UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 171359Z SEP 15
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS

NAVADMIN 222/15

SUBJ/SKILLBRIDGE EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM//

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/SEP//
REF/A/DOC/DOD/24JAN14//
REF/B/DOC/ASN/26JUL13/NOTAL//
REF/C/DOC/USD/21NOV12/NOTAL//
NARR/REF A IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1322.29, JOB TRAINING, 
EMPLOYMENT SKILLS TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND INTERNSHIPS (JTEST-IA) FOR 
ELIGIBLE SERVICE MEMBERS.  REF B IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY 
MEMORANDUM, IMPLEMENTATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR SECTION 1143(E) OF TITLE 10, 
UNITED STATES CODE.  REF C IS UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MEMORANDUM,
DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM (DTM) 12-007, IMPLEMENTATION OF MANDATORY 
TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION FOR ELIGIBLE SERVICE MEMBERS.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN serves as interim policy guidance and provides 
specific information and eligibility requirements for participation in the 
Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge Voluntary Employment Skills Training 
Program.  References (a) through (c) provide authority for the Navy to 
implement employment skills training and transition assistance programs.

2.  The DoD SkillBridge initiative connects civilian businesses and companies 
with available training or internship opportunities that offer a high 
probability of employment with Sailors who are separating; these services are 
to be provided at little or no cost to the Sailor. Those who meet certain 
qualifications, with command approval, can participate in civilian job and 
employment skills training, including apprenticeships and internships, up to 
six months prior to separation.

3.  Companies with training opportunities are vetted by the DoD and can be 
found on the SkillBridge web portal located at www.dodskillbridge.com.  To 
access the SkillBridge application,  you must first have an established 
Twitter account.

4.  Eligibility.  To participate in the DoD SkillBridge employment skills 
training program, Sailors must:
    a.  Have completed at least 180 days on active duty and are expected to 
be discharged from active duty with an Honorable discharge, including General 
discharge (under Honorable conditions), within 180 days of the date of 
commencement of participation in such program;
    b.  Be separating from the Navy and have sufficient time remaining under 
their contract to complete the program prior to established separation date. 
The intent of the program is for Sailors to complete the training while they 
are still on active duty.  If a program extends past enlistment and is being 
conducted off-base, approval may be granted on a case by case basis;
    c.  Have successfully passed their most recent physical fitness 
assessment;
    d.  Be recommended for advancement or promotion and retention on most 
recent evaluation or fitness report;
    e.  Have completed their Transition Goals, Plans and Success 
requirements;
    f.  Have attended an ethics brief or completed a DoD approved ethics 
training presentation within the last 12 months from the start date of the 
skills training program; and
    g.  Have not previously completed, currently participating in, or had 
participation terminated from an employment skills training program.

5.  Extensions of obligated service to complete any training program are not 
authorized.

6.  Approval authority and accountability.
    a.  Commanding officers (CO) and officers in charge with non-judicial 
punishment authority maintain final approval.  Participation in this program 
is at the COs discretion depending on the unit mission and specific 
operational circumstances.  Sailors authorized to participate in this program 
will remain permanently assigned to the command and a relief will not be 
provided until their end of active obligated service.
    b.  Sailors will remain the responsibility of the parent command for 
administrative and leave purposes.
    c.  Sailors who are serving under obligation for a special or incentive 
(S&I) pay (e.g., special duty assignment pay (SDAP), assignment incentive pay 
(AIP), special duty incentive pay (SDIP), and selective reenlistment bonus), 
are subject to the guidance in the applicable S&I pay instruction regarding 
pay, eligibility, and recoupment.
         (1) SDAP:  Current guidance (OPNAVINST 1160.6B, Special Duty 
Assignment Pay (SDAP) Program, in accordance with Department of Defense, 
Financial Management Regulation (FMR), Volume 7A, Chapter 8) allows an SDAP-
eligible Sailor to continue receiving SDAP for up to 90 days while temporary 
duty or temporary active duty (TAD) away from the special duty assignment and 
not performing duties requiring use of skills on which pay is based.  Any 
SDAP paid beyond the 90th day will be subject to recoupment.
         (2) AIP:  Current guidance (Product Data Management 003-06 and DoDI 
1340.26, Assignment Incentive Pay (AIP)) allows a Sailor to continue 
receiving AIP while TAD, pursuant to orders.
         (3) SDIP:  Current guidance (PDM 008-13 in accordance with DoD FMR 
Vol 7A, Ch 15, Department of Defense, Financial Management Regulation, (FMR), 
Volume 7A, Chapter 15) states the service of a member serving under an SDIP 
contract will be considered continuous during any period of temporary duty 
pursuant to orders.  The member will not be subject to recoupment for such 
periods.
         (4) It is the responsibility of the CO to consider the impact of 
such pays when approving any SkillBridge request.
         (5) This list is not all-inclusive; it is the responsibility of the 
requesting member to review instructions for any special or incentive pays 
they are receiving to determine whether recoupment of such pays will be 
necessary.  The S&I instructions are subject to change.

7.  Participation in such programs is considered official duty.  Sailors are 
authorized to participate in such programs during normal working days and 
hours.

8.  Sailors participating in the program away from and outside the vicinity 
of their permanent duty station will be accounted for in a permissive 
temporary duty status.  This is in addition to any other permissive TAD they 
may be authorized incident to separation.  The limit of 30 days for 
permissive TAD does not apply for the purpose of participating in this 
program.  Local approval authorities may approve permissive TAD in excess of 
30 days for this program.

9.  Sailors will be in a duty-free status while participating in this program 
regardless of whether the program is local or outside the vicinity of their 
command.

10.  The approval authority may terminate the participation of a Sailor in a 
program for reasons of military necessity and/or unsatisfactory 
participation.  Upon notification that their participation is terminated, the 
Sailor must immediately withdraw from the program and report back to their 
command.

11.  Per reference (a), Sailors may participate in an employment skills 
training program conducted by a military service other than the Navy, unless 
work load or other unusual circumstances dictate.  Participation is limited 
to one program.  Reasonable effort will be made to accommodate eligible 
service members from other military services in SkillBridge programs 
conducted pursuant to this NAVADMIN, using similar eligibility criteria as 
provided in paragraph 4 above.

12.  Use of travel funds to participate in the program is not authorized.

13.  Point of contacts are Mr. Tom Albert, N170, at (901) 874-4254/DSN 882, 
or via e-mail at tom.albert@navy.mil, and Mr. Perry Christiansen, N170, at 
(901) 874-4372/DSN 882 or via e-mail at perry.christiansen@navy.mil.

14.  This message will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, 
whichever occurs first.

15.  Released by Vice Admiral W. F. Moran, N1.//

BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//