1

Chief of Naval

Personnel, Vice

Adm. Robert Burke, center, and Rear

Adm. Jeff Hughes, right, commander

of Navy Personnel Command, an-

swers questions during a question

and answer leadership panel during

the MyNavy Career Development

Symposium at Naval Station Rota,

Feb. 5. The symposium, hosted by

Navy Personnel Command, was in

the area to reach out to Sailors and

inform them of the benefits availa-

ble from the personnel moderniza-

tion initiatives of the Sailor 2025

program. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Matthew Riggs/Released)

—Connecting with the Fleet—

Official Newsletter of the Chief of Naval Personnel

SAILOR to SAILOR Official Newsletter of the Chief of Naval Personnel To Subscribe Email usnpeople.fct@navy.mil FEB/MAR Issue #13

Coming in April

April 1st, Chief’s Birthday

Alcohol Awareness Month

National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Month of the Military Child

COMING SOON Be on the Lookout for these Personnel Announcements

Selective Reenlistment Bonus Update NAVADMIN Olmsted FY21 Scholar Program Announcement Uniform Policy Update

New MAP Offers More Promotion Opportunities

The Navy is transitioning from one to two Meritorious Advancement Program (MAP) seasons and increasing quotas in a continuing effort to empower command triads to recognize their most highly-talented Sailors through immediate advancement.

MAP is one of Navy’s continuing efforts to foster more merit-driven career outcomes as part of the modernization of personnel systems and processes under Sailor 2025.

“The Meritorious Advancement Program is important because it empowers command

triads to identify and advance the best experienced and proficient Sailors from within their commands,” said Capt. Angela Katson, branch head of Enlisted Force Shaping Plans and Policies. “And they will make those decisions based on Sailors’ demonstrated performance and ability.”

The two MAP seasons will align with the Spring and Fall Navy Wide Advancement Exam cycles. Season 1 began March 1 and ends April 30. Season 2 begins Sept. 1 and ends Oct. 31. Approximately 10 percent of the CY-19 quotas will be assigned for each season, however, business rules and quota allocations will be evaluated after the first season.

MAP is in conjunction with the Navy’s established advancement system and is open to all active, Full Time Support and Canvasser Recruiter Sailors who meet advancement eligibility requirements.

Total advancement opportunity for paygrades E-4 through E-6 includes both MAP and the Navy Wide Advancement Exam. Following feedback from the deckplates and command leadership teams, MAP will account for approximately 20 percent of all E-4 through E-6 advancements for 2019.

We are moving to a two-season framework in which the Meritorious Advancement Program (MAP) seasons overlap the Navy Wide Advancement Exam (NWAE) to further focus the command triad’s attention on selecting and rewarding the right Sailors with MAP quotas.

For more information about MAP, read NAVADMIN 031/19 at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion/a-enlisted-advancement-resources-and-links and select the *Websites* tab in the blue banner.

Check Out the Latest MyNavy Portal Upgrade

It just got a lot easier for Sailors preparing for the Navy-wide Advancement Exam (NWAE) with the roll-out of the Advancement Dashboard on MyNavy Portal (MNP), Mar. 7. The Advancement Dashboard for E-4 to E-6 candidates is a dynamic, user-friendly, web-based dashboard on MNP to give Sailors a detailed personal view of their eligibility status for advancement, and instructions and documentation to prepare for the advancement process. In the past, Sailors had limited visibility into the enlisted advancement process, which includes eligibility factors, exam preparation, and exam scoring. Without a transparent view, Sailors may miss key deadlines to validate their eligibility information and lose ample time on studying for the test.

The Advancement Dashboard currently only applies to E-4 to E-6 candidates, but future updates will include enhancements for E-7 to E-9 candidates. More advancement-centric features will roll out on MNP as the Enlisted Advancement Worksheet (EAW) becomes available for all Sailors in the fall of 2019 and the Professional Military Knowledge Eligibility Exam is fully automated. Sailors may access the Advancement and Promotion Career and Life Event (CLE) page by following this link - https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion.

If Sailors do find inaccurate information in their record or they want to provide feedback, they can send their feedback to the MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) Contact Center either by email - askmncc@navy.mil - or by calling 1-833-330-MNCC (6622).

Gracias a Todos! February was Black History Month

* SPECIAL PAY AND PSD EDITION *

2

NAVADMINs

056/19 CY2020 Navy Legislative Fellowship Call for Applications 055/19 FY20 Command Senior Chief Enlisted Leader Board 054/19 FY20 Command Maser Chief Senior Enlisted Leader Board Results 052/19 FY19 Navy Active Duty Commander Staff Corps Selective Early Retirement Boards Selections 051/19 FY19 Navy Active Duty Commander Line Selective Early Retirement Boards Selections 050/19 FY19 Navy Active Duty Captain Staff Corps Early Retirement Boards Selections 049/19 FY19 Navy Active Duty Captain Line Selective Early Retirement Boards Selections 048/19 Navy Reserve Promotions to the Permanent Grades of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant and Chief Warrant Officers in the Line and Staff Corps 047/19 Active Duty Promotions to the Permanent Grades of Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant and Chief Warrant Officers in the Line and Staff Corps 042/19 FY20 Navy Reserve Limited Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer In-Service Procurement Selection Board Results 041/19 FY20 Active Duty Navy Limited Duty Officer and Chief Warrant Officer In-Service Procurement Selection Board Results 040/19 FY20 Active Duty and Reserve Enlisted Advancement Selection Boards for Chief Petty Officer

—Connecting with the Fleet—

NETC Force Master Chief Talks RRL

Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) is charged with preparing Sailors to be warfighters, starting with recruiting to boot camp and continuing through much of our Navy’s initial and then advanced individual training. NETC is a big part of a tremendously important initiative – Ready, Relevant Learning (RRL). RRL is focused on providing the right training at the right time and the right place for our Sailors.

One of the three pillars of the Sailor 2025 initiative, RRL is designed so that Sailors are ready to operate their equipment at the extreme technical end of its capability to win the high-end fight. It will change when we provide training, how we deliver training and how we keep training relevant.

Like anything new, there are some myths about RRL out in the Fleet. In a new podcast, Force Master Chief Karim Cole helps set the record straight.

Three things to know about RRL: 1. RRL shortens initial school time and makes Sailors available to the Fleet sooner with the skills they actually need and will use as apprentices. Frontloading a lot of training that Sailors quickly forget because they don't use the knowledge at their first tours is going away. Subject matter experts in the Fleet helped identify what was most important for new Sailors for their first jobs.

As we implement RRL, Sailors will now learn through blocks of learning distributed over their careers. After boot camp, Sailors may go to a shorter block of learning than the traditional "A" school, report to their first units, and then receive additional training about 24 months later - at a point when they will use what they learn. At later stages, we are also focusing on not just how, but where they get the training and bringing the training to the Sailor, to be more efficient and beneficial to the Fleet. In cases where training is still best done at the schoolhouse, commands will decide when to send Sailors for that training.

2. With the next stage of RRL, modern delivery will take more advanced training to the Sailor through technology innovations and investments, like virtual simulation, at the waterfront, at the squadron, wherever our Sailors are. RRL includes both instructor-facilitated and self-directed interactive training, structured on-the-job training, and performance support tools. Learning labs, mobile apps, 3D models and how-to videos are just some examples of the future of modernized delivery. Today's Sailors have grown up with technology and learn differently, so RRL is leveraging technology so Sailors learn faster and better.

Technology like virtual reality training environments that mimic video games through flat panel touch-screens will be part of the teaching package - learning by doing - where possible. Performing multiple "reps and sets" through hands-on training will build upon muscle memory before Sailors actually interact with physical equipment or systems.

3. The RRL program funds all travel for Sailors who need to complete additional blocks of training distributed over their career. This training is scheduled by training support centers and funded by Naval Education and Training Command. A command's only obligation is to determine the right time during their Sailor's first tour to accomplish that additional training. Eventually, all training will be available at the waterfront or shipboard.

Find out more about RRL by listening to the podcast at https://dvidshub.net/r/uuxv8w or download it from NETC’s DVIDS iTunes podcast channel at https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1451335268#.

Apps Amazing!!

Check out the Navy Uniform App! It provides the wear rules for NWU Type III and includes

photos illustrating the different uniform items and how to wear them.

The Navy College Program mobile app latest update provides expanded support

for Sailors’ educational needs when they are on the go! Improved design makes it easier to navigate the app and includes new features while taking up less space on your device. Access the MyEducation module and required training videos without using a Common Access Card by entering in name, date of birth, and Department of Defense ID number. This new app feature connects Sailors with contact information for any open Navy College Office. Sailors can also search frequently asked questions with in the app.

Find both apps in the Navy App Locker at https://www.applocker.navy.mil/#!/apps, and iTunes and Google Play online stores.

Navy Support for Spouse Career Moves

Recent changes to law now allow Sailors to be reimbursed for their spouse’s licensure or credentialing costs associated with permanent change of station (PCS) move from one state to an-other state, up to a maximum of $500. Sailors will be able to submit a supplemental travel claim for reimbursable expenses as long as the following criteria are met:

Movement of the spouse was authorized

Spouse was currently employed in a profession requiring

certification at the permanent duty station (PDS) at previous state

Spouse is required to obtain certification for the same pro-fession at the PDS in the new state

Guidance on eligibility and how to apply for reimbursement will be released soon via NAVADMIN and MILPERSMAN article.

3

—Connecting with the Fleet—

MPT&E Fleet Questions

“What is the difference between BAH and BAS? How do I figure out how much I should get?” Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is an allowance for a Sailor who is not living in government quarters and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) offsets costs for a Sailor’s meals. Both are set by the Department of Defense. BAH is calculated by geographic duty location, pay grade, and dependency status. It provides equitable housing compensation based on CONUS housing costs in local civilian housing markets when government quarters are not provided. Calculate your BAH payment at: http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bahCalc.cfm. The 2019 monthly BAS rate for officers is $254.39 and $369.39 for enlisted. For more info on BAS check out https://militarypay.defense.gov/pay/allowances/bas.aspx.

“How am I going to pay for all these new uniforms coming out? I'm only an E-4!” Like all enlisted Sailors, you receive an annual clothing allowance calculated to cover the cost of issued uniform items required in your seabag. Your annual allowance amount is based on the wear life of each sea bag issued item (component cost divided by projected wear life in months). When new uniforms are required, your clothing allowance is adjusted to provide enough money to purchase the new uniform item or items by their required possession or mandatory wear date. Depending on the possession or mandatory wear date, you may have years to purchase the required item. Very seldom are new uniform items required for wear within one year of being introduced. Uniform items that are designated as “Optional Wear” are not supported by a clothing allowance. Purchase of optional items are incurred as a personal expense. For example, the Optional Physical Fitness Uniform is not currently issued nor required in your seabag, so you don’t have to own it. If you desire to wear it, you will have to buy it out-of-pocket. For the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type III, clothing allowances were adjusted in FY 2018 and FY 2019 to cover the cost of the new uniform items in order to purchase three sets of NWU Type III by the mandatory possession/wear date of Oct. 1, 2019. Sailors who were issued NWU Type III at Boot Camp need not worry about procuring new items unless issued items were lost of destroyed. For complete information on NWU Type III requirements and wear allowances, see NAVADMIN 214/17 at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/.

Stay Connected! Follow @USNPEOPLE on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube www.navy.mil/CNP Weekly Wire Rundown Have questions? Email: usnpeople.fct@navy.mil

Connectedness: Relationships Strengthen Resilience

How connected are you? While self-reliance and grit are important, relationships are one of the key principles of resilience. The Centers for Disease Control define con-nectedness as “the degree to which a person or group is socially close, interrelated, or shares resources with other persons or groups.” Connectedness can include relationships with friends, a spouse or other family members, as well as professional relationships and community ties. No matter what type of relationship is involved, the connection created can have signifi-cant positive effects on a person’s well-being. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Network, “positive and supportive social relation-ships and community connections can help buffer the effects of risk factors in people’s lives.” In today’s world, it appears like we are more connected than ever – at least with technology. Social media and mobile communication seem to make it easier to stay close to others. However, a 2018 survey by health company Cigna showed increasing levels of loneliness despite the ability to stay in touch. It’s important to find a balance between healthy use of social media, in-person social connection and opportunities to create new relationships. Belonging to a social group can increase a person’s sense of personal value and feelings of connectedness with others. A social group may be a formal organization, like a faith-based study group or a petty officer association. They can also be informal, like coworkers who grab lunch together or gym buddies who work out together a few times a week. What’s most important is that the social group is positive and sup-portive for its members. A romantic relationship is the closest form of social connectedness for many. Conversely, the loss of a romantic partner can cause significant stress. Navy life can be tough on relationships. Unpredictable sched-ules, time apart and other factors can make it difficult to sustain and grow romantic partnerships. There are resources to help, though. One of the most productive options is to attend some form of counseling and the Navy has several ways for Sailors and their loved ones to reclaim their connection. A number of resources on how to help reset your relationship with social media to activities to connecting socially and even medical/non-medical counseling can be found at MyNavy Portal under the Sailor and Family Support Career and Lives Events tab— https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/sailor-and-family-support.

Maritime Superiority Demands Inclusive Leadership

The Commander's Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Toolkit is an online one-stop shop to help Navy leaders effectively assess and promote an inclusive culture in their command. The toolkit includes something for everyone - I&D briefing materials, mentorship resources, an Assessment Library, contact info for your community's I&D rep and much more! Check out the new additions for February, like our Reverse Mentoring Guide and articles on how an inclusive culture and diverse workforce contribute to Navy's warfighting advantage. For more information, read NAVADMIN 009/18 or visit https://www.public.navy.mil/BUPERS-NPC/SUPPORT/INCLUSION/Pages/Commander's-Toolkit.aspx.

In March, we celebrate...

4

Find career-enhancing

videos ABOUT Sailor 2025,

MyNavy Portal, MNCC, Navy

Apps and more!

@USNPeople on YouTube

and Facebook

The Journey to Better Service. Navy’s personnel and pay services rely on pro-cesses that stretch back many decades and information sys-tems that are just as old. We

are moving deliberately down a path to change that and to bring ser-vices in line with Sailors’ reasonable expectations. As information systems are upgraded in the months and years to come, pay actions will be faster, more accurate and easier. During the transition, the Person-nel Support Detachments (PSDs) will be relying on legacy systems while helping design the processes and systems of the future.

How You Get Paid: Ever wonder how your basic allowance for housing (BAH) gets updated? If you are serviced by a PSD, every change to your pay relies on a string of individuals, each doing their part properly. It starts with you, giving your command pay and person-nel administrator (CPPA) your request and any necessary documents. Your CPPA checks your work, perhaps prepares some additional pa-perwork, and then submits the paperwork to PSD via the Transaction Online Processing System (TOPS). The PSD will verify that you are entitled to the pay and that all the necessary documents and signatures have been provided, and then input the information into another system (most often the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) or the Windows Integrated Travel System (WinIATS) for travel claims). This verification and system input is double-checked and authorized for the system to transmit the transaction to additional systems, which eventually result in a deposit into your bank account. There are many hands in the process, and much potential for human or system error, which is why Sailors, CPPAs and PSDs should all be checking each other’s work. Forceful watch team backup! We do however, have a plan to transition to a single, modern, commercially available pay and personnel system that will significantly improve transaction timeliness and accuracy – greatly improving your customer experience. However, we have to make these old systems and processes work until our new personnel and pay systems come on line over the next year or so.

PSD Consolidation: We are in the middle of a long-term project to modernize delivery of personnel and pay services. Part of that effort is consolidating services into a smaller number of locations so that you will receive the same quality of service, the same way, no matter where you are assigned. There were 10 PSDs consolidated in 2018, with two more on the list for 2019. Most of the work from those PSDs shifted into new and growing Transaction Service Centers (TSCs) in Norfolk, Va. and Memphis, Tenn. that are part of the MyNavy Career Center (MNCC). For the rest of 2019, we will be building up the travel claim, Reserve support, and separations and reenlistments branches in Mem-phis and Norfolk, allowing them to gradually take on more work from throughout the PSD network. Ultimately, MNCC will consist of two contact centers and three major transaction service centers. MyNavy Portal, the services offered by the contact centers and special access by your CPPAs will allow you a modern and responsive means to meet your pay, personnel, career management and training support needs. We are committed to the customer experience so you can focus on le-thality, readiness and improving your life-work balance. We are mak-ing great progress, but please let us know if you are having issues to-day!

Communicating About Pay: Paying Sailors is complicated busi-ness and sometimes CPPAs need to talk to someone at their PSD or TSC. COs, XOs, and CMCs need to talk to the PSD/TSC director or OIC about some urgent pay issue facing a Sailor. Here’s how the trou-bleshooting should work—Sailors talk to CPPAs and CPPAs talk to PSD/TSC. If that doesn’t work, command leadership should talk to the PSD/TSC director/OIC (after reviewing the CPPA’s TOPS transaction log). Every PSD/TSC provides a contact list to CPPAs periodically. Our current list is page five of this newsletter...print it off, post it in your work centers. When in doubt, call MNCC at 1-833-330-MNCC (6622). CPPAS – we’ve established a special MNCC “hotline” just for you - it’s at 1-833-330-MNCC (1-833-330-6622), option 8.

Circulate and Swarm Teams (CSTs): As the Navy moves to fewer brick-and-mortar PSDs scattered around the globe, more CPPAs find themselves out of face-to-face contact with the experts who process their personnel and pay requests. To address this, we are standing up teams of personnel specialists located in Yokosuka, Naples, Bahrain, and Memphis focused on flying to your location to provide unit-level CPPA training and support. The Yokosuka and Bahrain teams are partially manned and already operating throughout their areas of responsibility, and scheduled to be significantly manned by this summer. If your area team is not yet in place, COs/XOs/CMCs can arrange a visit or virtual session anytime.

Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) Issues: Systems errors caused a number of SDAP transactions to be rejected in late 2018 and early 2019, requiring commands, PSDs and the SDAP desks to em-ploy workarounds to get Sailors paid. While the issue has been fixed, commands should audit SDAP transactions submitted from October 2018 to January 2019 to ensure the pay reflects properly in the Master Military Pay Account. If you have any questions, contact your servicing PSD/TSC.

Selective Training and Reenlistment (STAR) Program: Qualified first-term enlisted Sailors who reenlist under the STAR pro-gram may be entitled to automatic advancement and a Selective Reen-listment Bonus (SRB) upon completion of a Class "C" School. Recent-ly, several STAR reenlistees did not receive automatic advancement, though their new contract went through and they received their SRB. OPNAV N133 and the PSDs have identified the affected Sailors and are correcting their records. Sailors who are impacted may contact mill_incen_pays@navy.mil for additional information.

Procedural Compliance Assessments of PSDs: Even though there are about 30 PSD locations, there is only one correct way to process pay and personnel transactions. Navy Personnel Command’s Performance Monitoring Branch (PMB, PERS-212) conducts procedural compliance assessments on PSDs around the world. These assessment, training, and assistance visits strengthen the performance of both PSD personnel and CPPAs.

MNCC Call Answering: We have heard there have been issues with the 833 extension for the MNCC contact center. Base communica-tion offices have been notified of the issue and are working to correct their switches. If you are unable to reach the contact center using the 833 extension from a work phone, call the 1-833-330-6622 number us-ing your cell phone if able. You can also reach MNCC from your work phone using these numbers that are auto-forwarded -- 1-866-UASKNPC (866-827-5672), 1-901-874-6622 or DSN 882-6622.

PAY ISSUE? CALL MNCC AT

1-833-MNCC

Let’s Talk… Navy Personnel & Pay Transformation

5