RETENTION EXCELLENCE AWARD

[Tony]

UNCLASSIFIED//

ROUTINE

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NAVADMIN 012/22

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SUBJ/RETENTION EXCELLENCE AWARD//

REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/121637ZNOV19//
REF/B/PUB/BUPERS/17JAN17//
REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/162058ZAPR18//
REF/D/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/231840ZAPR18//
REF/E/DOC/OPNAV/22FEB12//

NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 254/19, CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE.  
REF B IS BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL CAREER COUNSELOR HANDBOOK.  
REF C IS NAVADMIN 095/18, BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS II PART A REVISITING THE 
BASICS.  
REF D IS NAVADMIN 100/18, BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS II PART B ENGAGEMENT.  
REF E IS OPNAVINST 1040.11D, NAVY ENLISTED RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN highlights Navy Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 retention 
behavior, outlines the FY-22 retention environment, provides FY-22 
reenlistment benchmarks and Retention Excellence Award (REA) criteria and 
introduces the REA Best in Class (BIC) distinction for certain operational 
units.  Additionally, it reemphasizes our commitment towards promoting a 
culture of excellence in line with reference (a), and the need to retain the 
best talent in a forward-operating, diverse and talent-rich Navy team.

2.  FY-21 Retention Behavior.  In FY-21, we achieved the following 
reenlistment rates in Zones A, B and C, which included Reserve affiliation 
(RA):  67% for Zone A (57% benchmark), 68% for Zone B (67% benchmark) and 85% 
for Zone C (82% benchmark).  In addition, the Fleets Zone A attrition was 
below the FY-21 target of 4.5% or less (3.6% for U.S. Fleet Forces Command 
and 3.8% for U.S. Pacific Fleet).  We met FY-21 benchmarks in a challenging 
environment due to strong Fleet leadership at all levels focusing on 
retaining the right Sailors within both the Active and Reserve Component.

3.  FY-22 Retention Environment.  We remain dedicated to attracting, 
developing and retaining the very best talent.  As we move into FY- 22, we 
are shifting from a trajectory of growth to sustainment while still 
aggressively working to fill our existing sea duty gaps.  This entails 
focusing on balanced communities to ensure we have the right mix of ratings, 
pay grades and navy enlisted classifications (NECs) to meet the mission.  
Your leadership and engagement remains necessary at every level to help 
sustain and improve upon our level of retention.  Expanding the REA to 
include a BIC winner for each Fleet within each class of ship will reward 
commands whose retention exceeds established benchmarks, demonstrating that 
there is no limit to retention excellence as we continue to maintain an 
operationally- effective Navy and mitigate gaps at sea.

4.  Importance of Reserve Affiliation.  Maintaining the best retention 
environment for Fleet readiness remains my top priority.
We depend on both the Active and Reserve Components to maintain Fleet 
readiness.  Simply stated, we cannot build a Navy who can fight and win 
without a total force effort.  Our Navy's Reserve team continues to answer 
every call to action and support every line of effort, from transformation of 
MyNavy HR to operating forward in remote locations.  Consequently, retention 
through RA remains a strategic imperative and will be factored into REA 
computations.  RA can occur greater than 180 days from Active Duty 
separation; however, it must occur within the same FY.

5.  FY-22 Retention Benchmarks
    a.  REA BIC.  In FY-22, we will begin the first phase of a competitive 
REA BIC distinction for certain (Type 2 and Type 4) operational platform 
types.  In future years, we will expand this concept to other operational 
units, and like-commands for shore duty.  The BIC distinction will highlight 
commands that are optimizing the principles outlined in references (a) 
through (c) to retain an operationally-ready, diverse and talented force.  
Phase I of the BIC contains 18 platform types as discussed below.  Units not 
identified to participate in the REA BIC distinction will continue to be 
identified as REA Legacy and follow REA benchmarks outlined in

5.b below.
        (1) Reenlistment rates with RA.  Under the BIC category, reenlistment 
benchmarks are determined based on a 3-year historical reenlistment rate 
average by respective platform that includes RA.
Commands who meet their specific platform reenlistment rate (with
RA) benchmark targets in Zones A, B and C and remain at or below the Navys 
Zone A attrition benchmark of 4.0% for at least 2 quarters, or the FY 
overall, will be awarded the REA and compete for BIC.  Type Commanders 
(TYCOMS) will evaluate units with the highest overall retention and lowest 
attrition at the end of the FY and utilize related metrics to determine who 
will receive the BIC distinction for each class in each Fleet.  Those units 
identified as BIC will be forwarded to their respective Echelon II command 
for release of a recognition message.
        (2) FY-22 BIC reenlistment with RA benchmarks are as
follows:
Platform Type    ZONE A    ZONE B    ZONE C
CG            73%        79%        94%
CVN            64%        75%        90%
DDG            72%        79%        94%
EOD            90%        82%        94%
HSC            74%        83%        95%
HSM            76%        80%        94%
LHA and LHD        71%        84%        94%
LPD            72%        78%        94%
LSD            77%        84%        92%
MCM            77%        94%        95%
NMCB            63%        77%        96%
SSBN            75%        86%        91%
SSGN            69%        83%        89%
SSN            67%        77%        87%
VAQ            65%        74%        92%
VAW            74%        81%        95%
VFA            64%        79%        91%
VP            74%        75%        95%
Zone A attrition benchmark is set at 4% or less.
    b.  REA Legacy.  All other Echelon II and III commands must meet or 
exceed the following aggregate reenlistment rate and attrition benchmarks to 
become eligible for the REA Legacy award:
Zone A (0 TO 6 Years of Service)       62%
Zone B (6 TO 10 Years of Service)      68%
Zone C (10 TO 14 Years of Service)     85%
Zone A Attrition                        4% or less

6.  REA Criteria for both Legacy and BIC.  If commands meet or exceed the FY-
22 reenlistment benchmarks, to include Reserve Affiliation, and are at or 
below the attrition benchmark, they are eligible to receive the Retention 
Excellence Award.  The benchmarks must be met for at least two quarters, or 
for the FY overall.
    a.  Computation Exceptions.  A zone with zero transactions at or before 
expiration of active obligated service (EAOS) will qualify as the percentage 
required in that particular zone if the command has qualifying transactions 
in the other zones.  Only two zones may be allowed to default to the minimum 
benchmark in that particular zone.
    b.  Commands must have, at a minimum, one zone of qualifying transactions 
to be eligible for the REA.  Exceptions to policy (ETP) may be considered on 
a case-by-case basis for small commands with no junior Sailors.  Echelon II 
commands, type commanders (TYCOMs) and immediate superiors in command (ISICs) 
will determine the necessity of an ETP.
    c.  Loss transactions on a Sailor transferred from a command due to 
pending separation, medical or legal hold will reflect on the command the 
Sailor was last attached to in an accounting code 100 status.
    d.  Sailors separated due to other medical reason or disability will not 
be counted towards the 4.0 or less attrition benchmark and commands will 
utilize reference (b) to adjust computed attrition in Zone A, to be submitted 
to their ISIC/TYCOM.
    e.  Requests for ETPs of any award element in paragraph 5 must be 
submitted in writing via the respective ISIC/TYCOM with specific 
justification.  ETP requests must be signed by the commanding officer (CO).  
Requests not positively endorsed at any level will not be considered.  
Disapprovals at ISIC or TYCOM level do not need to be forwarded to their 
respective Echelon II.  ETP final approval authority resides with Echelon II 
commands.
    f.  An eligible command must have a rated Navy Counselor
(Counselor) (NCC) or a billeted Career Counselor with the NEC-806R in order 
to be eligible for the REA.  In the event the Command Career Counselor (CCC) 
billet is gapped or there is an unplanned loss, the command retains REA 
eligibility while the ISIC supports the interim CCC in collection and 
submission of the FYs retention data.
    g.  TYCOM and direct reporting counselors will evaluate and submit 
eligible commands to their respective Echelon II commands no later than 1 
December 2022.

7.  Legacy REA and BIC Announcement Recognition.  Echelon II commands should 
announce their FY-22 REA Legacy and BIC recipients following consolidation of 
Echelon III and direct reporting command submissions no later than 31 
December 2022.
    a.  Following the announcement message, REA BIC awardees may fly a new 
reverse color REA pennant that is under development (blue, with gold anchor) 
and paint their anchor gold as applicable.  Legacy REA award winners and BIC 
contenders who meet benchmarks and who are not selected for BIC distinction 
will return their anchors haze grey and fly the current REA pennant (gold, 
with blue anchor).
    b.  Commands not listed as REA recipients who would like an additional 
review must submit a request via official correspondence signed by their CO 
or executive officer and endorsed by the TYCOM's N1.  All additional review 
requests must be received by the Echelon II CCC within 30 days of REA message 
release.

8.  Career Counselor of the Year (CCOY):  A key to successful execution of 
Brilliant on the Basics as detailed in references (c) and (d) is recognition.  
CCOY provides a process to recognize CCCs who manage an outstanding Career 
Development Program and serve a critical role in the military life cycle of a 
Sailor's career.  The CCOY program is maintained at the Echelon II level and 
is open to rated NCCs and unit CCCs with the NEC-806R.

9.  Points of Contact
    a.  Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education, Fleet Career Counselor.  
NCCM(SW/AW) Latonya Luter, at (703) 604-5353/DSN 664 or via e-mail at 
latonya.luter.mil(at)us.navy.mil.
    b.  U.S. Fleet Forces, Fleet Career Counselor.  NCCM(SW/AW) Crystal Webb, 
at (757)836-7780/DSN 836 or via email at crystal.p.webb.mil(at)us.navy.mil.
    c.  U.S. Pacific Fleet, Fleet Career Counselor.
NCCM(SW/SCW/FMF) Judith Jimenez, at (808) 474-5848/DSN 315 or via email at 
judith.jimenez1(at)navy.mil.
    d.  Fleet Engagement Team (BUPERS-3).  Mr. Randy Miller, at
(901) 874-2376/DSN 882 or via email at randy.a.miller4.civ (at)us.navy.mil.
    e.  Enlisted Force Plans and Policy Branch (OPNAV N132).  Mr.
Glenn Arrington, at (703) 604-5089/DSN 664 or via email at 
glenn.arrington.civ(at)us.navy.mil.

10.  Released by Vice Admiral John B. Nowell, Jr, N1.//

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