ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS, June 6, 2013) — The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) initiated the Career Waypoints Program, replacing the Perform to Serve (PTS) process and other associated programs, June 3.
The new system differs from the previous PTS as Sailors are guided toward a more decisive action instead of having to make a last minute decision to reenlist, convert rates or join the selected Reserve.
“This program only starts to affect Sailors with [end of active obligated service] of July 2014 and later,” said Chief Navy Career Counselor J.D. Jenkins.
Sailors whose EAOS falls before then will be under the old PTS system.
There are three phases to the program beginning 13 months from the expiration of a Sailor’s soft EAOS. The first phase, consisting of four reviews, allows Sailors to reenlist in-rate, convert rates or transition to selected Reserves. The second phase, also four reviews, gives Sailors a choice to convert or transition. The third and final phase, only three reviews, will only give Sailors the opportunity to transition.
Under the old PTS system, a Sailor could elect to keep trying for approval in-rate up through their final review. If they were not approved, the other options to convert or transition were no longer available and they would be forced to separate.
“After those first four months, you already know you’re going to have to make a decision as far as what other kind of job you’re going to want or whether or not you’re going to stay active duty or selective Reserve,” said Jenkins. “It’s cut and dried, black and white. It’s a stricter system than it was before.”
According to Navy officials, 100 percent of eligible, command-approved Sailors who are in undermanned or balanced skillsets will receive approval to reenlist on their first application, and within 30 days. All command-approved first class petty officers will also be approved on their first review.
The new program will be accompanied by information technology (IT) changes giving Sailors and commands immediate confirmation upon submittal.
“Sailors can actually log on and check their own applications in Career Waypoints,” said Jenkins.
Once the IT software is available at the end of 2013, Sailors can verify their requests and check their status.
“I’ve always been a proponent of empowerment for the Sailor,” said Jenkins. “There’s no question or confusion.”
Another benefit is alignment with orders negotiation giving Sailors more opportunity to choose orders they want.
“The way they did the timeline, it coincides with (Career Management System Interactive Detailing) CMS-ID, so now you can negotiate for orders instead of being deep in your negotiating window,” said Jenkins. “You’ll be approved prior to your window.”
Before any Sailor enters their window, they need to inform either their divisional, departmental or command career counselor of their career intentions so they can accurately predict the number of billets that can be filled with the number of Sailors who want in-rate approval.
“We’ve got a lot of folks who are on the fence,” said Jenkins. “But the sooner they make that decision, the better and easier it is for them, the better it is for their application to go in.”
For more information on Career Waypoints and how these changes will affect you, see your career counselor.
For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy .
For more news from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), visit www.navy.mil/local/cvn75/ .
