Max your chance for E-7: What sailors need to do

The countdown to the this year’s chief petty officer selection boards has begun as officials announced the initial, active-duty board eligible list on March 11.

The active-duty board eligible list was announced on March 11; the Selected Reserve eligible list has yet to be released, as tests are still being processed. officials say, tests are still being received and processed, so that list is expected to be released in early April, officials say.

So farAs of March 22, 19,369 of the 30,072 active sailors who took the exam in January have navigated the first hurdle in the CPO selection process and will have their records reviewed by the board, according to Navaly Education and Training Command.  

Here’s What you need to know and act on:

2. Review your records. Making the board is a significant step and puts anchors within your reach, but, there’s more work to do to increase your chances. which could mean the difference between anchors and sitting for the test again next year. 

According to Navy Personnel Command Force Master Chief (SW/AW) Tuck Williams advises sailors to at a minimum. should log in to their Official Military Personnel File and ensureing their evaluations are complete. Awards and qualifications should be checked, too. If it’s not there, the board can’t see it. This part of the record can be found on the BUPERS Online site by clicking on the "OMPF – My Record" link under the  Application Menu. 

While on BOL, sailors should also review their personnel summary records parts I, II and III for accuracy, too. These are the two critical parts of their record the board will review, Williams said.

3. Update your info. If information is missing or new information has yet to be reflected in your online records, you must write a letter to the board and submit the missing documentation. This won’t update your permanent records, but that’s a separate process, it will ensure your complete records will be seen and evaluated. 

For example, a missing evaluation is critical to submit. A but for example, if you have completed a significant qualification or award since your last evaluation can also make the difference that earns your anchors. that’s not already in the record, submit it to the board as well — it could make the difference that gets you anchors.

Instructions on how to submit a letter to the board can be found on NPC's boards website, under at www.npc.navy.mil, clicking on the boards link on the top bar, then active-duty enlisted and finally general information.

Letters and documents to the board must be received at NPC personnel command by May 31 for the active-component board. Reserve correspondence will be due April 25 for the reserve component board.

4. Making the cut. Only about six in 10 eligible sailors will be viewed by the board. The numbers of test takers fluctuates each year because of the numbers of time in rate changes annually as well. Last year's 17,639 board eligible sailors came from a pool of 33,514 test takers. In 2014, the pool was about 31,800.

This means that only first classes with top test scores and eval marks who have enough time-in-grade will go before the board, a necessary cut since it takes the panel about four weeks to review the nearly 20,000 sailors. As the CPO selection boards are the Navy's largest each year, it normally takes board members two to three weeks to sort through the eligibles and decide who gets advanced.

The only exceptions: eligible first classes with s to that ranking are those eligible first classes with boots on the ground in a combat zone and sailors given time-in-grade waivers by CO’s to take the test a year early. This year there are 461 sailors who will make the board with such waivers. 

Ranking Chief candidates are ranked by similar to how the ranking for petty officers happens semi-annually on each test cycle. But since the purpose of the process is only to determine who gets seen by the board Unlike petty officer final multiple scores, which have 6 factors that make up the score which rank orders sailors among their peers. The E-7 score has just two factors, performance mark averages and exam scores. 

Performance is calculated from the sailor's advancement recommendations within a specified time period set for the exam, he said. The exam standard score is a numerical representation of rating knowledge,  compared to peers taking the same exam.

The numbers are higher across the board this year.Last year —  year