IA/GSA UPDATE:

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R 291332Z SEP 08
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TO NAVADMIN
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UNCLAS //N01300//
NAVADMIN 276/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/SEP//
SUBJ/IA/GSA UPDATE// 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASH DC/072310ZJUN07// REF/B/MSG/CNO WASH 
DC/062132ZNOV07// REF/C/DOC/OPNAV WASH DC/27JUL07/NOTAL// REF/D/MSG/CNO 
WASH DC/061634ZJAN08// REF/E/MSG/CNO WASH DC/291556ZMAY07// 
REF/F/MSG/CNO WASH DC/072243ZNOV07// NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 147/07, 
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM (GWOT) SUPPORT ASSIGNMENTS (GSA), ANNOUNCING 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GSA DETAILING.  REF B IS NAVADMIN 297/07, GSA 
UPDATE.  REF C IS OPNAV N130, PAY ENTITLEMENT POLICY INTERPRETATION AND 
CLARIFICATION FOR MEMBERS SERVING IN GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SUPPORT 
ASSIGNMENTS.  
REF D IS NAVADMIN 003/08, GSA DETAILING BUSINESS RULES.  REF E IS 
NAVADMIN 136/07, TASK FORCE INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTATION (TFIA) UPDATE.  
REF F IS NAVADMIN 298/07, GUIDANCE FOR THE PREPARATION OF PERFORMANCE 
EVALUATIONS FOR SAILORS SERVING ON INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTEE (IA) AND GLOBAL 
WAR ON TERRORISM SUPPORT (GSA) ASSIGNMENTS.//
RMKS/1.  THIS IS THE 
FIRST IN A SERIES OF MESSAGES TO UPDATE IAMM/ GSA POLICY ISSUES.  WE 
CONTINUE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR IAMM/ GSA DETAILING PROCESSES WITH 
THE GOAL OF IMPROVING THE PREDICTABILITY OF GWOT ASSIGNMENTS FOR OUR 
SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, ENABLING VOLUNTEERISM, IMPROVING MANNING 
STABILITY AT THE UNIT LEVEL, AND ENSURING DETAILER INVOLVEMENT AND 
OVERSIGHT IN SAILORS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER PROGRESSION.  
TODAY, 60 PERCENT OF GWOT ASSIGNMENTS ARE MADE VIA THE IA/GSA PROCESS, 
WHILE THE IAMM ASSIGNMENT PROCESS REMAINS AGILE ENOUGH TO MEET THE 
DYNAMIC DEMANDS OF THE COMBATANT COMMANDERS.  AS WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED 
GSA DETAILING, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN MID-
TOUR IAMM REQUIREMENTS, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE ACHIEVED OUR DESIRED EFFECT 
OF GETTING THIS PROCESS INTO THE DETAILING CYCLE.  ADDITIONALLY, OUR 
SHIFT TO GSA DETAILING ENABLED US TO MEASURE THE TRUE IMPACT OF THE 
AUGMENTATION DEMAND AND WORK TOWARD A PLAN TO ADDRESS WHAT IS 
ANTICIPATED TO BE AN EXTENDED REQUIREMENT.
2.  THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE ISSUES WE ARE 
TACKLING AND ASSOCIATED PROCESS AND POLICY CHANGES WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED 
AS WE MATURE OUR IA SUPPORT MODEL: 
- OVERSEAS GSA.  STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT IMPACTS AND MITIGATION
- JUNIOR OFFICER IAMM/GSA UPDATE
- ENLISTED GSA DETAILING UPDATE
- SUITABILITY SCREENING
- IA ADVANCEMENT RATES
- FOLLOW ON DETAILING
    A.  OVERSEAS GSA ASSIGNMENTS:  WHEN AN OVERSEAS SERVICE MEMBER 
DEPLOYS ON GSA ORDERS, THEIR DEPENDENTS MAY NOT REMAIN OCONUS WHILE THE 
MEMBER IS DEPLOYED.  THIS IS BECAUSE GSA ORDERS ARE PERMANENT CHANGE OF 
STATION (PCS) ORDERS, AND WHEN THE SERVICE MEMBER IS DETACHED FROM 
THEIR PARENT COMMAND VIA PCS ORDERS, THEIR DEPENDENTS ARE NO LONGER 
PROTECTED BY A STATUS-OF-FORCES AGREEMENT (SOFA) WITH THE HOST NATION.  
THESE SOFA AND OUR PCS POLICIES ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE OUR FAMILIES ARE 
PROTECTED WHILE OVERSEAS.  SINCE GSA ORDERS ARE ISSUED DURING THE 
NORMAL DETAILING WINDOW, THE SERVICE MEMBER AND THEIR FAMILY SHOULD 
EXPECT TO PROCEED TO THEIR NEXT DUTY STATION AND DEPART THE OVERSEAS 
LOCATION AS PART OF THIS PCS PROCESS.  GSA PCS ORDERS PROVIDE FOR 
DEPENDENTS TO MOVE BACK TO CONUS, EITHER TO THE SERVICE MEMBER'S NEXT 
PRIMARY DUTY STATION OR TO AN ALTERNATE LOCATION OF DEPENDENT'S CHOICE, 
IN PREPARATION FOR THE MEMBER'S RETURN.  FOR THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE 
OVERSEAS COMMANDER AGREES TO HOST DEPENDENTS WHILE A SAILOR IS IA AND 
WHERE A SAILOR MAY BECOME DISADVANTAGED BY GSA ORDERS, THE IAMM PROCESS 
MAY BE USED.  SINCE IAMM ORDERS ARE NOT PCS ORDERS, NEITHER SOFA NOR 
PCS POLICIES REQUIRE FAMILIES TO LEAVE THE FOREIGN COUNTRY IN WHICH 
THEY ARE CURRENTLY SERVING.  REQUESTS FOR IAMM VICE GSA ORDERS FROM 
OVERSEAS SAILORS MUST BE MADE TO DETAILERS DURING THE ORDERS 
NEGOTIATION PROCESS, AND MUST BE POSITIVELY ENDORSED BY THE COMMAND 
INDICATING SPONSORSHIP FOR THE ENTIRE IA TOUR.
    B.  JUNIOR OFFICER (JO) IAMM/GSA UPDATE:  IN MARCH 2008, WE BEGAN 
TO TRANSITION MANY OF THE IA REQUIREMENTS TO THE GSA DETAILING PROCESS 
AND INSTITUTED SEVERAL MITIGATION MEASURES TO RETURN THE GSA DEMAND TO 
APPROXIMATELY 50 PERCENT.  JUNIOR OFFICERS, RANKS O-1 THROUGH O-3, 
COMPLETING EITHER AN IAMM OR GSA TOUR FROM SHORE SLATES WILL RECEIVE 
THE FOLLOWING GUARANTEES UPON THEIR RETURN FROM AN IA DEPLOYMENT:
        (1) THE OFFICER WILL BE OFFERED THE FLEET-CONCENTRATION AREA OR 
HOMEPORT OF THEIR CHOICE.
        (2) THE OFFICER WILL BE DETAILED INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE 
STANDARD COMPETITIVE SLATING PROCESS; ORDERS WILL BE CRAFTED 
INDIVIDUALLY IN A ONE-ON-ONE CONSTRUCT.
        (3) FOR FUTURE SLATES, THE OFFICER WILL RECEIVE IA "SLATING 
CREDIT," WHICH RANKS AN OFFICER WHO HAS COMPLETED AN IA ASSIGNMENT 
ABOVE PEERS WITH SIMILAR QUALIFICATIONS/FITNESS REPORTS.
        (4) THE OFFICER WILL NOT BE ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER IAMM/GSA DURING 
THEIR NEXT SHORE TOUR FOLLOWING IA SERVICE, UNLESS THEY ARE A VOLUNTEER.  
    C.  ENLISTED GSA DETAILING UPDATE:  IN LATE 2007 AND EARLY 2008, 
NEARLY 20 PERCENT OF OUR ENLISTED RATING/CLOSED LOOP COMMUNITIES HAD 
ONLY TWO CHOICES IN CMS/ID:  GSA OR FDNF.  IN LATE FY 2007, WHEN GSA 
ASSIGNMENTS WERE ESTABLISHED, STANDARD ENLISTED ASSIGNMENT BUSINESS 
RULES ONLY ALLOWED CMS/ID TO ADVERTISE A NUMBER OF REQUISITIONS THAT 
WAS EQUAL TO 50 PERCENT OF PRD ROLLERS IN ANY PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.  
THIS WAS DONE TO ALLOW SAILORS SOME CHOICE IN THEIR ASSIGNMENTS WHILE 
ENSURING A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF SAILORS WERE AVAILABLE TO FILL THE HIGH 
PRIORITY REQUIREMENTS IDENTIFIED BY MANNING CONTROL AUTHORITIES.  AS WE 
EXPANDED GSA DETAILING, GSA AND FORWARD DEPLOYED NAVAL FORCES (FDNF) 
PRIORITIES FOR SOME ENLISTED COMMUNITIES BEGAN TO DRIVE OTHER FLEET 
MANNING REQUIREMENTS OFF THE SCOPE.  IN APRIL 2008, COMMANDER, U.S. 
FLEET FORCES COMMAND (USFF) AND COMMANDER, NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND (NPC) 
COLLABORATED TO ESTABLISH NEW CMS/ID BUSINESS RULES, PROVIDING MORE 
CHOICES FOR SAILORS AND BALANCING GSA AND FDNF REQUIREMENTS WITH CONUS 
SEA REQUIREMENTS.  THESE NEW RULES INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REQUISITIONS 
AVAILABLE, AND DIRECT THAT NO MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THEM WILL BE FOR 
GSA, NO MORE THAN 20 PERCENT WILL BE IN THE FDNF, AND AT LEAST 30 
PERCENT WILL BE FOR CONUS SEA-DUTY COMMANDS.  FOR EXAMPLE, IN JUNE WE 
HAD 11,458 TOTAL REQUISITIONS:  1,029 (9 PERCENT) WERE FOR GSA 
REQUIREMENTS, AND 645 (6 PERCENT) WERE IN THE FDNF, AND 85 PERCENT WERE 
IN SUPPORT OF FLEET MANNING REQUIREMENTS.  EVERY PRD ROLLER HAD AT 
LEAST ONE SEA-DUTY OPTION TO CONSIDER THAT WAS NOT A GSA OR FDNF 
ASSIGNMENT.  FOR THOSE SAILORS WHO COMPLETE AN 8-14 MONTH GSA WHILE 
ROLLING FROM SEA TO SHORE, IAMM/GSA PROVIDES TOTAL INDEMNITY FROM A 
MID-TOUR IA DURING THEIR FOLLOW-ON SHORE TOUR, UNLESS THEY VOLUNTEER.  
    D.  SUITABILITY SCREENING OF IAMM/GSA DEPLOYERS.  WE CONTINUE TO 
EXPERIENCE IAMM/GSA PRE-DEPLOYMENT ATTRITION DUE TO IMPROPER SCREENING 
OF PERSONNEL.  COMMANDS MUST OVERSEE THE EARLY SCREENING AND 
PREPARATION OF SELECTEES, ESPECIALLY WRT SECURITY CLEARANCES.  
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR IA ASSIGNMENTS ARE DETAILED IN BOTH GSA AND 
IAMM ORDER COMMENTS AND SHOULD BE REVIEWED IN THEIR ENTIRETY TO ENSURE 
COMPLIANCE UPON RECEIPT OF ORDERS AND AGAIN PRIOR TO THE SAILOR 
DETACHING FROM THE PARENT COMMAND.  ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES AND FAQS ON 
IA ASSIGNMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR COMMANDS, SAILORS AND FAMILIES ON THE 
ECRC WEBSITE AT WWW.ECRC.NAVY.MIL, AND THE USFF WEBSITE AT 
WWW.CFFC.NAVY.MIL/AUGMENTEES.  QUESTIONS MAY ALSO BE ADDRESSED TO THE 
ECRC IA HELPDESK, FAMILY SUPPORT (24 HOURS), AT
(877) 364-4302 OR SAILOR ORDERS SUPPORT AT (757) 462-4744 EXT 119, OR 
EMAIL AT ecrc.fs.fct@navy.mil.  AN EARLY DETERMINATION OF 
UNSUITABILITY FOR AN IAMM/GSA ASSIGNMENT ALLOWS US TO ASSIGN ANOTHER 
SAILOR WITH A MORE REASONABLE TIMELINE, AVOIDING LAST MINUTE SCREENING 
ATTRITIONS AT THE NAVY MOBILIZATION PROCESSING SITE.  
THIS PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO AVOID A SHORT-NOTICE IA ASSIGNMENT FOR AN 
ALTERNATE SAILOR AND A GAPPED POSITION IN THEATER.  COMMAND 
LEADERSHIP'S PERSONAL ATTENTION IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE WE MEET OUR GWOT 
COMMITMENTS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND WITH LESS IMPACT ON SAILORS' 
QUALITY OF SERVICE AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 
    E.  IA ADVANCEMENT.
        (1) PROMOTION BOARDS.  ACTIVE AND RESERVE ENLISTED, WHO PERFORM 
EITHER A GSA OR IAMM TOUR, WILL RECEIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR 
PROMOTION BOARDS - THIS IS WRITTEN INTO OUR PROMOTION BOARD PRECEPTS, 
AND ADDRESSED IN REFERENCE E.  THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF RECOGNIZING 
THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE GOING FORWARD AND PERFORMING THESE CRITICAL 
MISSIONS. 
        (2) EVALUATIONS.  ENLISTED PERSONNEL FULFILLING IAMM/GSA 
ASSIGNMENTS SHOULD RECEIVE CONCURRENT EVALUATIONS FROM THEIR ULTIMATE 
DUTY STATIONS WHILE IN THEATER.  CONCURRENT REPORTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN 
PERFORMANCE MARK AVERAGES.  HOWEVER, CONCURRENT REPORTS DO HAVE A VERY 
POSITIVE IMPACT ICO E7-E9 SELECTION BOARDS.  
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON IAMM/GSA EVALUATIONS CAN BE FOUND IN 
REFERENCE F AND ON THE ECRC WEBSITE:  WWW.ECRC.NAVY.MIL
        (3) ADVANCEMENT RESULTS.  RECENT BOARD RESULTS REFLECT HIGHER 
ADVANCEMENT RATES FOR IAMM/GSA PERSONNEL:
               OVERALL AVERAGE                IA/GSA
    RATE       ADVANCEMENT RATE          ADVANCEMENT RATE
     E5          18 PERCENT                24.2 PERCENT    
     E6          12 PERCENT                12.3 PERCENT
     E7          18.5 PERCENT              29.3 PERCENT
     E8          9.7 PERCENT               19.4 PERCENT
     E9          13.4 PERCENT              15.6 PERCENT
NOTE THAT WHILE IAMM/GSA DUTY ENHANCES A RECORD, SUSTAINED SUPERIOR 
PERFORMANCE REMAINS THE PRIMARY CRITERIA FOR ADVANCEMENT.
    F.  FOLLOW ON DETAILING:  IF THE LENGTH OF THE GSA ASSIGNMENT IS 
NINE MONTHS OR LESS, THE SAILOR IS ELIGIBLE TO IMMEDIATELY NEGOTIATE 
THEIR NEXT SET OF PCS ORDERS PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT FROM EITHER ECRC 
NORFOLK OR SAN DIEGO IF WITHIN THE NINE MONTH DETAILING WINDOW.  AS 
SOON AS THE SAILOR IS GAINED TO ECRC FORWARD, THEIR NEXT SET OF PCS 
ORDERS CAN BE RELEASED TO THEIR NEXT DUTY ASSIGNMENT BASED UPON FISCAL 
YEAR FUNDING CRITERIA AND/OR ANY REQUIRED SCREENING.  IF THE LENGTH OF 
THE ASSIGNMENT IS GREATER THAN NINE MONTHS, SAILORS ARE ELIGIBLE TO 
NEGOTIATE THEIR NEXT SET OF PCS ORDERS WHEN THEY ENTER THE NINE MONTH 
NEGOTIATION WINDOW FOLLOWING CURRENT CMS-ID ASSIGNMENT POLICIES.  
DETAILERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTACT THE SAILOR DIRECTLY.  THEREFORE, 
SAILORS MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN CONTACTING THEIR DETAILER AS SOON 
AS THEIR PRD WINDOW IS OPEN.  THE IN-COUNTRY CAREER COUNSELOR CAN 
COORDINATE USE OF CMS AND SUBMIT REQUESTS DIRECTLY TO DETAILERS.  ECRC 
REMAINS GSA PARENT COMMAND FOR CAREER COUNSELOR SUPPORT, AND THEY ARE 
AVAILABLE TO ASSIST SAILORS WITH THIS PROCESS.
3.  OUR EFFORTS TO DATE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON MEETING OUR OPERATIONAL 
AND GWOT SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS, WHILE PROVIDING OUR SAILORS AND THEIR 
FAMILIES THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE.  AS WE DEVELOP MORE TRANSPARENCY IN 
OUR GWOT SOURCING PROCESS, SAILORS WILL REALIZE MORE CONTROL OVER THE 
TIMING AND EFFECT GWOT SUPPORT ASSIGNMENTS HAVE ON THEIR CAREERS AND 
THEIR PERSONAL LIVES.  
4.  I REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT IN COMMUNICATING THESE IMPORTANT UPDATES TO 
ALL HANDS.  OUR GOAL REMAINS TO MOVE THE MAJORITY OF GWOT ASSIGNMENTS 
INTO THE NORMAL PCS ROTATION WINDOW, INCREASE PREDICTABILITY AND 
STABILITY FOR OUR SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND IMPROVE MANNING 
STABILITY AT THE UNIT LEVEL.  CONTINUED FEEDBACK FROM YOU AND YOUR 
SAILORS IS ENCOURAGED TO IDENTIFY ISSUES THAT WE MUST ADDRESS TO 
SUPPORT OUR SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
5.  RELEASED BY VADM M. E. FERGUSON III, N1.// 
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