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ROUTINE

R 240203Z JAN 09

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NAVADMIN 029/09

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JAN//

SUBJ/LIMITED RESTORATION OF PAPER-BASED TESTING AFLOAT//

REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/162309ZMAY08/

REF/B/DOC/DANTES EXAMINATION PROGRAM HANDBOOK/MAR 08//

NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 137/08, RESTORATION OF PAPER-BASED TESTING 
ASHORE.  REF B IS THE DANTES TESTING HANDBOOK.//

RMKS/1.  AS A RESULT OF RECENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH DANTES, PAPER-BASED 
EXCELSIOR COLLEGE AND ACT EXAMS MAY NOW BE ADMINISTERED AFLOAT BY SHIPS 
DESIGNATED AS DANTES TESTING SITES UNDER THE NEW POLICY OUTLINED BELOW.  
EXCELSIOR COLLEGE EXAMINATIONS ARE USED TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF 
EXCELSIOR COLLEGE AND ARE ACCEPTED FOR COLLEGE CREDIT BY MANY ACADEMIC 
INSTITUTIONS.  THERE ARE 53 EXAMS TESTING THE ARTS, SCIENCES, BUSINESS, 
EDUCATION AND NURSING AREAS.

2.  CRITICAL TO FULL RESTORATION OF TESTING AFLOAT IS OUR ABILITY TO 
ENSURE THE SECURITY OF ALL ACADEMIC EXAMS.  DANTES SPONSORED TESTS ARE 
CONTROLLED ITEMS, WHICH REQUIRE SECURE STORAGE AND HANDLING.
POLICY FOR SAFEGUARDING TESTS WILL BE STRICTLY ADHERED TO AND FAILURE 
TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN REMOVAL OF TESTING PRIVILEGES.  PERSONNEL 
ENGAGED IN DANTES TEST ADMINISTRATION AND SECURITY WHO FAIL TO FOLLOW 
POLICY ARE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 
UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE OR APPROPRIATE CIVILIAN POLICIES.  
CONSISTENT WITH REF A, REVISED POLICY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND 
SAFEGUARDING OF DANTES-SPONSORED EXAMS AFLOAT IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

3.  SHIPS WITH FULL-TIME EDUCATION SERVICES OFFICERS (ESO) MAY REQUEST 
AUTHORITY TO STAND UP A DANTES TESTING SITE.  REQUESTS WILL BE 
FORWARDED TO OPNAV N15, VIA THE IMMEDIATE SUPERIOR IN CHARGE (ISIC).  
IF APPROVED, OPNAV N15 WILL REVIEW AND SUBMIT A COMPLETE NOMINATION 
PACKAGE TO DANTES.  REQUESTS SHALL INCLUDE:
    A.  SHIP'S STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP) FOR THE 
ADMINISTRATION OF DANTES TESTS.  REF B PROVIDES GUIDELINES THAT SHOULD 
BE CONSIDERED AS THE SOP IS DEVELOPED.
    B.  LETTER OF AGREEMENT (LOA) SIGNED BY THE COMMANDING OFFICER, ESO, 
TEST CONTROL OFFICER (TCO) AND ASSISTANT TEST CONTROL OFFICER (ATCO).  
SAMPLE LOAS MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE POINT OF CONTACT PER PARA 10.

4.  AUTHORITY TO STAND UP A DANTES-SPONSORED TEST SITE AFLOAT MAY BE 
GRANTED TO SHIPS WHILE UNDERWAY, FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED ONE-YEAR.  
AFLOAT TEST SITES WILL BE DESIGNATED AS NON-STOCKING SITES, ALLOWING 
SHIPS TO MAINTAIN EXAMS FOR 60 DAYS BEFORE RETURNING THEM TO TESTING 
AGENCIES.  EXAMS MAY NOT BE TRANSPORTED OFF THE SHIP BY THE TCO OR ATCO, 
BUT MUST BE ADMINISTERED ONBOARD THE SHIP TO WHICH THE TCO IS ASSIGNED.  
IF THE TCO IS RELIEVED OF DUTIES AND IS NOT REPLACED WITH ANOTHER 
DANTES APPOINTED TCO, TESTING WILL BE SUSPENDED AND ALL EXAMS RETURNED 
UNTIL A NEW TCO REPORTS ONBOARD.  PRIOR TO RETURN FROM DEPLOYMENT, THE 
TCO WILL NOTIFY DANTES, REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE TEST SITE, AND ENSURE 
ALL EXAMS ARE RETURNED TO THE TEST AGENCIES AS PER REF B.

5.  IN THE EVENT A TEST IS NOT ACCOUNTED FOR OR A COMPROMISE IS 
SUSPECTED, THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS WILL BE COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY:
    A.  TCO OR ATCO WILL NOTIFY DANTES
    B.  ESO WILL SUSPEND ALL TESTING
    C.  TCO OR ATCO WILL RETURN ALL REMAINING EXAMS TO THE TESTING 
AGENCIES
    D.  COMMANDING OFFICER WILL NOTIFY OPNAV N15, VIA A SITREP
    E.  COMMANDING OFFICER, WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER ANY SUSPECTED LOSS OR 
COMPROMISE, WILL CONDUCT A FULL INVESTIGATION AND REPORT FINDINGS TO 
DANTES VIA OPNAV N15.

6.  WHEN A TEST LOSS OR COMPROMISE IS EXPERIENCED, SHIPS TESTING 
PRIVILEGES MAY ONLY BE RESTORED PENDING A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE 
CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE LOSS OR COMPROMISE.  THIS REVIEW WILL BE 
CONDUCTED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TESTING AGENCIES AND NETC.
ONCE ALL DISCREPANCIES HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED, COMMANDING 
OFFICERS MAY SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR REINSTATEMENT OF TESTING PRIVILEGES TO 
OPNAV N15, VIA THE ISIC.

7.  COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND 
OVERSIGHT OF THE DANTES-SPONSORED TESTING PROGRAM ONBOARD THEIR SHIPS 
AND SHALL:
    A.  ASSESS THE NEED TO ESTABLISH TESTING SITES AFLOAT AND SUBMIT 
REQUESTS AS OUTLINED IN PARA 3.
    B.  NOMINATE TO OPNAV N15 DANTES TCOS AND ATCOS TO MAINTAIN 
ACCOUNTABILITY AND SAFEGUARD DANTES-SPONSORED TESTS.  ALL PERSONNEL, 
MILITARY, CIVILIAN AND CONTRACT EMPLOYEES, SHALL HOLD A BACHELOR DEGREE, 
OR HIGHER, AND RECEIVE TRAINING FROM DANTES PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT AS A 
DANTES TCO OR ATCO.  TRAINING MAY BE REQUESTED AS PER REF B.  MILITARY 
TCOS AFLOAT SHALL BE O3 OR HIGHER. MILITARY ATCOS MAY BE E7 OR HIGHER.  
THE TCO AND ATCO ARE THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AUTHORIZED ACCESS TO 
THE DANTES EXAMS AND EXAM MATERIAL.
    C.  ENSURE A SAFE, MEETING SECURITY REQUIREMENTS AS PER REF B, IS 
AVAILABLE TO STORE DANTES SPONSORED EXAMS THROUGHOUT DEPLOYMENT, AND 
THAT NO OTHER MATERIALS ARE STORED IN THE SAFE DEDICATED TO DANTES 
SPONSORED EXAMS.

8.  EFFORTS TO RESTORE ALL TESTING, CLEP, DSST AND SAT EXAMS CONTINUE.  
A PROMISING PILOT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED IN THE FLEET THAT USED 
ELECTRONIC CAPABILITY TO ADMINISTER CERTIFICATION EXAMS WHILE
UNDERWAY.   WE ARE WORKING WITH DANTES TO ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF 
EXPANDING THIS CAPABILITY TO ACADEMIC TESTS.  IF IMPLEMENTED, THE 
RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE TESTING PROGRAM WILL REMAIN WITH
THE ESO AND TCO.

9.  OPNAV N15 WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THE DANTES TESTING PROGRAM 
AFLOAT AND DEVELOP CRITERIA FOR, AND AUTHORIZE, REVIEWS OF TESTING 
SITES AFLOAT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY.

10.  POINT OF CONTACT IS ANN HUNTER, OPNAV N153, AT (703)614-9629/DSN 
224, OR EMAIL AT ann.hunter@navy.mil.

11.  RELEASED BY VADM M. E. FERGUSON III, N1.//

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