RETENTION EXCELLENCE AWARD

[Tony]

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 071805Z FEB 23 MID200080715767U
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
 
NAVADMIN 027/23
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB//

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/29JUL22//

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 1040.11E, NAVY ENLISTED RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT 
PROGRAM.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN highlights the Navy's Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 retention, 
outlines the FY-23 retention environment, provides FY-23 reenlistment rate 
benchmarks, and Retention Excellence Award (REA) criteria.  Additionally, it 
reemphasizes our commitment to promoting a culture of excellence in line with 
references (a) through (e), and the need to continue retaining the best 
talent in a forward- operating, diverse, and talent-rich Navy team.

2.  FY-22 Retention:
    a.  In FY-22, we achieved the following combined reenlistment and reserve 
affiliation rates:
        (1) Zone A: 68% (62% benchmark).
        (2) Zone B: 67% (68% benchmark).
        (3) Zone C: 85% (85% benchmark).
    b.  We fell short of the Zone A attrition benchmark of 4% or less:
        (1) United States Fleet Forces: 5.8%.
        (2) United States Pacific Fleet: 5.6%.

3.  FY-23 retention environment.  As we progress through this FY, we remain 
dedicated to attracting, developing, and retaining the very best talent.
    a.  Fleet Readiness.  We are building a robust marketplace to mitigate 
gaps at sea and maximize fleet readiness, which is foundational to meeting 
the Navy mission.  Our Sailors will be afforded opportunities to participate 
in the marketplace as they manage their careers.
    b.  All Hands on Deck.  To maximize retention, an *all hands on
deck* approach is required.  It is imperative everyone plays an active part 
in ensuring the Navy retains the right Sailors.  Last year we introduced 
changes in the REA program to further incentivize operational units to 
maximize retention by being the *Best in Class*
(BIC) for their platform type while maintaining the REA Legacy for the rest 
of the Navy until all units can be transitioned into a BIC.
    c.  FY-23 Goal.  This FY we are asking that you put additional effort 
into retaining talented Sailors (on Active Duty or in the Reserves).  As 
such, you will see that we have set the reenlistment rate benchmarks 2% above 
each platforms 3-year average (for REA BIC), or 2% above last FYs performance 
(for REA Legacy).

4.  Importance of Reserve Affiliation.  Maintaining the best retention 
environment for fleet readiness remains our top priority.
We depend on both the Active and Reserve Component to maintain Fleet 
readiness.  Simply stated, we cannot build a Navy who can fight and win 
without a total force effort.  The strategic depth provided by our Navy 
Reserve team has supported critical missions everywhere we operate, ranging 
from Coronavirus Disease 2019 response to flying key resupply missions around 
the world and from shore to operating forward in remote locations.  
Consequently, retention through reserve affiliation (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 be within the 
same FY.

5.  FY-23 Reenlistment Rate Benchmarks:
    a.  REA BIC.  In FY-23 we will continue a competitive REA BIC distinction 
for certain (Type 2 and Type 4) operational platform types.  The BIC 
distinction highlights those commands who are optimizing the principles in 
line with references (a) through (c) to retain an operationally ready, 
diverse, and talented force.  REA BIC includes 18 platform types provided 
below.  Units not identified as REA BIC will continue to be identified as REA 
Legacy and follow REA benchmarks outlined in paragraph 5b.
        (1) Reenlistment rates with RA.  Commands who meet their specific 
platform reenlistment rate benchmark targets (including RA) in Zones A, B, 
and C and remain at or below the Navy's Zone A attrition benchmark of 4% for 
at least two quarters or the FY overall, will be awarded the REA.  The 
Immediate Superior in Command (ISIC) will evaluate commands who meet the ship 
class REA criteria and determine, from those commands, their BIC nominee.  
BIC nominees will be awarded based on ISIC determined metrics as long as they 
meet the minimum REA benchmarks.  Those commands identified by the ISICs as 
BIC nominees will be forwarded to their respective Type Commander (TYCOM) for 
additional review, endorsement, and final selection.  TYCOMs will then 
forward finalized REA BIC awardees to the Echelon II command for the release 
of a recognition message.
        (2) FY-23 BIC reenlistment benchmarks (including RA): 

Platform Type     ZONE A      ZONE B      ZONE C
CG                74%         76%         95%
CVN               66%         75%         92%
DDG               74%         78%         94%
EOD               88%         84%         95%
HSC               75%         79%         96%
HSM               79%         80%         93%
LHA and LHD       74%         82%         96%
LPD               74%         78%         96%
LSD               78%         82%         91%
MCM               75%         88%         95%
NMCB              63%         75%         98%
SSBN              76%         83%         94%
SSGN              75%         79%         90%
SSN               70%         73%         88%
VAQ               70%         75%         95%
VAW               79%         77%         96%
VFA               68%         78%         91%
VP                73%         78%         97%
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 rates (with RA) and attrition 
benchmarks to become eligible for the REA Legacy award:
        (1) Zone A:  70%.
        (2) Zone B:  70%.
        (3) Zone C:  87%.
Zone A attrition 4% or less.

6.  REA Criteria for both Legacy and BIC.  If commands meet or exceed the FY-
23 reenlistment benchmarks (including RA) and are at or below the attrition 
benchmark, they are eligible to receive the REA.  The benchmarks must be met 
for at least two quarters or the FY overall.  Additionally, ISICs and TYCOMs 
can utilize retention or Sailor related metrics to determine final 
eligibility.
    a.  Computation Exceptions.  A zone with zero transactions at or before 
the end of active obligated service 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 a minimum of 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, TYCOMs and ISICs will determine the necessity of an ETP.
    c.  Loss transactions on a Sailor transferred from a command due to 
pending separation, a medical, or legal hold will reflect on the command 
where the Sailor was last attached in an accounting category code 100 status.
    d.  Sailors separated due to other medical reasons or disability, will 
not be counted towards the 4% or less attrition benchmark and commands will 
utilize reference (b) to adjust computed attrition in Zone A to be submitted 
to their ISIC or TYCOM.
    e.  Requests for ETPs of any award element in paragraph 5, must be 
submitted in writing via the respective ISIC or TYCOM with specific 
justification.  ETP requests must be signed by the commanding officer.  
Requests disapproved at any level will not be considered.  Disapprovals at 
ISIC or TYCOM level do not need to be forwarded to their respective Echelon 
II command.  Command ETP final approval authority resides with Echelon II 
commands.
    f.  An eligible command must have a rated Navy counselor (NC) or a 
billeted Command Career Counselor (CCC) with the Navy enlisted classification 
(NEC) 806R in order to be eligible for the REA.  In the event, the CCC billet 
is gapped or there is an unplanned loss, the command retains REA eligibility 
while the ISIC supports the interim CCC in the collection and submission of 
retention data.
    g.  TYCOM and direct reporting NCs will evaluate and submit eligible 
commands to their respective Echelon II command no later than 1 December 
2023.

7.  REA Legacy and BIC Announcement Recognition.  Echelon II commands should 
announce their FY-23 REA Legacy and BIC recipients following the 
consolidation of Echelon III commands and direct reporting command 
submissions no later than 31 December 2023.
    a.  Following the announcement message, REA BIC awardees may fly the BIC 
pennant (blue, with a silver anchor) and paint their anchor gold as 
applicable.
     b.  REA Legacy award winners and BIC contenders who meet benchmarks and 
who are not selected for BIC distinction can fly the REA pennant (gold, with 
a blue anchor) and paint their anchor haze grey.

8.  Career Counselor of the Year (CCOY).  A key to the successful execution 
of brilliant on the basics as detailed in references (c) and (d) is 
recognition.  CCOY provides an opportunity 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 command level and is open to 
rated NC and unit CCCs with the NEC 806R.

9.  Points of Contact:
    a.  Personnel, Manpower, and Training, Fleet Career Counselor.
NCCM(SW/AW/IW) James Osborne, at (703) 604-5353/DSN 664 or via e- mail at 
james.r.osborne.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 e-mail 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 e- mail at 
judith.m.jimenez2.mil(at)navy.mil.
    d. Fleet Engagement Team (BUPERS-3).  Mr. Randy Miller, at (901) 874-
2376/DSN 882 or via e-mail 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 e-mail at 
glenn.arrington.civ(at)us.navy.mil.

10.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.//

BT
#0001
NNNN
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//