O5 Promotion Opportunity Up to 75%!
Here is the convening order, where you’ll see that the promotion opportunity is 75% (up from 65% last year):
Here are the members of the board:
Navy Ends Online GMT Requirements
From Chief of Naval Personnel
WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy announced Monday that effective immediately, Sailors will no longer be required to log onto Navy Knowledge Online, Navy eLearning or My Navy Portal to complete General Military Training (GMT) for any topic except Cybersecurity as outlined in NAVADMIN 072/17.
Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke said that during Fleet visits he often hears Sailors say online training is ineffective and impersonal. This effort, he said, is aimed at improving leader engagement opportunity, reducing administrative distractions and addressing Sailor’s frustration with current online training products.
“I want Sailors to know we’ve heard them,” Burke said. “This is about restoring an important leader engagement opportunity – an opportunity to talk about integrity, accountability and character, something today’s online products are missing. There is no doubt this approach will yield an even greater competitive edge for the Navy.”
While there are still annual GMT requirements, individual commands now have the flexibility to complete required training when and how they see fit. Existing training materials will remain on Navy eLearning and My Navy Portal, providing an outline for commands to use.
To maximize training effectiveness, units should look to conduct GMT in small groups, which will allow leaders to engage Sailors with meaningful discussion and focus on character, as part of the Navy’s continuing Fleet-centered leader development.
Going forward, the Navy plans to overhaul GMT and other on-line eLearning products to make them more engaging and personalized, but not at the expense of leadership engagement, Burke said.
While Suicide Awareness, Equal Opportunity and Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response training may require a more formal setting, and may benefit from supplementation by existing seminar discussion material available from “Chart the Course” or “Full Speed Ahead” training, other topics such as Records Management, Operations Security, and Privacy and PII, can be conducted at quarters, all-hands calls, divisional training using existing learning objectives and material to elicit discussion to the point that the leader is satisfied that the learning objectives are understood.
While there is no requirement to document the completion of GMT in the Navy eLearning Learning Management System, Commands are encouraged to keep local records. The Cyber Awareness Challenge V4 (DOD-IAA-V14.0) can be found on Navy Knowledge Online, Navy eLearning or My Navy Portal.
To learn more, please view NAVADMIN 072/17.
For more news from Chief of Naval Personnel, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cnp/.
Transition from NKO to My Navy Portal on 14 APR 2017
Navy Knowledge On-Line is being retired 14 APR 2017 and the Navy is transitioning to My Navy Portal:
Here’s a Powerpoint that shows you the transition visually:
USAA Launches New Online Calculator to Assist with Changes from DoD’s New Blended Retirement System
Here is a link to an article about this tool:
USAA Launches New Online Calculator to Assist with Changes from DoD’s New Blended Retirement System
Here is a direct link to the tool:
Global Health Specialist Program
BUMED recently put out BUMED INSTRUCTION 6000.17 – Global Health Specialist Program. It explains the Global Health Specialist Program, details which billets/jobs are in the program, and how to get the new AQD.
If you need a refresher on how to get an AQD, read What are AQDs and How Do You Get Them?
Director of Surgical Services, Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune – O5/O6
The Commanding Officer, Naval Hospital, Camp Lejeune, is seeking applicants for the position of Director of Surgical Services. The successful candidate will be a senior O-5 or O-6 in the Medical Corps, Nurse Corps, or Medical Service Corps. He or she will be an articulate, intelligent and team-oriented individual with MTF leadership experience ready to lead the Directorate and serve on the Board of Directors by 15 June 2017. The position requires a visionary who is skilled at the balance of keeping the directorate aligned with the Commanding Officer’s guidance while simultaneously managing civilian, contract and active duty personnel, multiple surgical departments, the main operating room, sterile processing department, a robust obstetric service, several training programs, while sustaining national accreditation and certifications.
The Director of Surgical Services is a full time position. However, there is opportunity and it is strongly encouraged to continue using one’s clinical skill set on a part-time basis.
The Directorate leadership consists of the Director, the Deputy Director, a junior officer Business Manager, and a Senior Enlisted Leader.
The position is open to officers of all Corps at the O-5/O-6 level. Individuals not already resident in the Camp Lejeune area will need to be available for a May or June 2017 PCS move, in anticipation of a full three year assignment.
The preferred candidate will have the following attributes:
- A track record of proven performance in MTF and operational leadership positions, including military, civilian, and contract oversight
- Significant organizational, interpersonal, communicative, and collaborative skills
- Proven record in program oversight and management, including fiscal stewardship and accountability
- Superior military bearing.
Candidates should be available for interviews (in person or VTC) in mid April 2016. Interested candidates should check this position description for instructions to be considered:
How to Resign Worry Free
Recently Navy Personnel Command (PERS) has started enforcing some policies that had largely been ignored, and I’ve heard a few horror stories from people trying to resign from the Navy. With that in mind, here is how you can resign without encountering problems. Assuming that you’ve already decided to resign, here are the steps you need to take to make sure the ride is not a bumpy one.
STEP 1 – Confirm Your Obligated Service Date
There’s nothing like thinking you are eligible to get out only to find out that you are not. Your Detailer is your POC to figure out when you are eligible to resign.
STEP 2 – Negotiate Your Date of Resignation and Terminal Leave With Your Command
When you submit a resignation request to PERS, you specify the month you want to resign. The specific date and how much leave you get is between you and your command, not PERS. You need to approach your chain of command about the specific date you want to resign and how much leave they’ll give you.
STEP 3 – Submit Your Paperwork 9-12 Months Ahead of Your Desired Month of Resignation
This has always been the required timeline, but last minute requests were accommodated. Not anymore! PERS has recently reminded people of this timeline and widely advertised that any requests received less than 6 months before the desired resignation date will be returned to the officer and not processed. Because of this, you need to make your decision and then stick to the 9-12 month timeline. In addition, if you get within 6 months of your projected rotation date (PRD) and have not notified your Detailer of your intention to resign, he/she can write you orders whether you want to stay in or not! Don’t tempt the Detailer.
If you are deploying and you’ll be gone during this timeframe, you need to get the paperwork ready before you leave. You can’t submit a request more than 12 months early, but you can certainly have it ready to go so that you submit it when you hit the 9-12 month window.
STEP 4 – Track the Progress of Your Request Weekly
The Navy is filled with officers who did not track the progress of their request and paid the price. Because your request has to go to PERS with the endorsement of your CO, it needs to go various places at your command before it is submitted. Realize that each stop in the chain of command is a potential place for it to get lost.
STEP 5 – Make Sure Your Request is Submitted to PERS
Most officers will have a personnel department of some kind that will submit their request for them, but just in case you don’t, here are the official instructions for how to submit the request from the PERS resignation website:
“Resignation requests can be mailed to PERS-834F to the address listed below, by fax, or sent in PDF format by email to PERS-834F@navy.mil. Email submissions are highly recommended and preferred. All requests must be submitted 9-12 months prior to the desired separation date.”
Address/Fax (Please adhere to PII requirements when sending documentation):
COMMANDER
NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND
PERS-834F
5720 INTEGRITY DRIVE
MILLINGTON TN 38055-8340
PERS-834F fax number: (901) 874-2625
STEP 6 – Make Sure Your Request was Received by PERS
Again, from the PERS website:
“After sending your resignation request to PERS-834F, you and your current Command will receive confirmation via message traffic and BOL that your request has been received for processing. If you do not receive confirmation within 2 WEEKS after your Command has forwarded your request to PERS-834F, please call NPC’s customer service call center, 1-866-827-5672 for routing to PERS-834F.”
STEP 7 – Check to Make Sure There are No Issues Every Few Months
This will probably make the Detailers cringe, but oh well. It is their job to serve as your advocate, and I think you should touch base with them every two months or so until you have released resignation orders in your hand.
That’s it! If you’re looking for templates for your request, you can find them here.
OIC of Medical Readiness Division for Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific – O5/O6
The POC if you are interested in this position is your Specialty Leader or Detailer.
ANTICIPATED FILL: Summer 2017
POSITION TITLE: Officer in Charge (OIC)
INTRODUCTION: The position is graded at the O-6 (Captain) level but is an ideal position for an 0-5 (Commander) desiring to demonstrate leadership abilities worthy of promotion to the 0-6 level. Individuals who fill this position have documented requisite training and experience and have successfully been screened and selected by the Force Surgeon, Naval Surface Forces Pacific. Incumbents are normally assigned for a three (3) year period.
CRITERIA FOR THE POSITION:
- Medical Corps Officer with prior shipboard experience as a Senior Medical Officer (SMO) on an amphibious ship preferably LHD/LHA.
- Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer (SWMDO) qualified
- Minimum rank required 0-5
KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION:
- Leadership and management experience in history of assignments that demonstrates readiness for this position.
- Working knowledge of Surface Forces organizational structure, functions, and inter-relations.
- Experienced and knowledgeable on matters of shipboard administration and management of ship medical departments.
- Experience with the Medical Readiness Inspection process and management of equipment and material readiness.
- Familiarity with Navy Medicine’s medical privileging and quality assurance programs.
- Working knowledge of the Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC) program.
- Proven communication (written and verbal) and team-building skills.
- Ability to promote morale and teamwork.
- General knowledge of military and civilian personnel management procedures.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
- The incumbent’s immediate Reporting Senior is the Force Surgeon, Commander Naval Surface Forces Pacific.
- The incumbent exercises complete and independent administrative and managerial control over assigned military and civilian employees assigned to MRD. (NOTE: Performance is evaluated in terms of objectives, methods, and results in meeting organization mission/goals).
- Incumbent is guided in the performance of duties by pertinent laws and regulatory requirements, higher echelon, and local command instructions, guidance and policy statements.
SCOPE AND EFFECT: The activities of this position include evaluation personnel quantity, quality, and assignment priorities in support of health care activities and support services; maintaining facility, personnel, and material readiness; formulation and execution of manpower requirements and budgetary plans; execution of high echelon directives, and development / execution of local directives in support of the organization’s mission; stimulates and coordinates performance improvement activities. Decisions directly impact all staff (military and civilian) personnel assigned.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Leads MRD San Diego in ensuring over 66 ships and units maintain the highest state of medical readiness and that they adhere to prescribed medical standards.
- Oversees the Medical Readiness Inspection (MRI) program for the assigned afloat Medical Departments and units.
- Ensures Medical Departments are materially ready to deploy and notifies Force Surgeon of any equipment discrepancies.
- Provides support, advice and mentorship to 6 junior Medical Officers in their oversight of 66 shipboard IDCs ensuring compliance with Surface Forces policies and procedures.
- Ensures medical privileging and quality assurance programs are adhered to for assigned medical personnel.
- Provides oversight to the 9 Senior Medical Inspector IDCs (SMIs) assigned to MRD; monitors compliance with the IDC program requirements.
- Ensures IDC SMIs complete monthly quality assurance visits to their assigned ships consistent with guiding instructions.
- Assists Force Surgeon in updating instructions as requested. (i) Formulates and submits annual budget for MRD to the Force Surgeon
- Other duties as assigned by the Force Surgeon
How Much Is Your Military Pay Really Worth?
Financial posts are some of the most popular on this site, so I figured I would share a great article that summarizes a lot of the financial benefits of being active duty:
Guest Post – Got JPME?
[Editor’s Note: The POC for anyone interested in War College is the Detailer. A cheat sheet of all the Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) options can be found here. If you’re interested in submitting a guest post, contact me here.]
By CDR Lanny Littlejohn, MC, USN (Lanny.Littlejohn < at > usnwc.edu)
I rolled out of bed at 0700 this morning to finish my paper on corruption in the Ukraine. Ukraine is currently the most corrupt country in all of Europe; its corruption destabilizes it to the point that it is subject to influence from its eastern neighbor, Russia. Russia is currently in a “hybrid” war with Ukraine, a new type of warfare that Russia has been perfecting for the past decade. The Chinese are perfecting a different type called “unrestricted” warfare. Then there is ISIS. Two months ago, I had very little insight into these issues. After finishing the paper, I went to class at the Blue Plate Diner in Newport wearing jeans, flops, and sweatshirt since it is cooling off a bit up here in RI. I have not put a uniform in quite some time. This week we have “seminar” for three hours each morning (M-Th), with the afternoons, and all of Friday, off to work on assignments. While not a walk in the park, it is different enough from medicine to serve as a well deserved breather I have enjoyed so far. You should strongly consider getting your Joint Profession Military Education (JPME) on.
Programs and Prerequisites
There are two primary programs of study at the Naval War College (NWC): the junior (JPME-1) and the senior program (JPME-2). The junior program (JPME-1) is completed as a resident or nonresident. Nonresident options include the fleet seminar program, NWC online program, and from war colleges of other services. I received my JPME-1 via the NWC online program several years ago. There is also a rare opportunity for officers at the 12-15 year mark to attend JPME-1 as a resident here [limited to O4 and below]. However, medical officers will likely need to obtain JPME-1 as a nonresident.
The senior program is via the College of Naval Warfare (CNW). Officers selected have typically completed JPME-1 and apply through their detailer at the 15-20 year mark (O5 or O6). Completion of this residency program grants a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies. Accreditation is via the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.
For both JPME-1 and JPME-2, there are three courses: Joint Military Operations (JMO), National Security Decision Making (NSDM), and Strategy and Policy (S&P). The main difference between the two programs is that the junior course focuses on the Tactical/Operational level and the senior course on the higher Strategic level. As a resident at the NWC, you are also required to take an elective each trimester. I just finished the Political Warfare elective – super cool.
Additional Qualifier Designations (AQDs) are awarded for JPME-1 and JPME-2. Many elective pathways also result in an AQD. So that’s three AQDs you can receive if you are an AQD collector – I know you’re out there. [And promotion boards know that these AQDs are difficult to get, unlike some of the others.]
The Environment
NWC is academia at its best. Students wear business casual so that neither service nor rank are distinguished. All services are in attendance including the Coast Guard. You will find that there are several interagency (State Department, Justice Department, CIA, etc.) students and many international students as well. There may be one lecture per week with the entire student body, but most classes are in a seminar (12 students, two instructors). My seminar includes students from Greece, Lebanon, and Singapore along with two “agency” students and six other service students. Teaching is Socratic (You know, that method you thought you would be using before receiving the letter of rejection from Harvard). Exams are essay – not multiple choice. You do not have to publish, but many of the best papers are submitted for publication. This should definitely help your Google H-index.
Follow on Assignments
Medical officers who complete JPME-2 are highly valued at the higher levels in operational medicine. This may be as a joint force command surgeon, fleet surgeon, a Pentagon tour, or in any of the various naval service operational commands. This follow-on assignment is not a requirement, however. Your Detailer and Specialty Leader will ultimately work with you on what your next assignment will be. Some have returned to the MTF after NWC only to go operational on the very next tour. Commitment after obtaining JPME-2 is two years, served concurrently with any existing obligations.
Benefits
There are several beneficiaries of a tour at the NWC. First, you and your family. Newport and surrounding vicinity is a great place to live with good schools and lots of history and activities. If you have been in the MTF for multiple tours, you may need a break so a brief sabbatical here can help recharge the batteries. You will still work hard (tons of reading and paper writing) but time structure is on your terms. Second, your specialty and our Navy. Every specialty in Navy Medicine (with rare exceptions) has elements that operationalize to support the mission of the Navy. To have the 30,000-foot strategic view of how your part comes into play is a great benefit to your specialty and service. Third, the nation needs thinkers and leaders. We all have the feeling that something has gone sideways in the last few decades. We need strong leaders who have the integrity to make the tough calls and argue for the right decisions on the national level. After you leave the naval service, this education and degree will go with you and will likely have great utility no matter how your large your future circle of influence may be.
Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog 