Beginning in fiscal year 2011, an associate's degree or equivalent that is rating-relevant will be a prerequisite for advancement to senior chief petty officer for active and reserve personnel.
This initiative is part of the Navy’s evolving Human Capital Strategy and is an integral component of the Professional Military Education (PME) Continuum, which supports post-secondary education as a means of preparing Sailors for the highly technical 21st century Navy.
“As the Navy continues to develop high-tech capabilities and reduce the size of its work force, Sailors will be called upon to perform in new and challenging ways,” said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Terry D. Scott. “Adapting to these challenges will require Sailors to have a strong educational foundation, both professionally and personally. Degree programs that focus on rating-relevant education will better prepare Sailors to face those challenges in the operational environment by capitalizing on existing military training and experience.”
“When Sailors begin working toward their degrees, they will discover the value of their Navy training and experience,” said Vice Adm. Gerry Hoewing, Chief of Naval Personnel. "Most will find they are more than halfway to the degree based on their accomplishments already,” he added.
Adding the associate's degree initiative as a prerequisite for advancement to senior chief has been in the works since the PME Continuum was announced in NAVADMIN 263/04. Before making the final decision, however, Navy officials worked to develop the right plan to phase the program into practice.
Recognizing that some Sailors may have already begun to pursue their post-secondary education goals and that the civilian skills of Reserve component Sailors may support the Navy mission, Navy officials have established several exemptions that satisfy the new policy for Sailors who have completed, or are enrolled in degree programs prior to Oct. 1, 2006.
Exempt Sailors include those who currently have an associate's degree or higher, those who are enrolled in any associate degree program and complete all requirements before Jan. 1, 2008, and those who are enrolled in any baccalaureate degree program and complete at least 50 percent of degree requirements before Jan. 1, 2008.
Sailors may elect to enroll in a rating-relevant baccalaureate degree program from an accredited institution in lieu of an associate's degree, but must complete a minimum of 50 percent of the degree requirements to be eligible for FY 2011 E8 selection board and beyond.
“Selected Reserve Sailors have an additional option to satisfy the degree requirement,” said NETC Force Master Chief Mike McCalip. “With the exception of Full-Time Support (FTS) Reservists, Reserve Sailors may satisfy the requirement by obtaining either a rating-relevant degree or a degree relevant to their civilian occupation.”
A visit to the nearest Navy College Office will help Sailors get started on their degree program, according to McCalip.
“The Navy College Program Distance Learning Partnerships (NCPDLP) offer a number of rating-relevant degree programs at colleges throughout the country to help Sailors earn their post-secondary degrees,” McCalip said. “These Service members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) apply the greatest amount of the American Council on Education (ACE)-recommended credit that the Sailor has already earned from Navy training and experience, and they accept considerable credit by examination. They also provide distance-learning opportunities and significant flexibility to complete degree requirements inside or outside the classroom.”
To further assist Sailors in pursuing a degree, the Navy developed an education degree roadmap for all Sailors and made it available through Navy Knowledge Online (NKO). Sailors using the roadmap must first verify their existing academic transcripts contained in their Electronic Training Jackets (ETJ) on NKO. This information is compiled from the individual’s Sailor/Marine American Council on Education Registry Transcript (SMART). Once this information has been verified, Sailors should consult with their local Navy College Office to develop their own education plan.
