BM Advancement Future

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Just looked at the January Retirement forecast, keep in mind that this is the people that have retirement letters in - some may pull letters, some may put in letters. For 2007 there seems to be 38 BMC's retiring, 10 BMCS, and 8 BMCM's retiring. Looks like the advancements may start to slow down. Get your stuff done for the end of January!

[CWO Chris Sparkman (BMC)]

The 8 list is cleared.....wow

cs

[BMC Chris Purdy]

How many of you out there are planning on taking the 8 test this spring? I think the chances for this year are still pretty good. Seeing from the last test I should have fought harder for a waiver to compete.

[BMCS Dave Considine]

Chris, the XPO here is taking it, he has been looking around at the numbers of E7 BM's that have the EPME done etc. It looks like the nnumbers taking it may be low again, surprisingly. I still think if you can sit, your chances are very good, but from here on out it may start to slow down. I am especially waiting to see if the OIC working group made any changes that may affect who can sit. STUDY THE EPME, ESPECIALLY HONORS AND CEREMONIES!!

Good luck!

[BMC Chris Purdy]

Dave,
Roger that, we just had our OIC conference over here, and I only know of one other person taking it.

[BMCS Dave Jonason]

I guess there is one more thing I dont know about E-Coast Guard. How do you check and see how many people have completed there EPMEcourse? Other than going into everyones personal account and I hope that people wouldnt do that.

[BMC John Phillips III]

I should have fought harder for a waiver to compete.

Chris if you are talking about getting a waiver for the praq I think you are, you wouldn't have gotten it. I was going to try the same thing since I only had one of the two necessary quals to compete last year. I spoke (face to face) with the RFMC and he said, "no way jose"

I am going to take the test in May, but I also applied for Warrant. We'll see what happens.

[BMCS R. Scott Pugh]

Dave - I know the RFMC has access to the number of BMCs who have completed the E8 EPME Test, he was the one that was spreading the word last year.

Scott

p.s. Good Luck

[BMCS Dave Considine]

I don't know how he did it, but he figured out how to run a query DA with the test name etc, the number was around 40 that have EPME and at least one OIC qual (hard to figure out how many of those one-qualer's are in a Surf billet.)

If the numbers are right then there should be about that number sitting I would assume, but you know what assuming does. Good luck to everyone sitting.

[BMC Chris Purdy]

John,
My waiver issue was for the CPOA. I was scheduled to attend in Feb. 05 before transferring. My son became ill and was in the hospital for a while, due to pregnancy my wife would not have been able to care for him while I was gone. So I backed out of the class. Transfered to current OIC job, and could not attend until FEB 06. Just needed that waived, all other praq's were complete. Was not getting the warm and fuzzy about getting a waiver, since my class convened after 01FEB. Oh well I will just have to get cracking on the books this year. Good Luck to You.

Chris

[BMCS Dave Jonason]

(hard to figure out how many of those one-qualer's are in a Surf billet.)

I know of three off the top of my head.

[BMC John Phillips III]

John,
My waiver issue was for the CPOA.

and I should know not to assume. I was at the academy when I talked to him and I was trying to feel him out about having just one OIC qual and getting a waiver. He very adamately said, no.

thanks for the good luck, you too!