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Re-enlistment rules: Navy

The Navy is getting smaller and, as a result, it’s getting tougher to stay in. First term sailors must apply to re-enlist and that could expand to second term sailors in the future, officials say. But for those who do stay, there’s a nice array of bonuses available to those with critical skills.

Reenlistment Zones

The Navy classifies reenlistment in four zones. Programs and bonuses that might be available depend on what zone a sailor is currently in. Here’s a breakdown:

Zone A — 17 months to six years of service.

Zone B — 6 to 10 years of service

Zone C — 10-14 years of service

Zone D — Above 14 years.

Perform to Serve

Right now, all first-term sailors must apply for approval to reenlist through the Perform to Serve Reenlistment Approval Program. An approval is required to reenlist and there are no exceptions.

In the process, sailors can apply to reenlist in their current rating or state a willingness to switch to an undermanned rating. Doing so increases their chances of a quick approval if they are currently in an overmanned rating

The process is initiated at the command level, where leaders are required to review each sailor's records and counsel them about their chances to remain in their existing rating. Equally important will be determining what other jobs sailors qualify for based on their Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test scores. Sailors are allowed to retake these test to improve their scores.

Commanding officers and career counselors must review each application before it's submitted. A CO's re-enlistment endorsement, though not the final say for shipping over, is nonetheless required to get an application into Personnel Command approval system.

Applications are sent to the Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn. by e-mail, naval message or letter. Once a month, the command reviews all applications. Sailors will compete with others in their own rating, regardless of paygrade, and will be ranked by:

• Those with the highest rank.

• Those selected but not yet advanced.

• Those who have passed their most recent advancement exam but were not advanced.

• Those with critical Naval Enlisted Classifications.

• An average of the last two promotion recommendations (promotable, must promote or early promote).

Based on where they are ranked, sailors will be either :

• Approved to re-enlist in their current rating.

• Approved to re-enlist provided the sailor converts to an undermanned rating.

• Authorized to transfer to the reserves at the end of a enlistment.

• Denied re-enlistment.

Once a sailor has approval, he can re-enlist at any time.

Find out more about Perform to Serve at https://www.npc.navy.mil/CareerInfo/PerformtoServe/

Bonuses

Sailors in certain specialties, usually a rating or a rating and Naval Enlisted Classification combination, may be offered a bonus to reenlist, but award levels can vary depending on reenlistment zone, too.

Right now the Navy’s reenlistment offerings are broken down into three maximum award levels, $45,000, $60,000 and $75,000. Most eligible skills are in the $45,000 maximum payout level. Each skill is assigned a numeric value called a multiple.

The actual amount a sailor gets is based on a mathematical calculation that includes that their multiple is multiplied by the person’s base pay and then again by the number of months they agree to reenlist for.

Those reenlisting early will not get bonus for months they are already obligated under a current contract to serve.

For example a sailor with three years in wants to reenlist to collect bonus and calculations have it that they can get the maximum amount of bonus for four years of obligation (48 months). But since they still “owe” the Navy an additional 12 months, they will have to reenlist for five years to collect the maximum bonus.

This does not apply to sailors with unexecuted mandatory extensions. Those sailors can reenlist before the extension goes into effect and still collect bonus for that time.

But the Navy makes it simple to determine just how much money a sailor will get through an online calculator available at: https://staynavytools.bol.navy.mil/SRB/