Navy clarifies advancement eligibility due to coronavirus postponements

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy issued clarifying guidance for enlisted advancement eligibility due to the postponement of the Spring Navy-wide advancement exam, enlisted promotion selection boards, and suspension of the Cycle 1, 2020 physical fitness assessment (PFA) as a result of ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

NAVADMIN 145/20, released May 19, provides clarifying guidance to enlisted advancement eligibility issues arising from the suspended spring PFA. The announcement is also intended to head off any potential concerns with Sailors approaching high-year tenure gates, once the postponed advancement exam and selection board cycles resume. 

“Sailors who were waiting to regain advancement eligibility or have their delayed advancement reinstated will have to wait a little bit longer because of the PFA suspension,” said Lt. Cmdr.  Peter Simerman, assigned to the Enlisted Force Plans and Policy branch for the chief of naval personnel.

“Once social distancing policies have been relaxed, we will allow passing mock PFAs to count toward Sailors regaining advancement eligibility and also for those who had their advancement withheld due to a PFA failure, to have their advancement reinstated,” Simerman continued.

Sailors who were selected for advancement during fall 2019 cycles 105 or 244, or who are a part of an auto or accelerated advancement program, but had advancement withheld due to failing one or more PFAs will receive an additional six months to have their advancement reinstated.

“We are also allowing for Sailors in a PFA failure status who have Soft End of Active Obligated Service dates this calendar year the option to extend until December 31, 2020,” said Simerman.

“This provides Sailors an opportunity to pass the Cycle 2, 2020 PFA and regain the eligibility to reenlist, participate in the Navy-Wide Advancement Exam and be advanced.”

Sailors ineligible for the originally scheduled spring NWAE dates due to PFA failures will not be allowed to establish eligibility as a result of postponed exams.

Sailors who were eligible for advancement, but may not receive the results from their advancement until after their HYT date, may request a waiver to remain in service past their HYT date until their advancement status can be determined.

Additionally, NAVADMIN 145/20 suspends the requirement for enlisted personnel selected for commissioning through any program to pass a commissioning PFA.

However, those individuals selected for commissioning must have passed their most recent PFA and if a member is medically exempt, they must have passed their most recent PFA prior to being medically exempt.

Full details, including the procedure for reinstating reenlistment and advancement eligibility due to fitness failures are available in the NAVADMIN. 

Questions and concerns about this policy clarification can be answered by calling the MyNavy Career Center at 1-833-330-6622 or by email at AskMNCC@navy.mil.

The latest DoD policies can be found at: https://www.defense.gov/explore/spotlight/coronavirus.

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