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Navy Unveils New "Perform to Serve" Program

Story Number: NNS030209-01

2/9/2003

From Chief of Naval Personnel and Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy announced today the next step in shaping the force to improve combat readiness. The program, called Perform to Serve, encourages Sailors to reenlist for ratings with more advancement opportunity.

Perform to Serve features a centralized reenlistment and extension reservation system giving Sailors other avenues to pursue success. Designed primarily with fleet input to meet fleet readiness needs, Perform to Serve offers first-term Sailors in ratings with stalled advancement opportunity the chance to reenlist and retrain in a rating where advancement is better and the fleet most needs skilled people.

The program will initially apply to first-term Sailors in CREO Group 3 ratings, those that are overmanned, but will expand to include those in CREO Groups 1 and 2 later in the spring 2003. The centralized approval authority for reenlistment and extension requests will be Commander, Navy Personnel Command (CNPC) in Millington, Tenn.

"Navy leadership is committed to providing opportunity for Sailors in ratings with stalled advancement opportunities," said Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Gerry Hoewing. "In some cases, this may mean Sailors converting to ratings that match their skills and interests. One of the critical goals of the program is providing choices for Sailors and ensuring we do not leave any capable, top-performing Sailor behind."

Any first-term Sailor in an overmanned rating with a conversion package pending approval still must apply for reenlistment and conversion through Perform to Serve.

First-term Sailors in crowded ratings - those with stalled advancement - who receive transfer orders because of a unit decommissioning, unit disestablishment, or home port change are not exempt from Perform to Serve and are required to submit a Perform to Serve request if they must incur additional obligated service.

There are some exceptions, however. Some first-term Sailors initially will not have to submit a Perform to Serve request to reenlist. Those in CREO Group 1 or 2 ratings are exempt during this initial phase. Sailors who are currently under permanent change of station orders or those in receipt of an approved SRB (selective reenlistment bonus) precertification will not need to submit a Perform to Serve request. Finally, Sailors who do not desire to reenlist or extend are not required to submit a Perform to Serve Request.

Though commanding officers will no longer be the final approval authority for reenlistment requests, they will continue to be the single most influential person in the process. Command leadership teams will have the central role of submitting reenlistment requests on behalf of their Sailors and counseling affected Sailors on the opportunities and options that come with Perform to Serve.

After a Sailor's command sends the Perform to Serve request to CNPC, it will be compared with requests from Sailors in the same rating. Sailors will be selected for reenlistment based on the following criteria: commanding officer's recommendation for reenlistment, commanding officer's recommendation for advancement, paygrade, selection for advancement, most recent advancement exam results (passed but not advanced), Sailors who hold critical NEC (Navy Enlisted Classification) codes as stated in the most recent CREO/REGA message, and promotion recommendations on the last two regular periodic evaluations.

Enlisted community managers will assign monthly reenlistment quotas based on fleet needs and rating manning. Those not offered in-rate reenlistment might be offered conversion to one of their rating choices. If conversion is not an option, the Sailor will be separated from the Navy at the end of their service obligation.

"Fleet input played a pivotal role in making this plan," said Hoewing. "Although CNPC will ultimately decide each Perform to Serve request, the decision starts with the commanding officer's recommendation.

"COs are by design the primary control point for Perform to Serve, because they make the quality decision to recommend a Sailor for retention. We're committed to keeping the focus on fleet readiness and opportunity for Sailors."

Command leadership teams can work most effectively with Sailors by monitoring rating status from the CREO/REGA messages. These contain valuable information to share with first-term Sailors on the best options available for reenlistment and continued success.

"We'll always keep mission readiness at the top of the priority list," said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Terry Scott, "and at the same time we're committed to providing Sailors a good chance to advance. Perform to Serve will help with both of these and that's a win-win for our Navy and our Navy family."