CNP: Boost enlisted training, overhaul officer promotion

2015-01-15T09:55:35-05:00

From: Navy Times

The Navy has been using the same promotion system since 1947 and the service's top personnel officer thinks it's time for a change.

Vice Adm. Bill Moran, the chief of naval personnel, is proposing to retool officer promotions to ensure officers who take nontraditional paths, whether in their jobs or education, have a fair shot at promotion in the Navy's up-or-out system. He also wants enlisted to get more training throughout their careers, rather than just a data-dump at the start.

In a Wednesday speech before the Surface Navy Association's symposium, Moran said it's time for a new approach to officer promotions, one that rewards experience and education for officers rather than penalizing them for taking some time out of their prescribed track.

Right now, the Navy is more like the chocolate factory episode of "I Love Lucy," he said. Sailors and officers are on the conveyor belt, he explained. Some of them are getting packaged, some of them are getting eaten. Others are falling on the ground or ending up in Lucy's hat.

"All humor aside, this is kind of a reflection of the system we have in place. You wait your turn," Moran said. "Sometimes it moves slow, sometimes it picks up the pace, and in the end, you wonder if you're going to be picked up."

"Your talent, your skill set, your education, do they matter in this kind of style, or do we need to change it?" Moran continued.

The year-group system isn't serving the Navy's officers the way it used to, he said.

"You could argue that we don't have a lot of choice in the Navy today for a junior officer," Moran said. "You know what your golden choice is, and you better not veer too far off that path, because you'll lose your spot in line."

Rather than rewarding those who take a fellowship or pursue a graduate degree, the Navy forces officers to compete with their original year group, whose members might have racked up more sea time or leadership roles in the same period.

"If we just throw them right back in the year group they left with, they're done," Moran said.

He suggested resetting year groups after a break, or even doing away with year groups after the 10-year mark, moving to a case-by-case merit system.

Some of those timelines are mandated by law, but Moran said that congressional staffers he's spoken to about redrawing the lines have been receptive to ideas.

Enlisted training overhaul

On the enlisted side, Moran said, 12 percent of boot camp graduates make it to 20 years. Though recruiting, in both numbers and quality, is at an all-time high, the Navy's 98 percent fill and 92 percent fit statistics can be misleading, Moran said.

It can be more than two years before a recruit hits the fleet, from boot camp to "A" and "C" schools. For the average sailor, he said, they're getting all of their job training at 18 or 19 years old.

"Now, I don't know about you, but when I was 18 or 19, I didn't pay attention very much," he said. "If somebody gave me all the training in the world at 18 or 19 years old, it wouldn't be long before it timed out."

After a couple of sea tours, the average sailor goes ashore, and not necessarily to do the job for which they are trained. Though the Navy has enough of these sailors to send back to sea, their training may not be up to date.

"We've got more people, but you're not necessarily giving me the guy or the gal with all the training or experience," he said. "And oh, by the way, it's a second or first class petty officer who hasn't been doing this for a while."

However, the Navy always sends officers to school in between shore and sea duty for a refresh.

"Why aren't we doing that for our enlisted?" he said. "Could it account for 12 percent making it to 20 years? Could it account for 12 percent of mediocre talent and not extraordinary talent?"

Moran did not lay out a timeline for the changes, but said the discussion is ongoing within the personnel community and on the Hill.

He added that the Navy is doing "fine" under its current system, and gaps at sea are down to 2,500 from 17,000 in 2010.

However, budget pressures and 13 years and counting at war create a situation where the Navy needs to get creative about cultivating and retaining its talent.

http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/careers/navy/2015/01/14/admiral-bill-moran-naval-personnel-enlisted-training-officer-advancement/21755707/

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Jan 15 at 2015 10:01 AM

2015-01-15T10:01:36-05:00

This looks a lot like some of the things that have come up on the AF side of the house. We just did a huge shake up of our Enlisted side with performance reports and promotions.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2015 10:34 AM

2015-01-15T10:34:31-05:00

Good article, refreshing to see the brass make these statements. After a shore duty nowhere related to your job, ie recruiting, pushing boots, etc etc, it'd be tough to go straight back into work without that refresher training. Maybe have it a strategic points in your career, after 2 tour, or every 6 years?

Response by CPO John Sheuring made Jan 15 at 2015 11:35 AM

2015-01-15T11:35:20-05:00

Someone is thinking "outside of the box" here. Many careers in the Navy have been sidetracked because of wanting to do extra duty; Recruiting, Drill Instructor, Going back to school" and you get sent to the end of the line and have to start over. It is time for Officers and Enlisted personal were looked at from the perspective of the total package instead of blinders on. I applaud the Officer for sticking to his idea on this process, maybe for those still in the Navy, they could benefit with a new process of evaluation.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made Jan 15 at 2015 11:39 AM

2015-01-15T11:39:05-05:00

This is outstanding to hear. All services should consider adapting like this. I have to wonder how much the Navy can really change, even if it wants to... but if it can take a more flexible view on careers, it would improve career satisfaction and also retain better people.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2015 5:19 PM

2015-01-15T17:19:13-05:00

In the IT rating we need a refresher every few years. Especially with the way we can transition from Radio to APD and vice versa. Even going to a NCTAMS can completely knock you off your feet with the amount of knowledge that you have to take in to become a valuable worker.

Response by 2LT Gerald Dominy made Nov 27 at 2019 1:00 PM

2019-11-27T13:00:25-05:00

Make your people doing promotions more accountable in why they refuse to promote and investigate those cases FIRST.. GOOD OLE BOYZ always seem to get the first boot licking in and promotions faster. They also engage in denials of promotions to more qualified or ones they cannot manipulate or control for their benefit.. in short bring the moral turpitude Clause back into the UCMJ after they removed it in 67. I've seen far too many Shady promotions and way too many good troop screwed and when your run by a bunch of superiors who don't belong with the rank or in the position to determine who is promoted that's where you get lazy individual f****** evading responsibility are lifers we call them. after watching the bull crap in three branches it's high time it got changed