The Navy's revolution in detailing and advancing Sailors reached the senior enlisted ranks with the announcement of a new Senior Enlisted Marketplace in NAVADMIN 261/22 Oct. 22.
The Navy's goal is aligning advancing Sailors to billets where their skill and leadership are needed now.
"Today's advancement processes are not synchronized with distribution management systems resulting in chronic misalignments between available talent and unit-level job requirements," said Vice Adm. Richard Cheeseman, chief of naval personnel.
"The Navy advances thousands of Sailors each year to meet aggregated requirements but does not immediately redistribute the majority of them to the billet requirements in their new paygrade."
Change is already in the works.
A "fundamental and incremental shift" to fix this problem began this past March with the Detailing Marketplace Assignment Policy (DMAP) rollout for those advancing to pay grades E-5 and E-6 in sea-intensive ratings.
Now in its second phase, eight of the Navy's 16 most sea-intensive ratings incentivize Sailors with advancement and other enticements in exchange for filling sea duty billets.
The move into the senior enlisted ranks will first introduce "Billet Based Advancements" in the selection and detailing first at the E-9 level in calendar year 2023.
The Navy fully expects to expand the Senior Enlisted Marketplace to E-7 and E-8 advancements and detailing in the future.
"Billet Based Advancements are how E-5 through E-9 Sailors will advance in the future, where a qualified Sailor applies and competes for a billet requirement in the next higher paygrade within the MyNavy Assignment (MNA)," Cheeseman said.
"If selected, that Sailor will obligate service through the projected rotation date (PRD) listed in the orders, be frocked within 30 days of transfer, and advances upon reporting to the job."
This new way of doing business results in Sailors having "more control over their careers," Cheeseman said. Sailors will now have "increased timing flexibility, transparency, and geographic stability in career decisions and Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves."
The new Senior Enlisted Marketplace kicks off this upcoming Spring with the fiscal year 2024 Senior Enlisted advancement cycle. Specifically, the Active-Duty Master Chief Petty Officer Selection Board now serves as a Senior Enlisted Marketplace eligibility "screening board."
Board-eligible E-8s in participating ratings will now be screened by this new Senior Enlisted Marketplace Screening Board. Instead of being "selected" for E-9, candidates in these ratings are now "screened." Those designated "best and fully qualified" become eligible to participate in the marketplace, where they compete for advancement into a qualified billet.
Sailors approaching a High Year Tenure (HYT) gate remain eligible for screening unless precluded by other policies. Once successfully screened for the next higher paygrade, Sailors actively participating in the marketplace will have their HYT suspended, but only for up to 24 months.
Not impacted by this change are Sailors in the Command Senior Enlisted Leader Program, Submarine Force, Nuclear Ratings, Musicians, Special Warfare Operators and Special Warfare Boat Operators and Reserve Component members. These Sailors will continue to compete for advancements and jobs under their respective legacy board and distribution processes.
A NAVADMIN then releases the names of those screened and Navy Personnel Command then opens the Senior Enlisted Marketplace in MyNavy Assignment.
The screening board comes with a new twist - Merit Reorder. Similar to what happens now with officer promotion boards, board members may reorder up to 15% of screened MCPO candidates based upon the best fully qualified standard.
Merit reorder Sailors can expect a “concierge detailing” experience, which means their detailer will call if the Sailor is not selected for one of the Sailor’s top two preferences during a MyNavy Assignment Cycle. Merit reorder Sailors will have three choices (if not selected for their top two preferences): (1) agree to other, lower preference E-9 orders; agree to different priority orders; or turn down orders for the cycle and reapply next cycle.
Beginning with the August MNA cycle, current MCPOs and successfully screened candidates will apply and compete for E-9 jobs. Each year, screened candidates will have 5 MNA cycles of advancement opportunities held in August, October, December, February and April.
Successfully screened candidates are eligible for the Senior Enlisted Marketplace, regardless of their rotation date. Detailers will manually adjust those outside their normal rotation window to a allow Sailors to participate in the Marketplace. Those Sailors, however, won't transfer until they've completed a minimum of 12 months at their current command. That is, unless their commanding officer and type commander approve the move.
Screened E-8s have up to 24 months from the NAVADMIN release to get picked through the marketplace for an E-9 job. Those not getting an E-9 job in that timeframe will go through the next E-9 screening board.
In deciding who gets a billet through the Senior Enlisted Marketplace, detailers use the results of weighted elements from a paygrade-specific Sailor Scoring Criteria to determine what Sailor is the best fit and most qualified for the billet.
Frocking for Sailors picked for an E-9 job in the marketplace is authorized up to 30-days before transfer, provided they have obligated for any additional service required to take the billet. The advancement becomes permanent once reporting to the billet.
In cases where a frocked Sailor cannot report to the E-9 job they selected for commands must contact PERS-4 immediately. After fixing any issues, the Sailor can continue to the original E-9 billet they were selected for, but only if the type commander agrees. If not, they will be assigned to fill a needs of the Navy E9 requirement by PERS-4 and advance once they report to their new command.
Screened Sailors in their original rotation window can request a follow-on E-8 job instead of competing for an E-9 position. Those Sailors can be reconsidered by the screening board the following year.
More details are available in the NAVADMIN. Further details about the Senior Enlisted Marketplace, along with information about the Navy's other Billet-Based Advancement initiatives and incentives, will be posted on the Senior Enlisted Marketplace website.