Ew boatswains mate (bm) advancement requirements

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

R 241309Z JUL 09 ZUI ASN-A00205000003
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-12//
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS //N01430//
ALCOAST 426/09
COMDTNOTE 1430
SUBJ: NEW BOATSWAINS MATE (BM) ADVANCEMENT REQUIREMENTS A. PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6, CHAPTER 5 B. BM ENLISTED PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATIONS 1. THIS ALCOAST PROMULGATES POLICY CHANGES FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PLACEMENT ON THE STRIKER ELIGIBILITY LIST FOR THE BM RATING.
2. THE DECK WATCH OFFICER (DWO) EXAMINATION HAS REPLACED THE NAVRULS EXAMINATION AS A REQUIREMENT FOR ADVANCEMENT IN THE BM RATING AS FOLLOWS.
A. EFFECTIVE 1 DECEMBER 2010, THE CG DECK WATCH OFFICER (DWO) EXAM IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE RULES OF THE ROAD EXAM FOR BM ADVANCEMENT AND COXSWAIN CERTIFICATION.
B. MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENT IN THE NAVRUL EXAM WILL BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE OPEN BOOK DWO EXAM (DWINTR) PRIOR TO THE 1 DECEMBER 2010 DEADLINE.
C. MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENT IN THE NAVRUL EXAM BUT DO NOT TAKE THE DWINTR EXAM PRIOR TO 1 DECEMBER 2010 MUST TAKE THE CLOSED BOOK DWO EXAM (DWINTO).
D. AFTER THE 1 DECEMBER 2010 DEADLINE MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT PASSED THE DWO EXAM ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO ADVANCE (ADVANCEMENTS WILL BE WITHHELD) OR BE PLACED ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL OR STRIKER ELIGIBILITY LISTS.
3. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND IAW REF A AND B, FOR ADVANCEMENT TO E-8, THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS WILL BE USED FOR ADVANCEMENT TO BMCS/E-8.
A. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BMCS SERVICEWIDE EXAM (SWE) THE MEMBER MUST BE CERTIFIED TO COMMAND ASHORE AND AFLOAT BY THE DISTRICT OFFICER IN CHARGE (OIC) REVIEW BOARD, OR
B. HAVE HELD A SURFMAN CERTIFICATION FOR A MINIMUM OF FOUR YEARS AND BE CERTIFIED TO COMMAND ASHORE. SURFMAN CERTIFICATION MUST BE WITHIN FOUR YEARS OF THE 1 FEB SERVICEWIDE ELIGIBILITY DATE, OR C. HAVE HELD A SURFMAN CERTIFICATION FOR A MINIMUM OF FOUR YEARS, BE CERTIFIED TO COMMAND ASHORE AND ARE CURRENTLY SERVING IN ANY PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED OIC BILLET.
4. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND IAW REF A AND B, FOR ADVANCEMENT TO E-9, THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS WILL BE USED FOR ADVANCEMENT TO BMCM/E-9.
A. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BMCM SWE THE MEMBER MUST BE CERTIFIED TO COMMAND ASHORE AND AFLOAT BY THE DISTRICT OIC REVIEW BOARD, OR
B. HAVE HELD A SURFMAN CERTIFICATION, IN A SURFMAN BILLET, FOR A MINIMUM OF EIGHT YEARS AND BE CERTIFIED TO COMMAND ASHORE.
5. MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MEETING ALL ADVANCEMENT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO THE SWE ELIGIBILITY DEADLINE AND FOR VERIFICATION OF THEIR PERSONNEL DATA EXTRACT (PDE) ENSURING THAT ANY PDE UPDATES ARE MADE PRIOR THE PDE CORRECTION DEADLINE.
A. FOR THOSE MEMBERS COMPETING FOR E-8/E-9 WHO DO NOT HAVE BOTH OIC ASHORE AND OIC AFLOAT CERTIFICATIONS, THE PDE MAY NOT SHOW ELIGIBLE TO COMPETE IN THE SWE. THOSE MEMBERS WHO MEET ALTERNATE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN PARAGRAPHS 3.B OR 3.C FOR E-8, OR PARAGRAPH 4.B FOR E-9, SHALL REQUEST VALIDATION OF THAT EXPERIENCE AND A PDE CORRECTION FROM THE PAY AND PERSONNEL CENTER (PPC) ADVANCEMENTS BRANCH (ADV) IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A SWE. MEMBERS MUST REQUEST VERIFICATION FROM THEIR COMMAND IN TIME TO MEET THE 1 APR VERIFICATION DEADLINE. COMMANDS SHALL VERIFY QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE AND REQUEST PDE CORRECTION VIA E-MAIL OR MESSAGE TO PPC TOPEKA//ADV//.
B. THESE ACTIONS ARE THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEMBER AND THEY MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE 1 FEB SERVICEWIDE ELIGIBILITY DATE. MEMBERS MUST ALSO ENSURE THEIR PDES ARE CORRECTED AND SHOW A STATUS OF ELIGIBLE PRIOR TO THE 01 APR PDE CORRECTION DEADLINE.
6. QUESTIONS REGARDING THE NEW BM ADVANCEMENT REQUIREMENTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE BM RATING FORCE MASTER CHIEF, BMCM KEVIN LEASK
(202) 372-2296.
7. RELEASED BY MS. CINDY NELSON-POSSINGER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
BT
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Interesting note. Those who hold the NAVRULS are able to take the open book DWINTR. Sounds like a small window of opportunity that will meet a requirement for advancement to E6. You would be silly to miss out on that one.

cs

[BMCS Mark Spillane]

I was surprised to see the free pass option for an open book test. I was even more surprised to see the effective date. 01DEC2010? That gives everyone 16 months to pass the test.

As for the E-8 prerequisites, I didn't see a change unless it was within the Surfman qualifications.

I won’t get on my Surfman box here but would hope in the years to come that free pass will to go away. Being a Surfman assigned to a Surf Station is their job. I have to be a Tactical Coxswain at my unit and still meet all the OIC Certification prerequisites for E-8.

[BMCS Nick Pupo]

Pipe Dream:
Another rating makes it a requirement for advancement to pass additional test beside the EOCT for the next rate and the EPME?

Currently BM is the only rating that requires an additional test beside those for advancement.

[BMC Nicholas George]

To advance to E9 are you still required to have successfully completed an OIC tour? Or just have the certifications?

[BMCS Mark Spillane]

The way I read it was that you had to have been a Certified Surfman for a 4 year period at some time and be currently serving as OIC Ashore. I know at lot of BMs that have only one certification and now as long as they meet the above requirements they are eligible for E-8....Hmmm

[BMC Seth Tomas]

The way I read it was that you had to have been a Certified Surfman for a 4 year period at some time and be currently serving as OIC Ashore. I know at lot of BMs that have only one certification and now as long as they meet the above requirements they are eligible for E-8....Hmmm

True, but the "certified as surfman" part will keep the numbers pretty low, IMO. I have no idea how many current surfmen we have right now (maybe someone can chime in with the numbers;) ), and of those, how many are 7's with 1 OIC cert? Maybe a handful? :confused:

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

To advance to E9 are you still required to have successfully completed an OIC tour? Or just have the certifications?

Nick, as I understand it to be, you must have both certifications for E9. Or be a Surfmen with 8 accumulative years as a certified Surfmen and having served them in a Surfmen position, plus the OIC ashore cert. I am unaware of anything stating you are required to have successfully completed an OIC tour to advance to E9.

Maybe a handful?

Seth I will agree with that statement. Looking at the E8 numbers over the last couple years, a handfull of Surfmen were on the list, just a handfull. I would have to look to be 100% sure. Bottom line is, it is not like folks are knocking down the door to make E8??? The one's who want it, which ever career path that may be are the one's stepping up and being rewarded. Good for them.

cs

[BMC Seth Tomas]

Nick, as I understand it to be, you must have both certifications for E9. Or be a Surfmen with 8 accumulative years as a certified Surfmen and having served them in a Surfmen position, plus the OIC ashore cert. I am unaware of anything stating you are required to have successfully completed an OIC tour to advance to E9.



Seth I will agree with that statement. Looking at the E8 numbers over the last couple years, a handfull of Surfmen were on the list, just a handfull. I would have to look to be 100% sure. Bottom line is, it is not like folks are knocking down the door to make E8??? The one's who want it, which ever career path that may be are the one's stepping up and being rewarded. Good for them.

cs

Hopefully I get rewarded too! (sitting waaay too low at #31....but hey, someone's gotta pull up the rear!) :D

[BMC Nicholas George]

Nick, as I understand it to be, you must have both certifications for E9. Or be a Surfmen with 8 accumulative years as a certified Surfmen and having served them in a Surfmen position, plus the OIC ashore cert. I am unaware of anything stating you are required to have successfully completed an OIC tour to advance to E9.

cs

I haven't done the research, but i always thought before you can compete for E9 as a BM you had to succesfully complete an OIC tour afloat or ashore. Maybe thats how it used to be and i never noticed the change or what i was told was BS...

...if thats not the way it is, i think its how it should be...

[BMCS Jon Gagnon]

I won’t get on my Surfman box here but would hope in the years to come that free pass will to go away. Being a Surfman assigned to a Surf Station is their job. I have to be a Tactical Coxswain at my unit and still meet all the OIC Certification prerequisites for E-8.[/QUOTE]


Mark

I was part of the group that put this into effect. The problem with becoming a surfman is the lack of opportunity to get underway to fulfill the DWO necessary to sit for the OIC board for U/W OIC. Yes, it's our job but I've asked for afloat the whole time I was a BM1 and tried as a BMC, but no luck. I'd love to be the OIC of a PB, but it's not going to happen. This is the reason this was put into effect.

Nice LE case this weekend.

Jon

[BMCS Jeff Lucas]

I can understand that the OiC requirement has been waived for reserves as they will never have a Command. On that same note, they took reserves off Cutters, and only require them to be current on RB-S. So why would they then require DWO instead of NAVRUL for reserves, as a reserve will never be a deck watch officer? Is it because the NAVRUL is completely dissapearing?

Don't get me wrong, I think a BM should know this stuff for proffesional growth, but it just seems weird that it's an advancement requirement.

[BMCM Kevin Leask]

Because the Reserve GB's said they didn't want to give the perception of being treated different.

Addressed this long before the change was made. A BM2 in Charleston asked why he had to take the DWO exam for BM1 since reserves didn't have any DWO billets. When I posed the question out to the reserve GB network, that was their answer, so there you go.

Kevin

[BMCS Jeff Lucas]

Because the Reserve GB's said they didn't want to give the perception of being treated different.

Addressed this long before the change was made. A BM2 in Charleston asked why he had to take the DWO exam for BM1 since reserves didn't have any DWO billets. When I posed the question out to the reserve GB network, that was their answer, so there you go.

Kevin

Kevin, Thanks. That doesn't surprise me. I'm taking mine next wknd.

[BMCM Kevin Leask]

I'm going to work on reserve retirement points for the DWO exam and get an ACE review for college credit like we have for the Navrules exam. It all takes time.

Kevin

[BMCS Jeff Lucas]

I'm going to work on reserve retirement points for the DWO exam and get an ACE review for college credit like we have for the Navrules exam. It all takes time.

Kevin

Great. Why not? How many points are you going to be asking for?

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Jeff, you also have to take into account that a Reservist could still get recalled at anytime. The likelihood of getting recalled to fill a vacant OINC slot might be small, but getting recalled and being assigned to a cutter isn't. Shouldn't a Senior BM be capable of breaking in OOD the day they report on board?

[BMCS Jeff Lucas]

Jeff, you also have to take into account that a Reservist could still get recalled at anytime. The likelihood of getting recalled to fill a vacant OINC slot might be small, but getting recalled and being assigned to a cutter isn't. Shouldn't a Senior BM be capable of breaking in OOD the day they report on board?

I just went through all of this last years reserve solicitations, and unless I missed one, I didn't see a single BM reserve solicitation for a Cutter. There are DC and OS requests, but no BM. And IF a BM was to be requested, and was then required to break in DWO, then they would just take the open-book DWO, and move on. With all the O's and active BM's, why would there be a request for a reserve BM to be a DWO? And I'm just asking 'cause I don't know, but does anyone out there recall in the last few years a reserve BM solicited to a Cutter to serve as a DWO? My guess is probably not. There may have been some reserve BM's on Cutters who, on their own, broke in as a DWO just because they wanted to, but having seen a lot of solicitations lately, they are very specific in required quals of what they want, and DWO isn't one of them. Also, just out of curiosity, how long does it generally take for an active duty member to get their DWO qual with little or no u/w experience?

Again, I'm not opposed to taking the thing. It is good knowledge for any BM to have. Just don't put it under the guides of "you may be recalled to a Cutter to serve as a DWO", because I think those days are long gone.

[CWO Eugene Diotalevi (BMC)]

Jeff,

Have you ever been qualified as a DWO?

G

[BMCS Jeff Lucas]

Jeff,

Have you ever been qualified as a DWO?

G

Negative. But I've seen a DWO once. ;)

[BMC Mark Emerson]

I think the DWO is a better exam for the BM's to take. It forces you to apply the knowledge and rules. Just my .02, I took it the first time before the institute took it over in 95. When I took it it was the first time they made it a requirement to advance to BM1.

Mark

[BMCS Jeff Lucas]

Took my DWOINTO this wknd. Passed. Bring on E-9!