ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE ROUTINE R 111330Z APR 01 ZYB MIN PSN 395709J33 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN UNCLAS NAVADMIN 084/01 MSGID/GENADMIN/N1// SUBJ/NPC RETENTION BEST PRACTICES FROM THE FLEET-NUMBER TWO// REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/100204Z/FEB 01// AMPN/REF A IS THE FIRST NAVADMIN RELEASED UNDER THE BEST PRACTICES SERIES.// RMKS/1. THIS IS THE SECOND IN A RECURRING SERIES OF MESSAGES DESIGNED TO ADDRESS REENLISTMENT AND ATTRITION BEST PRACTICES, AS WELL AS OUTLINE OUR NAVY STRATEGY IN RETAINING OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST PEOPLE. REF A DISCUSSED SOME BEST PRACTICES FROM THE COMMANDING OFFICER (CO) PERSPECTIVE. THE CENTER FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT (CCD) HAS RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM MANY COMMANDS; WE WELCOME ALL INPUT AND IDEAS, SOME OF WHICH WILL BE SHARED IN THIS AND FUTURE MESSAGES. 2. THIS MESSAGE WILL FOCUS ON COMMAND MASTER CHIEF BEST PRACTICES. THESE IDEAS FROM THE FLEET PERSPECTIVE ARE PROVIDED TO BENEFIT YOUR RETENTION TEAM: A. COMMAND MASTER CHIEFS (CMC) AND COMMAND CAREER COUNSELORS (CCC) PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE RETENTION TEAM. BEST COMMANDS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY STRONG CMC/CCC TEAMS WHO WORK TOGETHER IN THE PERFORMANCE OF CAREER COUNSELING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT DUTIES. A NEW CCC MAY BE THE PROGRAM TECHNICAL EXPERT BUT MAY NOT HAVE THE COUNSELING SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH COMMAND LEADERSHIP AS THE CMC. B. ENFORCE ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER REVIEW BOARDS (PDB/CRB) AND ENSURE APPROPRIATE ACTION IS TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE SAILOR'S CONCERNS. AN INITIAL PDB SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS ON BOARD TO CLEARLY LAY OUT A SAILOR'S QUALIFICATION GOALS, CAREER MILESTONES, AND ENSURE THE COMMAND AND SAILOR HAVE ALIGNED THEIR RESPECTIVE EXPECTATIONS. REGULAR FOLLOW ON REVIEWS SHOULD THEN BE CONDUCTED TO ENSURE THE SAILOR IS MEETING THE COMMAND'S EXPECTATIONS, AND THE COMMAND IS FULLY SUPPORTING THE SAILOR'S GOALS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. C. SOLICIT DECKPLATE DISCUSSION. NOT EVERY CONVERSATION YOU HAVE WITH YOUR SAILORS NEEDS TO BE IN A FORMAL COUNSELING SETTING. YOU WILL FIND THAT MOST OF YOUR INSIGHT ON A SAILOR WILL COME WHEN THE SAILOR IS RELAXED AND FEELS FREE TO SPEAK. D. FOCUS DISCIPLINARY REVIEW BOARDS (DRB) ON HELPING TO ENSURE SAILORS RECEIVE THE PROPER AMOUNT OF ATTENTION BEFORE THEY GET INTO TROUBLE. MANY COMMANDS HAVE RENAMED THE DRB TO PERFORMANCE REVIEW BOARD (PRB) TO EMPHASIZE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF PERFORMANCE REVIEWS PRIOR TO SAILORS COMMITTING AN OFFENSE FROM WHICH THEY CANNOT RECOVER. THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION REQUIRED BY EACH SAILOR WILL BE DIFFERENT AND CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED BY ENGAGED AND ACTIVE LEADERS. E. AS WITH COMMANDING OFFICERS, DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE "POWER OF FAMILY" OR "POWER OF THE PEN." A PERSONAL LETTER OR NOTE (ONE CMC EVEN CALLS PARENTS) FROM YOU TO A SPOUSE OR PARENT OF A SAILOR WHO IS STILL UNDECIDED ABOUT A CAREER CHOICE CAN BE THE DECIDING FACTOR THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE SAILOR TO STAY NAVY. THIS WILL ENHANCE THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMMAND AND SPOUSES AND/OR PARENTS. 3. WE ARE GAINING GROUND IN OUR EFFORTS. FLEET INPUT IS HELPING SPREAD THE WEALTH OF GOOD IDEAS. SEVERAL EXAMPLES ARE LISTED BELOW: A. HSL-40 IMPLEMENTED AN AGGRESSIVE STRIKER PROGRAM THAT TRACKED AND ENSURED ALL UNDESIGNATED PERSONNEL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRIKE. PDB/CRB'S INCLUDE ASVAB SCREENS AND ACADEMIC SKILLS TRAINING COMBINED WITH PERIODIC "JOB FAIRS," WHERE MEMBERS VISIT ALL SHOPS AND RATING OFFICES. B. IN INGLESIDE, TX, PREPS ARE BEING MADE BY THE REGIONAL SUPPORT COMMAND TO UNVEIL THE FIRST "RETENTION VAN" THAT WILL ENABLE MINESWEEPER CCC'S TO HAVE ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND EQUIPMENT THAT THEY DID NOT PREVIOUSLY HAVE DUE TO SHIP SIZE. THE VAN WAS EVEN DONATED! C. IN ONE PACFLT COMMAND, THE CCC LEADS OFF DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS WITH A RETENTION UPDATE. THE SIGNAL SENT TO DEPARTMENT HEADS IS THAT RETENTION IS A PRIORITY! 4. KEEP THOSE INPUTS COMING AND KEEP THE PRESS ON TO RETAIN SAILORS ONE AT A TIME! 5. POC IS CAPT JAKE ROSS, (901) 874-2201/DSN 882, E-MAIL: P00R@PERSNET.NAVY.MIL OR CMDMC(SS/SW) KEVIN DAVIS, (901) 874-2265/DSN 882, E-MAIL: P00R13@PERSNET.NAVY.MIL. 6. RELEASED BY MATTHEW G. HENRY, N1(ACTING).// BT