ROUTINE
R 171646Z JUN 22 MID200001807449U
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
NAVADMIN 135/22
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUN//
SUBJ/SEPTEMBER 2022 (CYCLE 256) ACTIVE-DUTY AND TRAINING AND ADMINISTRATION
OF THE RESERVES E-4 THROUGH E-6 PETTY OFFICER NAVY-WIDE ADVANCEMENT
EXAMINATIONS//
REF/A/MSG/COMNAVRESFOR NORFOLK VA/081615ZOCT21//
REF/B/DOC/BUPERS/19SEP18//
REF/C/MSG/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/052044ZMAR13//
REF/D/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/201449ZDEC18//
REF/E/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/272057ZDEC18//
REF/F/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/161157ZJUL20//
REF/G/DOC/USD(PR)/04APR2022//
REF/H/OPS ALERT/NPPSC/19FEB21//
REF/I/OPS ALERT/NPPSC/15MAR21//
NARR/REF A IS ALNAVRESFOR 012/21, NAVY RESERVE NOMENCLATURE CHANGES.
REF B IS BUPERSINST 1430.16G, ADVANCEMENT MANUAL FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL OF
THE U.S. NAVY AND U.S. NAVY RESERVE.
REF C IS ALNAV 015/13, PERSONNEL SECURITY INVESTIGATION SUBMISSION
REQUIREMENTS.
REF D IS NAVADMIN 312/18, ADVANCEMENT POLICY UPDATE.
REF E IS NAVADMIN 316/18, ENLISTED ADVANCEMENT WORKSHEET.
REF F IS NAVADMIN 201/20, PROFESSIONAL MILITARY KNOWLEDGE ELIGIBILITY EXAM
REVISED BUSINESS RULES.
REF G IS USD P&R CONSOLIDATED DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019
FORCE HEALTH PROTECTION GUIDANCE AVAILABLE AT
https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Coronavirus-DOD-Response/Latest-DOD-
Guidance/.
REF H IS OPS ALERT 007-21, PMK-EE REQUIREMENTS FOR E3 NEW
ACCESSIONS. REF I IS OPS ALERT 011-21, PMK-EE REQUIREMENTS FOR E4
NEW ACCESSIONS.//
RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN provides guidance for the administration of the
September 2022 (cycle 256) Navy-Wide Advancement Exam (NWAE) for active duty
(AD) and training and administration of the reserves (TAR) (still referred to
as FTS in some systems) to paygrades E-5 and E-6. It further provides
guidance for the use of an alternative final multiple score (FMS) rank-order
method, without an exam, for advancement to E-4.
a. E-4 advancement candidates will not participate in an exam, but will
be given the opportunity for advancement using an alternative FMS rank-order
method, without the inclusion of an exam score from a proctored exam. E-5
and E-6 advancement candidates will be administered the NWAE utilizing
single-day testing for each paygrade, per reference (b).
b. In addition to the requirements in this NAVADMIN and chapter 6 of
reference (b), educational services officers (ESO) must follow the pre-exam
preparation requirements in the exam verbatim, which can be found on the navy
enlisted advancement system (NEAS) website via MyNavy Portal (MNP) at
https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion/command-
information/. Select Command Advancement Tools, then NEAS Website.
2. Timeline
a. 31 July 2022: Professional military knowledge - eligibility
exam (PMK-EE) completion deadline for all E-4, E-5, and E-6 candidates.
b. 1 September 2022: E-6 exam administration. Enlisted advancement
worksheets (EAW) will close one week after the exam date on the worksheet.
c. 8 September 2022: E-5 exam administration. EAWs will close one week
after the exam date on the worksheet.
d. 15 September 2022: E-4 EAWs must be completed by this date.
e. Deviation from administration dates. In line with reference (b),
should the necessity of an expanded window of NWAE administration be required
due to a resurgence in the coronavirus pandemic, commands may request a
deviation of NWAE administration from Navy Personnel Command
(PERS-8). Deviation from single day testing will not be authorized for
convenience, rather as a result of heightened regional health protection
measures or other valid reason. Solely within the context of an authorized
deviation, NWAE administration will be authorized through 30 September
2022. Refer to reference (g) for additional details on safety and mitigation
measures in the conduct of exams during the coronavirus pandemic.
3. Eligibility requirements are found in chapter 2 of reference
(b). The following information is specific only to cycle 256:
a. The terminal eligibility date used to compute time in rate
(TIR) is 1 January 2023.
b. The minimum TIR date must be on or before:
E-6 - 1 January 2020
E-5 - 1 January 2022
E-4 - 1 July 2022
c. E-6 candidate TIR requirements for early promote (EP) Sailors can be
waived by one year with commanding officer (CO)/officer in charge (OIC)
approval, in line with paragraph 214.e of reference (b). Cycle 256 EAW must
be manually created for all E-6 EP TIR waiver authorized candidates.
d. High-year tenure (HYT) date must be effective 1 January 2023 or
later. All HYT waivers must be approved prior to 1 September 2022 to be able
to participate in cycle 256.
e. Candidates in a rating requiring a security clearance must have a
favorable investigation adjudication by the Department of Defense
consolidated adjudication facility reflected properly in the Defense
Information System for Security (DISS) prior to 1 September 2022. If the
CO/OIC of the candidate grants an interim clearance, it must be entered in
DISS prior to 1 September 2022. 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 should not allow
candidates to take the exam until the discrepancy is corrected or a new
clearance is granted and is properly reflected in the EAW of the candidate.
Ratings requiring a security clearance are AC, AE, AG, AO, ATI, ATO,
AWF, AWO, AWR, AWS, AWV, AZ, CTI, CTM, CTN, CTR, CTT, EOD, ET, FC,
FCA, GM, HT, IC, IS, IT, LN, MA, MC, MN, ND, OS, QM, SB, SO, STG, YN
and all nuclear and submarine ratings. Refer to references (b) and
(c) for additional guidance.
f. Candidates for advancement to E-4 and E-5 must 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 time
periods:
E-4 - 1 January 2022 to 31 August 2022
E-5 - 1 June 2021 to 31 August 2022
g. Candidates for advancement to E-6 must compute the reporting senior
cumulative average (RSCA) PMA, as outlined in reference (d), using all
applicable evaluations in the current pay grade with the ending date that
falls within the time period:
E-6 - 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2022
h. Refer to reference (d) and paragraph 308.b. of reference (b) 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.
i. For guidance on establishing EAW user roles and completing
worksheets, refer to reference (e). EAW is mandatory for cycle 256 and will
be the authority for PMA, RSCA PMA, and awards.
j. Completion of relevant paygrade PMK-EE is mandatory for cycle 256
candidates competing for advancement, even if no NWAE is being administered,
and must be successfully completed once for the administration paygrade. The
PMK-EE completion deadline is 31 July 2022, in accordance with reference
(f). No Sailor competing for advancement shall be permitted to participate
in the advancement cycle without having a completed PMK-EE for the exam
paygrade. For E3 and E4 new accession candidates authorized PMK-EE
completion deadlines, refer to references (h) and (i).
k. Commands must accurately validate, complete and finalize all EAWs in
the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) in a timely manner.
E-4 EAW accuracy is critical since NEAS will be reprogrammed to use finalized
E-4 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
256 E-4 EAWs must be completed by 30 September 2022.
4. Exam Ordering. Order exams in line with chapter 4 of reference (b).
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 (b).
b. Regular Exams:
(1) Sensitive compartmented information (SCI) Exams.
Cryptologic-technician interpretive (CTI)/cryptologic-technician network
(CTN)/cryptologic technician-collection (CTR) SCI exam ordering requirements
can be found on the NEAS website via MNP at
https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion/command-
information. Select Command Advancement Tools, then NEAS website.
ESOs must verify initial Active TIR eligibility lists on the NEAS website for
exam ordering. Supplemental TIR SCI exams are ordered via message formatted
e-mail to sfly_cryptologic.products@navy.mil or by naval message following
the guidelines in chapter 4 of reference (b). Check NEAS Web for
additional exam ordering information.
(2) Non-SCI Exams. Exam ordering requirements can be found
on the NEAS website via MNP at
https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-promotion/command-
information. Select Command Advancement Tools, then NEAS Website.
(3) All candidate exam orders not included on the initial TIR list
must be ordered in NEAS web by entering a Department of Defense
Identification (DoD ID) for each candidate instead of by e-mail or naval
message. This is a change to guidelines in chapter 4 of reference
(b). Orders submitted after supplemental TIR list closure will result in a
substitute exam being sent.
c. Substitute Exams:
(1) The deadline for ordering both SCI and non-SCI substitute exams
is 30 September 2022.
(2) Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center
(NETPDC (N321)) is the approval authority for all substitute exams.
(3) Recent graduates of the Naval nuclear propulsion program training
pipeline, who are on transfer leave enroute to their first at sea assignment
during the E-5 examination date, will have substitute examinations ordered
for them by their ultimate duty station, if dates permit exam ordering before
the published deadline.
(4) Substitute examinations may be administered with regular exam
administration or in line with paragraph 606 of reference (b).
d. ESOs must verify examination 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 the fleet services
branch NETPDC (N321) as listed on the NEAS website on the NETPDC (N321) point
of contact table.
e. Exceptions to policy for exam orders will continue to be submitted in
line with paragraph 104 of reference (b), and must include endorsement by the
immediate superior in command. Submit message-formatted e-mail exception to
policy directly to Enlisted Plans and Policy Branch (OPNAV N132C) at
nxag_n132c@navy.mil, and include any supporting documentation.
f. Below candidate ratings are separated into the following competitive
groups:
(1) CTI
Group 1 Middle East/North Africa
Group 2 East/Far East
Group 3 Latin/South America
Group 4 Eastern Europe
(2) EMN, ETN, and MMN
Group 1 Submarine
Group 2 Surface
Group 3 Training
5. Exam Administration and Answer Sheet Returns
a. Following the administration of exams, it is critical that ESOs
expeditiously mail E-5 and E-6 answer sheet packages to NETPDC (N321). Prompt
return of answer sheets will help ensure results are released in a timely
manner.
b. For exam administration and answer sheet return instructions refer to
chapter 6 of reference (b). Administration for all substitute exams will
follow guidelines in references (b) and (d).
c. ESOs must check the exam tote board on the NEAS website often to
ensure answer sheets have been received and processed. The tote board can be
accessed via MNP at https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/advancement-and-
promotion/command-information. Select Command Advancement Tools, then Exam
Toteboard. Answer sheets with errors will not be counted until they are
processed successfully.
6. Discrepancy Correction
a. A detailed discrepancy list can be found at the NEAS website via
MNP. For guidance on discrepancy correction requirements, refer to chapters
3 and 7 of reference (b) and reference (e).
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 a CO/OIC letter and all required supporting
documentation included as attachments. Education point corrections require a
submission of the joint service transcript indicating the degree type and
date of completion.
c. For guidance on candidates with missed exams due to assignment in
CDCZ/ACOA, refer to chapter 6 of reference (b). Missed exam cycle EAW is
required to be completed by selecting *Missed Cycle / Individual Augmentee*
entry in the *EAW Special Circumstances* data entry field.
7. Examination Results. Refer to chapter 7 of reference (b).
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
1-833-330-MNCC (1-833-330-6622) or via e-mail to askmncc@navy.mil.
b. SCI exam questions and orders can be reached at (850) 473-5867/DSN
753 or via e-mail to sfly_cryptologic.products@navy.mil.
c. Non-SCI exam questions and orders can be reached at
(850) 473-6150/DSN 753 or via e-mail to sfly_n321_exam_order@navy.mil.
d. NWAE records and discrepancies can be reached at
(850) 473-6148/DSN 753 or via the EAW PAC function. ESO pre / post-
advancement exam administration inquiries may be submitted to
sfly_n321_discrepanc@navy.mil.
10. For further NEAS information, to include exam verbatim and other related
documents, visit MNP 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 J. P. Waters, Acting N1B.//
BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//