Senior civilian employees, GM/GS-13 and above or
equivalent, interested in the Legislative Fellowship Program must contact
their local civilian training officer for information on submission of
applications for the 2019 program. Parent commands are responsible for all
program costs. Questions concerning Department of the Navy civilian
participation should be directed to Ms. Janet Evans who can be reached at
(202) 685-6493/DSN 325 or via e-mail at janet.m.evans(at)navy.mil. A
description of the program can be found at
https://portal.secnav.navy.mil/orgs/MRA/DONHR/Training/Pages/CHFP.aspx.
5. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled,
whichever occurs first.
6. Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.//
BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//
Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy
Here’s a PDF of the recently released strategic document:
Summary of the 2018 National Defense Strategy: Sharpening the American Military’s Competitive Edge
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 