MERGER OF THE ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN, COMMUNICATIONS (SUBMARINES) SERVICE RATING INTO THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN (SUBMARINES) SERVICE RATING:

UNCLASSIFIED//
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NAVADMIN 066/20 //

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MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAR//

SUBJ/MERGER OF THE ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN, COMMUNICATIONS (SUBMARINES) 
SERVICE RATING INTO THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN (SUBMARINES) SERVICE 
RATING//

REF/A/GENADMIN/COMSUBFOR/111441ZJUL19//
REF/B/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/24APR18//

NARR/REF A IS COMSUBLANT COMSUBPAC EXORD 05-19 ITS RATING CONVERSION (U).  
REF B IS MILPERSMAN ARTICLE 1510-030, ADVANCED ELECTRONICS FIELD, ADVANCED 
TECHNICAL FIELD, AND NUCLEAR FIELD PROGRAMS.//

RMKS//1.  This NAVADMIN announces the realignment of all electronics 
technician, communications (Submarines) (ETR) and information systems 
technician (Submarines) (ITS) Sailors into a single ITS service rating.  The 
merged ratings will apply to Active-Duty, Full- Time Support (FTS) and 
Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors and billets.  Sailors in the newly 
consolidated ITS service rating will possess the foundational skills that 
enable them to maintain shipboard networks, while pursuing mastery in either 
a communications (ITS-COMMS) or electronic warfare (ITS-EW) specialization 
career path.  In the future, billets for both shore and sea will be based on 
the specialization Navy enlisted classification (NEC) codes and aligned to 
enhance the career paths of our Sailors.

2.  Realigning the ETR and ITS ratings into a single ITS service rating is in 
direct support of Sailor 2025 and Rating Modernization initiatives.  This 
change creates an opportunity for the submarine force to leverage a larger 
community of skilled Sailors to maintain shipboard networks and will allow 
skilled Sailors to pursue mastery in either an ITS-COMMS or ITS-EW 
specialization career path.  The rating merger increases Navy undersea 
effectiveness while enhancing Fleet ability to operate and maintain submarine 
computer networks.
It allows for the creation of an information warfare division onboard 
submarines, bringing more capability (due to enhanced training and career 
paths) in electronic warfare, computer networking, cyber operations, 
communications and cryptography areas of expertise, while simultaneously 
increasing Fleet readiness, sustainability and fit.

3.  The merger of ETR into the ITS service rating will occur on 1 June 2020.  
The primary personnel and billets to receive the merged rating will be all 
ITS and ETR Sailors.  NEC codes affected by this merger are I25A, T11A, T12A, 
T13A, T15A, T17A, T22A, T24A, T25A, T28A, T29A, T32A, T47A, 729A, 730A, 731A, 
733A, 734A, 736A, 737A, 738A, 739A, 741A, 742A, 744A, 745A, 746A, 756A, 772B, 
773B, 774B, 783A, 784A, 785A, 786A, 789A and 794A.  ETR Sailors and billets 
awarded/assigned any of these codes shall be converted to the ITS service 
rating.

4.  For E-1 through E-9 Active-Duty and Reserve personnel, commands will 
coordinate with their immediate superior in command and Non- nuclear 
Submarine Enlisted Community Manager (BUPERS-322) in order to select which 
career path best suits the needs of the Navy, the command and the Sailors in 
line with reference (a).  The merger of the service ratings will require 
Sailors who were previously designated as ETR to convert their rating badge 
to the existing ITS rating badge no later than 1 March 2021.  ETR Sailors who 
transfer to the Fleet Reserve or to the retired list before 1 June 2020 may 
continue to wear the ETR rating badge.  Sailors who, prior to 1 June 2019, 
have received approval for retirement are exempt from this merger.

5.  While the shipboard networking knowledge base will be shared, these 
career paths will be distinct, each managed by separate training pipelines 
and NEC codes.  All ITS Sailors will become specialists in either ITS-COMMS 
or ITS-EW and each path will have its own rating examinations as well as 
advancement quotas.  Rating exams and quotas will be managed by separate 
enlisted management codes.  In order to ensure that all ITS Sailors maintain 
the same IT foundational knowledge, the shipboard networking exam bank will 
be identical across both career paths.

6.  In an effort to fully represent the community focus on the job- specific 
knowledge required to execute the ITS ratings career paths of communications 
and electronic warfare, two ITS advancement exams will be administered for 
the E-5, E-6 and E-7 paygrades.  The following exam rates will be selected 
for the ITS job-specific specializations when ordering exams:  IRM for the 
ITS Communications content and IEW for the ITS electronic warfare content.  
Following is the Navy-wide examination administration schedule:

    a.  E-7 (Active-Duty/FTS):
        (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Exams - January 2020.
        (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Exams January 2021.
    b.  E-7 (SELRES):
        (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Exams  February 2020.
        (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Exams February 2021.
    c.  E-5 through E-6 (Active-Duty/FTS):
        (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Exams  March 2020.
        (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Exams September 2020.
    d.  E-5 through E-6 (SELRES):
        (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Exams  August 2020.
        (2)First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Exams February 2021.
    e.  E-4 (Active-Duty/FTS):
        (1) Last ETR Exam  March 2020.
        (2) ITS advancements to E-4 occur in line with ITS program 
Requirements (See paragraph 6(g) below).
    f.  E-4 (SELRES):
        (1) Last ETR Exam  August 2020.
        (2) ITS advancements to E-4 occur in line with ITS program 
Requirements (See paragraph 6(g) below).

g.  As of 1 June 2020, Active-Duty, FTS and SELRES Sailors who were ETRSN and 
converted to ITSSN will follow reference (b) guidelines for advancement to 
E-4 with the exception of the additional 12 months of obligated service.  
Sailors are required to have obtained the ITS NECs prior to advancement.  For 
additional details regarding these policies, contact the applicable enlisted 
community manager (ECM) in line with paragraph 10 below.

7.  Following is the E-7, E-8 and E-9 Selection Board schedule:
 a.  E-9 (Active-Duty):
     (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Boards  April 2020 (fiscal year (FY) 2021 
Board).
     (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Boards April 2021 (FY-22 
Board).
 b.  E-8 (Active-Duty):
     (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Boards  April 2020 (FY-21 Board).
     (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Boards April 2021 (FY-22 
Boards).
 c.  E-8/9 (FTS/SELRES):
     (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Boards  March 2020 (FY-21 Board).
     (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Boards March 2021 (FY-22 
Board).
 d.  E-7 (Active-Duty):
     (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Boards  June 2020 (FY-21 Board).
     (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Boards  June
2021 (FY-22 Board).
 e.  E-7 (FTS/SELRES):
     (1) Last Separate ITS and ETR Boards  May 2020 (FY-21 Board).
     (2) First IRM and IEW Job-Specific Career Path Boards  May
2021 (FY-22 Board).

8.  Starting FY-21, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command (CNRC) will recruit 
only into the merged ITS service rating.  All new accession recruits will 
attend ITS *A* school.  Beginning 1 June 2020, all new accession students 
will attend the new ITS *A* pipelines, which will train them on either ITS-
COMMS or ITS-EW.

9.  This NAVADMIN does not modify any previous guidance concerning early 
separation, Fleet Reserve, conversion packages or career waypoints (C-Way) 
quotas.  C-Way quota requests dated prior to 1 October 2020 shall be 
submitted in line with guidance for the separate ETR and ITS service ratings.  
C-Way quota requests dated 1 October 2020 or later will be submitted in line 
with guidance for the ITS rating.  ETR Sailors will only be eligible to 
reenlist for an ITS selective reenlistment bonus (SRB) upon completion of the 
job qualification requirement conversion package and awarding of an ITS NEC 
code.  SRB payments for applicable ETR/ITS Sailors will continue to be paid 
after the 1 June 2020 conversion date.

10.  Points of contact during the merger are as follows:
      a.  ECM:
      (1) LT Rafael Byron, BUPERS-322, at (901) 874-2081/DSN 882 or 
via e-mail rafael.m.byron@navy.mil.
     (2) ETRCS Jimmy Long, BUPERS-322, (901) 874-2819/DSN 882 or 
via e-mail jimmy.r.long@navy.mil.
      (3) ISCM Nick Ferguson, Reserve ECM (BUPERS-352),
(901) 874-4508/DSN 882 or via e-mail nicholas.ferguson@navy.mil.
      (4) PSC Angela Hutton, BUPERS-352, (901) 874-3761/DSN 882 or 
via e-mail angela.r.hutton@navy.mil.
     b.  Enlisted Submarine Detailers:
      (1) ETRC Lucas Shepard, Submarine ETR Detailer at (901) 874-3619/
DSN 882, or via e-mail sub_nav@navy.mil.
      (2) ITS1 Anthony Tavarez, Submarine ITS Detailer at (901) 874-3652/
DSN 882, or via e-mail sub_nav@navy.mil.

11.  Released by Vice Admiral John B. Nowell, Jr, N1.//

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