Sailors belong on ships; ships belong at sea ...

Hmmm ... we kicked out 2,900 ERB non-retainees.

We say we are focused on our Sailors. We just announced longer deployments being the new normal.

How has that impacted the Fleet? As predicted:

R 261738Z JUL 12 LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING FOR ENLISTED SAILORS CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS
QQQQ
SUBJ: LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING FOR ENLISTED SAILORS
UNCLASSIFIED/
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
UNCLAS//N01306//
NAVADMIN 227/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUL//
SUBJ/LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING FOR ENLISTED SAILORS//
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/261710ZJUL12//
AMPN/REF A IS NAVADMIN 226/12, CHANGES IN ENLISTED DISTRIBUTION TO
IMPROVE SEA DUTY MANNING.//
RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH REF A AND EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SHORT-TERM MANNING ISSUES IN OUR DEPLOYING FORCES, ANNOUNCES THE LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING PROGRAM WHICH WILL ALLOW THE REASSIGNMENT OF SAILORS ON SHORE DUTY WHO HAVE CRITICAL SKILLS REQUIRED BY OUR IMMINENT DEPLOYERS TO SEA DUTY. THIS ACTION IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT BETWEEN 200 AND 400 SAILORS NAVY WIDE.
2. SAILORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF 24 MONTHS ON SHORE DUTY AT THE TIME OF ORDER EXECUTION MAY BE CONTACTED BY THEIR DETAILER AND DIRECTED TO A SEA DUTY ASSIGNMENT PRIOR TO THEIR PROJECTED ROTATION DATE (PRD). DIRECT DETAILED SAILORS WILL BE FINANCIALLY COMPENSATED IN A LUMP SUM, CALCULATED ACCORDING TO MONTHS OF SHORE DUTY CURTAILED.
3. LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED AS FOLLOWS:
A. TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF DIRECT DETAILED SAILORS, DETAILERS WILL FILL AS MANY OF THE CRITICAL JOBS AS POSSIBLE BY FULLY UTILIZING THE AUTHORIZED TRANSFER WINDOW THAT INCLUDES MOVING SAILORS THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO, OR FOUR MONTHS BEYOND, THEIR PRD MONTH. THIS IS THE NORMAL AUTHORIZED DETAILING WINDOW, IT IS NOT CONSIDERED DIRECTED DETAILING AND WILL NOT RESULT IN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL COMPENSATION.
B. DETAILERS WILL COMPILE A LIST OF SHORE DUTY SAILORS BASED ON SHORE DUTY COMMENCEMENT DATE, SAILORS THAT HAVE BEEN ON SHORE DUTY THE LONGEST WILL GENERALLY BE UTILIZED FIRST AND GEOGRAPHIC STABILITY WILL BE MAINTAINED WHENEVER POSSIBLE. SAILORS THAT ALREADY POSSESS A REQUIRED NEC WILL BE CHOSEN UNLESS TRAINING IS AVAILABLE AND CAN BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE REQUIRED REPORTING DATE.
C. NO SHORE COMMANDS OR SPECIFIC JOBS ARE EXEMPT FROM LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING. HOWEVER, SAILORS CURRENTLY FILLING THE FOLLOWING BILLETS OR AT THE FOLLOWING COMMANDS WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED AFTER ALL OTHERS: RECRUIT DIVISION COMMANDER; ATTACH, RECRUITERS AND INSTRUCTORS, CAMP DAVID, STATE DEPARTMENT, SPECWAR AND SPECOPS SHORE COMMANDS, AND AFLOAT TRAINING GROUPS. SAILORS WITH A NUCLEAR NEC (33XX) WILL CONTINUE TO BE DETAILED PER NAVAL NUCLEAR PROPULSION PROGRAM PRIORITIES.
D. ONCE A SAILOR IS IDENTIFIED TO FILL A CRITICAL JOB THAT REQUIRES SHORE DUTY CURTAILMENT, BOTH THE LOSING COMMAND AND THE SAILOR WILL BE CONTACTED BY PERS-40. PERS-4 WILL BE THE FLAG REVIEW AUTHORITY FOR ANY COMMAND REQUESTING FLAG REVIEW.
E. HIGH YEAR TENURE (HYT) WAIVERS FOR PURPOSES OF COMPLETING
DEPLOYMENTS WILL BE APPROVED AND PRD WILL BE SET TO THE PRESCRIBED SEA TOUR (PST) BASED ON THE SAILOR'S SEA SHORE FLOW REQUIREMENT.
F. UPON RECEIPT OF ORDERS, FINANCIAL COMPENSATION WILL BE PAID IN THE FORM OF A LUMP SUM PAYMENT. SAILORS WHO ARE UNABLE TO EXECUTE THEIR ORDERS WILL HAVE THEIR FINANCIAL COMPENSATION RECOUPED.
4. DECISIONS AFFECTING THE CAREERS AND LIVES OF OUR SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY. OUR AIM IS TO CAUSE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DISRUPTION TO THE CAREERS OF OUR SAILORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHILE SUSTAINING FLEET MANNING AND ENSURING OUR NAVY REMAINS MISSION READY ACROSS THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF MARITIME OPERATIONS. LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING IS MEANT TO BE AN INTERIM POLICY TO IMPROVE FLEET MANNING AND READINESS BY FILLING THE CRITICAL GAPS WE ARE EXPERIENCING AT SEA WITH THE RIGHT SAILORS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THIS POLICY, ADJUST AS NECESSARY, AND REFINE LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS THAT WILL HELP PROPERLY MAN THE NAVY AT SEA AND ON SHORE.
5. RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.//

How many of those billets would have been filled by ERB Sailors?

If we are going to do this, fine. Then let's look at those billets where we are pulling people from shore ... and eliminate them.

Sailors don't mind sea duty - this Sailor didn't. What they don't like is being jerked around.

Here is a companion message. Who here remembers "Chiefs to Sea" program from the mid-90s?

Well - here we go.

UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 261930Z JUL 12
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
QQQQ
SUBJ: CHIEF PETTY OFFICER EARLY RETURN TO SEA UNCLASSIFIED/ PASS TO ALL OFFICE
CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
UNCLAS//N04631//
NAVADMIN 230/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1//
SUBJ/CHIEF PETTY OFFICER EARLY RETURN TO SEA//
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/261710ZJUL12//
REF/B/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/261738ZJUL12//
REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/311552ZJAN12//
REF/D/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/061653ZJUL12//
REF/E/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/261838ZJUL12//
REF/F/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/091001ZSEP97//
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 226/12, CHANGES IN ENLISTED DISTRIBUTION TO IMPROVE SEA DUTY MANNING. REF B IS NAVADMIN 227/12, LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING FOR ENLISTED SAILORS. REF C IS NAVADMIN 043/12, VOLUNTARY SEA DUTY PROGRAM. REF D IS NAVADMIN 205/12, VOLUNTARY SEA DUTY PROGRAM UPDATE. REF E IS NAVADMIN 229/12, VOLUNTARY SEA DUTY PROGRAM UPDATE TWO. REF F IS NAVADMIN 221/97, CHIEF PETTY OFFICER TO SEA POLICY.//
RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH REF A AND EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CRITICAL SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERSHIP MANNING ISSUES IN OUR DEPLOYING FORCES, ANNOUNCES THE CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (CPO) EARLY RETURN TO SEA DUTY PROGRAM WHICH PUTS NEW DETAILING BUSINESS RULES IN PLACE REGARDING SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERS (E7-E9). THIS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS DESIGNED IN COOPERATION WITH U.S. FLEET FORCES COMMAND AND THE MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER OF THE NAVY TO ENSURE HIGH PRIORITY SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AT SEA ARE SUFFICIENTLY MANNED, WILL ENABLE THE EARLY REASSIGNMENT TO SEA OF CPOS ON SHORE DUTY POSSESSING CRITICAL SKILLS REQUIRED BY OUR DEPLOYING UNITS. THIS PROGRAM IS DIFFERENT FROM THE LIMITED DIRECTED DETAILING PROGRAM ANNOUNCED IN REF B WHICH IS FOCUSED ON FILLING NEAR TERM MANNING GAPS. THE CPO EARLY RETURN TO SEA PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON THE LONG TERM AND IS INTENDED TO REMAIN IN PLACE AS A MEANS OF MAINTAINING THE REQUIRED LEVEL OF CRITICAL SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERSHIP AT SEA.
2. SENIOR ENLISTED DETAILING BUSINESS RULES/GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CPO EARLY RETURN TO SEA VIA CURTAILMENT OF SHORE DUTY ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A. APPLIES TO SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERS (E7-E9) SAILORS IN ALL RATINGS.
B. TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF CPOS IMPACTED BY EARLY CURTAILMENT OF SHORE DUTY, DETAILERS WILL FILL AS MANY HIGH PRIORITY E7-E9 SEA DUTY BILLETS AS POSSIBLE BY FULLY UTILIZING THE AUTHORIZED TRANSFER WINDOW. CURRENT POLICY ALLOWS DETAILERS TO TRANSFER SAILORS UP TO THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO, OR FOUR MONTHS BEYOND, PROJECTED ROTATION DATE (PRD). INVOLUNTARY CURTAILMENT OF SHORE DUTY WILL ONLY BE USED WHEN THERE ARE NO AVAILABLE CPOS IN THE PRD WINDOW AND THERE ARE NO EXCESS PERSONNEL ON SEA DUTY WITHIN THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA WHO CAN BE REASSIGNED. EXCEPT TO MEET THE MOST CRITICAL OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, ONLY SAILORS WHO HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST 24 MONTHS OF SHORE DUTY AT THE TIME OF TRANSFER WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR EARLY RETURN TO SEA.
C. CANDIDATES WILL BE SELECTED BASED ON VARIOUS FACTORS, WHICH INCLUDE: LENGTH OF TIME ON SHORE, RECENT ADVANCEMENT, FLEET EXPERIENCE, NEC/SKILLS HELD, TYPE OF PREVIOUS SEA DUTY, AND REMAINING OBLISERV. IMPACT ON THE SHORE DUTY COMMAND'S MISSION WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED. E8/9 SAILORS MAY BE CHOSEN TO FILL VACANT E7/8/9 BILLETS AND E7 SAILORS MAY BE CHOSEN TO FILL VACANT E8 BILLETS.
D. IF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES OR MISSION REQUIREMENTS PRECLUDE AN ELIGIBLE CPO FROM EXECUTING THE SEA DUTY ASSIGNMENT, THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES MUST BE SUBMITTED TO PERS-40 IN WRITING, WITH COMMAND ENDORSEMENT, WITHIN 30 DAYS OF BEING IDENTIFIED AS A REPLACEMENT UNDER THIS POLICY. PERS-4 IS THE FLAG REVIEW AUTHORITY FOR SUCH CASES.
E. REQUESTS TO TRANSFER TO THE FLEET RESERVE, SUBMITTED SUBSEQUENT TO SELECTION FOR EARLY RETURN TO SEA BY CPOS WITH MORE THAN ONE YEAR OF CONTRACT TIME REMAINING, MAY BE DISAPPROVED.
F. HIGH YEAR TENURE (HYT) WAIVER REQUESTS FOR CPOS CHOSEN FOR EARLY RETURN TO SEA WILL RECEIVE FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION.
G. CPOS WITH A NUCLEAR NEC (33XX) WILL CONTINUE TO BE DETAILED PER NAVAL NUCLEAR PROPULSION PROGRAM PRIORITIES.
3. TO ENCOURAGE CPOS TO VOLUNTARILY RETURN TO SEA DUTY, THE FOLLOWING INCENTIVES ARE CURRENTLY OFFERED VIA THE VOLUNTARY SEA DUTY PROGRAM AS OUTLINED IN REFS C, D AND E.
A. GEOGRAPHIC CHOICE OR STABILITY;
B. HYT WAIVER CONSIDERATION; AND
C. SEA DUTY INCENTIVE PAY FOR ELIGIBLE RATINGS.
4. REF F, NAVADMIN 221/97, CHIEF PETTY OFFICER TO SEA POLICY, IS HEREBY CANCELLED.
5. FOR THE NAVY TO CONTINUE MEETING WORLD-WIDE OPERATIONAL COMMITMENTS, WE MUST MAINTAIN AT-SEA MANNING READINESS. THESE CHANGES WILL HELP US ENSURE CRITICAL SENIOR ENLISTED LEADERSHIP IS WHERE WE NEED IT MOST.
6. RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.//
BT
#3720
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED/