New app helps sailors check advancement scores

Sailors now have an official way to check the make-or-break math for their advancement, — with a few taps on their smartphones.

The "FMS Calculator" app, announced Friday, allows sailors to check the computation of their final multiple scores used to rank all sailors up for E-4, E-5 and E-6. The app is available on , used to Navy officials announced Nov. 6 the official release on the iTunes and Google Play. online stores, the release of a new final multiple score calculator for mobile devices. 

Though not a training requirement, The app aims to train sailors to understand on understanding how their promotion shots are is tallied and to allow them to double-check themit, with the possibility that they'll find an error and nab a quota. the final multiple application has the dual role of providing sailors training in how their advancement is scored and how all the factors come together to rank them to see if they’ll nab a quota and move up or not. 

And Like a banking application that allows you to explore "what if" scenarios with your credit scores, the FMS applicationallows lets sailors to replace scores and factors in the formula — gaming out better evaluations or high exam scores, or adding a whether they raise their eval scores or score better on the exam — or even add a new Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal to their awards racks.

The Navy provides Sailors can download their with what’s called aprofile sheets that can be downloaded by the sailor through Navy Knowledge online. This details that outlines their overall Final Multiple scores and the as well as their separate scores on the  individual factors that make them up. The app allows sailors to quickly double-check factors, including those that are frequent spots for errors, such as like individual augmentee points, awards and the performance mark average from evaluations.

The calculator is the second in what officials at the Naval Education and Training Command officials say will be a steady stream of applications rolled out this comingnext year for sailors. 

"As we continue to create more mobile applications for our sailors, our goal is that the information and training that is readily available to them will allow greater flexibility and increased opportunities," wrote said NETC Commander Rear Adm. Michael S.Mike White, the NETC boss, commander of Naval Education and Training Command in a press release. "We want our sailors of the future to be well prepared and have the tools needed to succeed."

The first such NETC mobile application was released in September with a phone-based Sept. 11, when the Navy made it possible to complete Domestic Violence General Military Training via the phone. requirements on the phone through a special application — and get credit through the Navy’s training system when completed. 

More GMT applications are planned, too. Officials are now in the final stages of developing an operational security training app, that will allow yet another GMT requirement to be completed on mobile devices. 

Releases of many new applications are expected to happen throughout fiscal year 2016 as officials look to move more GMT requirements online and to cut the number of face-to-face training sessions. into more easily digested content and eliminate the requirement formal classes to teach many courses that don’t require face-to-face instruction.

The application will works for both active-duty and reserve enlisted. service members.but Officials say that this app should also prove very handy for career counselors, education service officers and chiefs, and division officers who mentor sailors via counseling and career-development boards. as well as chief petty officers and division offithe cers who mentor and lead sailors — and who often find themselves conducting career development boards after advancement cycles.

The app gives The application, officials say will give these leaders the tools ability to counsel sailors on where they can improve their chances the most. 

For the deckplate sea lawyers in the crowd, the app also links to Navy advancement policy and guidance manuals, inducingincluding Naval Advancement Manual and the latest NAVADMIN NavAddmin, 114/14 outlining last year’s changes to the final multiple scoring. But the links to the references only work if the device is connected to the internet.  

Information technology experts with the U.S. Navy Sea Warrior Program information technology experts produced these apps with the help of civilian app contractor, Tracen Technologies Inc.

As a result, the Navy has added a "hold harmless" disclaimer that sailors have acknowledge before they can use the calculator. To find the free Navy FMS app, search "Final Multiple Score Calculator."