FALL 2021 (CYCLE 109) NAVY-WIDE ADVANCEMENT EXAMINATION FOR SELECTED RESERVE E-4 THROUGH E-6 CANDIDATES:

UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 252154Z MAY 21 MID200000887093U 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 105/21 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAY// 
 
SUBJ/FALL 2021 (CYCLE 109) NAVY-WIDE ADVANCEMENT EXAMINATION FOR SELECTED 
RESERVE E-4 THROUGH E-6 CANDIDATES// 
 
REF/A/DOC/BUPERS/19SEP18// 
REF/B/MSG/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/052044ZMAR13// 
REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/201449ZDEC18// 
REF/D/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/272057ZDEC18// 
REF/E/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/161157ZJUL20// 
 
NARR/REF A IS BUPERSINST 1430.16G, ADVANCEMENT MANUAL FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL 
OF THE U.S. NAVY AND U.S. NAVY RESERVE.   
REF B IS ALNAV 015/13, PERSONNEL SECURITY INVESTIGATION SUBMISSION 
REQUIREMENTS. 
REF C IS NAVADMIN 312/18, ADVANCEMENT POLICY UPDATE.   
REF D IS NAVADMIN 316/18, ENLISTED ADVANCEMENT WORKSHEET.   
REF E IS NAVADMIN 201/20, PROFESSIONAL MILITARY KNOWLEDGE ELIGIBILITY EXAM 
REVISED BUSINESS RULES.// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces the guidance for the administration 
of the fall 2021 (cycle 109) Navy-wide Advancement Exam (NWAE) for 
Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors in paygrades E-5 through E-6 and 
E-4 Prior Service Reenlistment Eligibility Reserve (PRISE-R) 
candidates and the use of an alternative final multiple score (FMS) 
rank-order method without an exam for all other E-4 advancement 
candidates.  As a continued safety measure during the coronavirus 
disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, E-4 exams (with the exception of 
PRISE-R) have been cancelled and an expanded testing window has been 
established for E-4 PRISE-R, E-5 and E-6 candidates.  These expanded 
testing windows will allow for smaller groups of test takers to 
ensure adequate social distancing can be maintained between exam- 
takers at testing facilities, while maintaining the high standards 
and continued culture of learning that drives our enlisted 
advancement system.  All candidates serving on voluntary recall, 
mobilization or as Canvasser Recruiters (CANREC) will compete for 
advancement as a SELRES. 
 
2.  Timeline 
    a.  30 June 2021:  Professional Military Knowledge - Eligibility 
Exam (PMK-EE) completion deadline. 
    b.  1 August 2021 - 12 September 2021:  E-4 PRISE-R, E-5 and E-6 
exam administration. 
    c.  31 August 2021:  E-4 Enlisted advancement worksheet (EAW) 
completion due date.  E-4 (with the exception of PRISE-R) exams 
are cancelled, but EAWs must still be completed by this date. 
Only exception is that EAW completion date for E-4 PRISE-R 
candidates can be submitted by 30 Sep 2021 if their exam date 
occurs 1-12 September 2021. 
    d.  30 September 2021:  E-5/6 EAW completion due date. 
 
3.  Eligibility Requirements.  For all E-4 through E-6 candidates, 
eligibility requirements are found in chapter 2 of reference (a), 
with the following information specific only to cycle 109: 
    a.  The terminal eligibility date used to compute time-in-rate 
(TIR) for E-4 through E-6 is 1 January 2022. 
    b.  The minimum TIR date must be on or before: 
        (1) E-6 - 1 January 2019 
        (2) E-5 - 1 January 2021 
        (3) E-4 - 1 July 2021 
    c.  E-6 candidate TIR requirements for early promote Sailors can 
be waived by one year with commanding officer (CO)/officer-in-charge 
(OIC) approval, in line with paragraph 214 of reference (a). 
    d.  High-year tenure (HYT) date for E-4 through E-6 must be 
effective 1 January 2022, or later.  Any HYT waiver must be approved 
prior to 1 August 2021 to be able to participate in cycle 109. 
    e.  Candidates who have submitted a formal written request for 
voluntary transfer to the retired reserve (with or without pay) or 
Fleet Reserve on a date prior to their mandated HYT are ineligible 
for advancement. 
    f.  Candidates in a rating requiring a security clearance must 
have a favorable investigation adjudication by the Department of 
Defense Central Adjudication Facility reflected properly in the 
Defense Information System for Security (DISS) prior to 1 August 
2021.  If the CO of the candidate grants an interim clearance, it 
must be entered in DISS prior to 1 August 2021.  Candidates must 
maintain security clearance eligibility throughout the advancement 
cycle to be eligible for advancement.  If, for any reason, a 
clearance is denied, revoked or not reflected in DISS, an exam is 
not authorized and commands will not allow candidates to take the 
exam until the discrepancy is corrected or a new clearance is 
granted and is properly reflected in the candidates EAW.  Ratings 
requiring a security clearance are AC, AE, AG, AO, AT, AWF, AWO, 
AWR, AWS, AZ, CTI, CTN, CTR, CTT, EOD, ET, ETV, FC, FCA, GM, HT, IS, 
IT, ITS, LN, MA, MC, MMA, TM, MN, ND, OS, QM, SB, SO, STG, STS and 
YN.  Refer to references (a) and (b) for additional guidance. 
    g.  Branch class and special program indicator (SPI) code.  All 
SELRES including CANREC are required to take the cycle 109 SELRES 
NWAE.  Full-Time Support Personnel with a SPI code of V will take 
cycle 252 (E-4 through E-6) Active-Duty NWAEs. 
    h.  PRISE-R Sailors required to participate in the NWAE to 
complete their rate conversion are only required to complete the 
PMK-EE if they are an E-3 and are eligible for advancement in 
conjunction with testing to complete rate conversion. 
    i.  For candidates eligible for advancement to E-4 and E-5, 
compute performance mark average (PMA) using all applicable 
evaluations in the current pay grade of the candidate with an ending 
date that falls within the following periods: 
        (1) E-4 - 1 January 2021 to 31 July 2021 
        (2) E-5 - 1 June 2020 to 31 July 2021 
    j.  For candidates eligible for advancement to E-6, calculate 
the reporting seniors cumulative average (RSCA) PMA, as outlined in 
reference (c), using evaluations in the current paygrade of the 
candidate with the ending date that falls within the time period 1 
August 2018 to 31 July 2021. 
    k.  Refer to reference (c) and paragraph 308 of reference (a) 
for additional guidance on RSCA PMA and PMA including guidance on 
establishing PMA for new accessions that have graduated from *A* 
school and do not have a current evaluation. 
    l.  For guidance on establishing EAW user roles and completing 
worksheets, refer to reference (d).  EAW is mandatory for cycle 109 
and will be the authority for PMA, RSCA PMA and awards. 
    m.  PMK-EE is mandatory for cycle 109 candidates, even if no 
NWAE is being administered, and must be successfully completed once 
for the administration paygrade.  The PMK-EE completion deadline is 
30 June 2021, in accordance with reference (e).  No Sailor should be 
permitted to participate in the advancement cycle without having a 
completed PMK-EE for the administration paygrade captured in EAW. 
    n.  Commands must accurately validate, complete and finalize all 
E-4 EAWs in the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System.  EAW 
accuracy is critical since Navy Enlisted Advancement System (NEAS) 
will be reprogrammed to use finalized EAWs rather than the candidate 
exam answer sheets to create E-4 candidate records.  The success of 
this process will be dependent upon the accurate completion of E-4 
EAWs to establish advancement cycle participation.  Cycle 109 E-4 
EAWs must be completed by 31 August 2021. 
 
4.  Exam ordering.  Order exams in line with chapter 4 of reference 
(a). 
    a.  Deploying commands and candidates departing to 
Congressionally-Designated Combat Zones and Approved Contingency 
Operations Areas (CDCZ/ACOA) can order exams up to six months prior 
to the scheduled exam date.  For additional guidance, refer to 
chapter 4 and paragraph 614 of reference (a). 
    b.  Sensitive compartmented information (SCI) exams. 
Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (CTI), Cryptologic Technician 
Networks (CTN) and Cryptologic Technician Collection (CTR) SCI exam 
ordering dates can be found on the NEAS website via MyNavy Portal at 
https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion/my- 
advancement.  Educational Services Officers (ESOs) must verify 
initial TIR eligibility lists on the NEAS website for exam ordering. 
Supplemental SCI exams are ordered via preferred message formatted 
e-mail to sfly_cryptologic.products@navy.mil or naval message 
following the guidelines with chapter 4 of reference (a).  The 
deadline for additional orders is 9 June 2021. 
    c.  Non-SCI Exams 
        (1) Initial exam ordering for non-SCI exams will be 
available from 8 June through 27 June 2021.  ESOs must verify TIR 
eligibility lists on the NEAS website. 
        (2) Eligible candidates who were not added to the initial 
TIR list can be added to a supplemental TIR list.  Supplemental TIR 
lists will be available from 21 June 2021 to 11 July 2021.  The 
deadline to order supplemental SELRES exams is 31 August 2021. 
    d.  Exams ordered after the TIR lists have closed and exams for 
PRISE-R Sailors shall be ordered using preferred message formatted 
e-mail or naval message following the guidelines in chapter 4 of 
reference (a).  Ensure a point of contact is included in the 
submitted e-mail or message. 
    e.  Exams for CDCZ/ACOA Sailors or recalled reservists will be 
ordered by the command holding the service record of the Service 
member.  Authority is granted for these candidates to be 
administered exams with the Active-Duty exam administration. 
However, all SELRES including CANREC candidates are still required 
to take the cycle 109 SELRES exam and not the cycle 252 (E-4 through 
E-6) Active-Duty exam. 
    f.  When an exam is not used during the normally scheduled 
event, do not destroy the exam prior to 1 October 2021. 
    g.  Cycle 109 exams should only be administered from 1 August 
through 12 September.  Refer to paragraphs 4.g.(1) and 4.g.(2) below 
for requests to retain exams for late administration on the next 
drill weekend in September 2021.  Approved late administrations must 
be administered prior to 1 October 2021. 
        (1) Since SELRES may take the NWAE anytime from 1 August 
through 12 September, Annual Training (AT) and Additional Duty for 
Training (ADT) orders are not a valid reason for Sailors to take the 
late administration.  ESOs shall ensure that Sailors take the NWAE 
prior to going on AT/ADT orders or when Sailors return from their 
AT/ADT.  If a Sailor will be on AT/ADT during the entire time of the 
scheduled advancement exam, then the ESO shall coordinate with the 
gaining command to forward the Sailors exam and EAW. 
        (2) Naval Education and Training Professional Development 
Center (NETPDC) (N321) has the final approval for all late 
administration requests, but all SELRES late administration requests 
must come through the Navy Reserve Force ESOs prior to contacting 
NETPDC.  The Command ESO must e-mail the Navy Reserve Force ESOs at 
cnrfc_reserve_forces_eso@navy.mil and carbon copy their Immediate 
Superior in Command ESOs for validation of their late administration 
request.  Once the Reserve Force ESOs validate the reason of the 
request, the command ESO will request approval from NETPDC to allow 
the Sailor to take the late exam.  A request for approval from 
NETPDC must be submitted with justification via e-mail to 
sfly_n321_exam_order@navy.mil for permission to retain exams for 
late administration on the next drill weekend in September 2021. 
Ensure the reason for a requested delay is included. 
    h.  ESOs must verify the exam orders at the *View Previous Exam 
Orders* link via the NEAS website within 7 to 10 days of placing the 
order.  If exam order discrepancies are noted, contact NETPDC 
(N321) as listed on the NEAS website at NETPDC (N321) Point of 
Contact Table. 
 
5.  Exam administration and answer sheet returns 
    a.  SELRES E-5 through E-6 and E-4 PRISE-R exam administrations 
will occur from 1 August through 12 September 2021.  Administration 
for all late exam administrations will follow guidelines in 
references (a) and (b). 
    b.  Every effort should be made to spread the administration of 
the exams evenly throughout the exam administration period, in order 
to minimize the number of exam-takers at any one administration to 
ensure maximum social distancing. 
    c.  All commands should develop a plan to meet COVID-19 
mitigations.  Every effort should be made to ensure appropriate 
COVID-19 mitigation measures are in place, to include, but not 
limited to, face coverings if not fully immunized (two weeks 
beyond final dose), adequate social distancing, available hand 
sanitizer, medical (questionnaire) screenings and temperature 
checks. 
    d.  Following the administration of exams, it is critical that 
ESOs expeditiously mail in answer sheet packages to NETPDC (N321). 
Do not hold exams until the end of the testing window.  Prompt 
return of answer sheets will help ensure results are released in a 
timely manner.  For answer sheet return instructions, refer to 
chapter 6 of reference (a). 
    e.  ESOs must check the exam tote board on the NEAS website 
often to ensure answer sheets have been received and processed. 
Answer sheets that are in error will not be counted until they are 
processed successfully. 
    f.  All candidates serving on voluntary recall, mobilization or 
as CANREC will compete for advancement as a SELRES and participate 
in this advancement cycle. 
 
6.  Discrepancy Correction 
    a.  A detailed discrepancy list can be found at the NEAS website 
via MyNavy Portal.  For guidance on discrepancy correction 
requirements, refer to chapters 3 and 7 of reference (a). 
    b.  Post-exam administration discrepancy correction 
correspondence with NETPDC (N321) is to be submitted using the EAW 
post-exam administration comments (PAC) function, refer to reference 
(e).  All corrections must have CO/OIC letter and supporting 
documentation included as attachments.  Education point corrections 
require a submission of a screen shot of the joint service 
transcript display indicating the degree type and date of 
completion. 
    c.  For guidance on E-4 through E-6 candidates with missed exams 
due to assignment in CDCZ/ACOA, refer to chapter 6 of reference (a). 
 
7.  Examination results.  Refer to chapter 7 of reference (a). 
 
8.  Any additional information regarding this cycle will be posted 
on the NEAS website. 
 
9.  Points of contact 
    a.  MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) is available 24/7, by phone at 
(833) 330-6622 or via e-mail at askmncc@navy.mil. 
    b.  SCI exam questions and orders via phone at (850) 473- 
5867/DSN 753 or via e-mail at 
sfly_cryptologic.products@navy.mil. 
    c.  Non-SCI exam orders by phone at (850) 473-6148/DSN 753 or 
via e-mail at sfly_n321_exam_order@navy.mil. 
    d.  NWAE exam records, and discrepancies by phone at 
(850) 473-6148/DSN 753 or via EAW PAC function. 
 
10.  Any additional information regarding this cycle, to include the 
exam verbatim and other related documents, will be posted on MyNavy 
Portal at 
https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion/command- 
information. 
 
11.  This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, 
whichever occurs first. 
 
12.  Released by Rear Admiral James P. Waters, N13.// 
 
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