Separation by Extenuating Circumstances
All applicants enlisting under this program are assigned to the same recruit company, and initial duty station as guaranteed within this program. However, recruiters must explain to all who enlist in the Buddy Program that extenuating circumstances may require that they separate during or subsequent to, the recruit training period because of:
- Sickness or other medical reasons.
- Failure to show satisfactory progress in recruit training or apprenticeship training.
- Failure of one or more of the group to meet minimum requirements for regular recruit training or apprenticeship training.
- Change in coast of choice by any member of the buddy group.
- Failure to meet minimum water survival qualifications.
- Acceptance in another program that requires a different flow of duty assignment between completion of recruit training and first duty station (for example, if member enlists in the Seaman/Airman/Fireman and Buddy Programs for guaranteed assignment to initial duty station and subsequently elects to extend his enlistment during recruit classification to be eligible for assignment to Class “A” School).
- Request of any member of a buddy group to be dropped from the buddy group. Guarantees remain in effect for the other members of that particular group of buddies.
- Other circumstances resulting in a delay during or subsequent to recruit training.
Inadvertant Separation
Occasionally, administrative errors may result in inadvertant separation of "Buddies." To prevent such situations, recruiters should counsel all applicants enlisted in the Buddy Program concerning action to take when a recruit believes he or she has been wrongfully separated from his or her buddies. Such counseling should include:
- The importance of reporting to the Liaison Petty Officer as soon as possible after arriving at RTC the fact that of being separated from his or her buddies.
- That in cases of different assignments to recruit companies the recruit should notify the receiving officer.
- That in case of receiving orders to different duty stations the recruit should notify his or her Company Commander.
Above Information derived from the Navy Recruiting Manual (OPNAV 1130.8F)
