Navy Personnel Command’s Virtual CPO Optimization Symposium Advances

[Tony]

MILLINGTON, TN, UNITED STATES
03.09.2022
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jared Catlett 
Navy Personnel Command  
Senior enlisted leaders, manning representatives from across the Navy, and detailers wrapped up a virtual manning summit March 4 focused on identifying and filling critical chief petty officer leadership gaps at sea and critical shore assignments.

Navy Personnel Command hosted the event, which examined nearly 2,500 records of chiefs assigned to billets below their paygrade, are in excess aboard their current command, or possess critical leadership and expertise skills. Representatives from aviation, surface and submarine forces, special warfare and joint commands worked with NPC detailers and placement personnel to identify opportunities to align chiefs to jobs.

“The goal, put simply, is to align the maximum number of chiefs to chief billets,” said NPC Force Master Chief Chris Detje. “This summit allowed fleets and type commanders to work with NPC in filling their most impactful gapped billets with the right people.”

In October, NPC hosted a similar manning summit to realign master chief and senior chief billets.

Summit participants looked carefully at each chief’s record to not only identify opportunities but to make sure a move made sense, Detje added.

“Sailors with critical NECs, filling an overseas DoD tour, or who have pending or approved fleet reserve requests are likely to remain in their current command,” he said. “Family situations such as spouse co-location, and the exceptional family member program are also factors that may prevent movement.”

Of the nearly 2,500 chiefs whose records were examined, 183 received an adjusted planned rotation date, 220 are expected to crossdeck to another command, and 223 were realigned to a valid billet at their current or prospective command.

Detje said those with local moves or realignments can expect orders within 60 days. Those requiring funded geographic moves will have longer to arrange household goods moves. Report dates will be based on timing for moves, with some later than others if, for instance, a chief is expected to go into a currently occupied billet where the current billet holder will not detach for a while.

Detailers will contact those selected for moves and realignments. Sailors can expect the move process to begin as soon as April.