ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
ROUTINE       
 
R 212004Z AUG 00  ZYB MIN PSN 911672J26
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N01754//
NAVADMIN 218/00
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/PERS-662//
 
SUBJ/EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER (EFM) PROGRAM//
 
REF/A/DOC/PERS-66/07SEP93//
 
AMPN/REF A IS OPNAVINST 1754.2A, EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER PROGRAM.//
 
RMKS/1.  PER REF A, FAMILY MEMBERS WITH LONG-TERM MEDICAL,
PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ARE REQUIRED TO BE
ENROLLED IN THE EFM PROGRAM.  SERVICEMEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENROLL
FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE PROGRAM AS SOON AS SPECIAL NEEDS ARE
IDENTIFIED, ALLOWING SERVICEMEMBERS AND DETAILERS TO NEGOTIATE
ASSIGNMENT LOCATIONS WHERE SPECIAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.  THERE
WERE 16,000 EFM PROGRAM ENROLLMENTS IN 1999, AND ENROLLMENT CONTINUES
TO INCREASE AS PROGRAM AWARENESS IS ENHANCED.
 
2.  EFM ENROLLMENT BENEFITS THE NAVY BY SAVING PCS DOLLARS,
LESSENING EARLY RETURNS FROM OVERSEAS AND UNNECESSARY FAMILY
SEPARATIONS, MINIMIZING HUMANITARIAN ASSIGNMENTS, AND REDUCING
HARDSHIP DISCHARGES.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE EFM PROGRAM BENEFITS
SAILORS BY ENSURING FAMILY MEMBERS ARE LOCATED AT DUTY STATIONS
WHERE THEIR MEDICAL AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS CAN BE MET.
 
3.  EFM CATEGORIES ARE BASED ON SPECIALISTS REQUIRED, FREQUENCY OF
NEED, AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES, AND THE SEVERITY OF THE MEDICAL OR
EDUCATIONAL NEED:
    CATEGORY 1:  NO ASSIGNMENT RESTRICTIONS.
    CATEGORY 2:  ASSIGNMENT LOCATIONS MUST BE PINPOINTED IN OR
                 OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
    CATEGORY 3:  NORMALLY NO OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENTS.
    CATEGORY 4:  MAJOR MEDICAL AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES.
    CATEGORY 5:  VOLUNTARY HOMESTEADING.
    CATEGORY 6:  TEMPORARY ENROLLMENT.
 
4.  PCS ORDERS FOR SAILORS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE EFM PROGRAM ARE
REVIEWED BEFORE THEY ARE RELEASED TO ENSURE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE
AT THE GAINING COMMAND.  ORDERS WILL BE HELD IN ABEYANCE UNTIL THE
EFM ENROLLMENT/UPDATE PROCESS IS COMPLETED.  SAILORS ARE REQUIRED TO
UPDATE EFM ENROLLMENT EVERY THREE YEARS, AS SPECIAL NEEDS CHANGE, OR
AT LEAST NINE MONTHS PRIOR TO PRD.  ONE EXCEPTION IS CATEGORY 6
(TEMPORARY ENROLLMENT), WHICH MUST BE UPDATED WITHIN ONE YEAR OF
ASSIGNMENT.
 
5.  EFM MEMBERS AT AN OVERSEAS OR REMOTE CONUS LOCATION MAY
DEVELOP SPECIAL MEDICAL OR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, WHICH EXCEED THE
LOCALLY AVAILABLE SERVICES.  WHEN THIS OCCURS, COMMANDING OFFICERS
SHOULD REQUEST VIA MSG TO NAVY PERSONNEL COMMAND EARLY RETURN OF
THE FAMILY MEMBER.
 
6.  COMMANDS SHOULD ENSURE ALL SERVICEMEMBERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE
EFM PROGRAM AND WHEN APPLICABLE, INITIATE ENROLLMENT.  IAW REF A,
COMMANDS ARE REQUIRED TO APPOINT A COMMAND POC AND PUBLISH THE NAME
FREQUENTLY IN THE PLAN OF THE DAY/WEEK.  COMMAND POC'S SHOULD
INCORPORATE EFM PROGRAM INFORMATION INTO WELCOME ABOARD PACKAGES AND
COMMAND INDOCTRINATION.  COMMAND GMT MUST EMPHASIZE WHY ENROLLMENT
IN THE EFM PROGRAM IS REQUIRED AND THAT IT DOES NOT IMPACT SEA-SHORE
ROTATION NOR DOES IT LIMIT WORLDWIDE ASSIGNABILITY OF THE MEMBER.
 
7.  EFM COORDINATORS AT MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITIES ARE REQUIRED TO
CONFIRM DEERS ENROLLMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS PRIOR TO SUBMISSION OF
EFM APPLICATIONS AND INFORM SPONSORS WHEN AN UPDATE IS DUE.
 
8.  POC IS LCDR R. L. FRANCE, PERS-662F, AT 1-800-527-8830/DSN
882-2510, OR E-MAIL P662F@PERSNET.NAVY.MIL.
 
9.  RELEASED BY VADM N. R. RYAN, JR., N1.//
 
BT