ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE ROUTINE R 181620Z MAY 01 ZYB MIN PSN 800125J16 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN UNCLAS NAVADMIN 121/01 MSGID/GENADMIN/N1// SUBJ/NPC RETENTION BEST PRACTICES FROM THE FLEET - NUMBER THREE// REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/100204Z/FEB 01// REF/B/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/111330Z/APR 01// REF/C/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/272314Z/FEB 01// NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 028/01, CNO'S RETENTION BEST PRACTICE MESSAGE NUMBER ONE. REF B IS NAVADMIN 084/01, CNO'S RETENTION BEST PRACTICE MESSAGE NUMBER TWO. REF C IS NAVADMIN 047/01, CONDUCT OF RETENTION - ATTRITION STANDDOWN.// RMKS/1. THIS IS THIRD IN A RECURRING SERIES OF MESSAGES DESIGNED TO ADDRESS REENLISTMENT AND ATTRITION BEST PRACTICES. REFS A AND B FOCUSED ON THE COMMANDING OFFICER (CO) AND COMMAND MASTER CHIEF (CMC) PERSPECTIVE. 2. THIS MESSAGE FOCUSES ON COMMAND CAREER COUNSELOR (CCC) BEST PRACTICES. THESE IDEAS ARE BORROWED FROM FLEET USERS AND ARE PROVIDED TO BENEFIT YOUR RETENTION TEAM: A. IN REF B WE DISCUSSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CMC/CCC RELATIONSHIP. CCC'S WHO CAPITALIZE ON THIS RELATIONSHIP AND USE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CMC HAVE THE GREATEST SUCCESS. TAKE TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR CMC TO ENSURE YOUR STRATEGIES AND GOALS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND RETENTION ARE ALIGNED. BUILD A GAME PLAN TO ACHIEVE SHORT- AND LONG-TERM SUCCESS. B. CCC'S MUST BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT BOARD (PDB/CRB) PROCESS. THIS WILL ENSURE AWARENESS OF SAILORS' CONCERNS, ISSUES AFFECTING THEIR DECISION TO STAY NAVY, AND THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE MAXIMIZED. RECOMMEND YOU CONDUCT AN INITIAL PDB FOR EACH GENDET UPON REPORTING TO FULLY INFORM THE SAILOR OF AVAILABLE OPTIONS AND TO DISCUSS THE MEMBER'S PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS. C. THE COMMAND RETENTION TEAM (AND ESPECIALLY THE COUNSELOR) SHOULD ALWAYS BE AWARE OF UPCOMING MILESTONES FOR CREWMEMBERS IN ORDER TO REMAIN AHEAD OF PROBLEMS, BEST SUPPORT THE SAILOR'S NEEDS, AND ARM THEM WITH INFORMATION TO MAKE INFORMED CAREER DECISIONS. THE CAREER INFORMATION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (CIPM) 99 DATABASE IS A USEFUL TOOL FOR KEEPING TRACK OF MILESTONES SUCH AS "12 MONTHS PRIOR TO EAOS" OR "REQUIRED COUNSELING SESSIONS" THAT ARE DUE. HOWEVER, THE DATABASE MUST BE MAINTAINED ACCURATELY. WHILE SOME COMMANDS UTILIZE PROGRAMS OTHER THAN CIPM 99 (MICROSOFT ACCESS DATABASES ARE COMMON), IF NOT MAINTAINED UP-TO-DATE IT BECOMES USELESS. AT A MINIMUM, THE 12-MONTH EAOS LIST SHOULD BE PROVIDED TO CO/XO/CMC/DH/LCPO/LPO ON A MONTHLY BASIS. THE LATEST VERSION OF CIPM 99 AND DETAILED INFORMATION ARE PROVIDED AT THE "STAYNAVY.NAVY.MIL" WEBSITE. D. BE ON THE DECKPLATES! DURING SOME OF OUR VISITS, WE HAVE HEARD JUNIOR SAILORS EXCLAIM: "OUR CCC STAYS COOPED UP IN HIS OFFICE ALL OF THE TIME!" WE HAVE FOUND THAT COMMANDS WITH CCC'S WHO SAY "THE SHIP IS MY OFFICE" HAVE THE GREATEST SUCCESS. REALIZE THAT BALANCE IS THE KEY! THINK OF HOW THAT SAILOR FEELS WHEN YOU COME TO THE WORK SPACE TO DISCUSS STAYING NAVY! E. FOR OUR LARGER SHIPS AND COMMANDS, DEPARTMENTAL CCC'S ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE COMMAND RETENTION TEAM. COMMANDS WITH ROBUST TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR DEPARTMENTAL CCC'S HAVE SEEN GREAT SUCCESS. F. UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY WHERE POSSIBLE. IF LAN CAPABLE, PLACE CAREER INFORMATION ON YOUR LAN AND PLACE THE SAME INFORMATION ON YOUR SHIP'S WEBSITE TO GET THE MESSAGE TO SPOUSES AND PARENTS. THERE ARE MANY SHIPS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY CONFIGURED TO EASILY ACCESS THE INTERNET. NPC IS CURRENTLY WORKING TO PROVIDE ALL OF THE SAME INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE "STAYNAVY.NAVY.MIL" WEBSITE FOR CD-ROM DISTRIBUTION BY 4TH QTR FY-01. G. AT MOST SUCCESSFUL COMMANDS, THE CCC HAS AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE PLANNING BOARD FOR TRAINING AND OTHER COMMAND PLANNING FUNCTIONS. THIS ENSURES ALL EVENTS ARE WELL COORDINATED AND KEEPS THE JOB OF SUPERVISORS SUPPORTING THEIR SAILORS CONSTANTLY IN THEIR FIELD OF VIEW. H. MAKE CEREMONIES MEMORABLE. THE REENLISTMENT CEREMONY SHOULD BE AN EVENT THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED BY EVERYONE, GUESTS AND PARTICIPANTS. BE CREATIVE IN ITS CONDUCT (BUT ENSURE IT IS DONE WITH DIGNITY AND PRIDE) AND ENCOURAGE FAMILY AND COMMAND PARTICIPATION. MANY OF US HAVE HEARD OF THE REENLISTMENT CEREMONY THAT TOOK PLACE AT SOME "SPECIAL" LOCATION THAT PLAYED A BIG PART OF THE REENLISTING SAILOR'S LIFE. MANY FORMAL CEREMONY LOCATIONS AND CONTACTS ARE LISTED ON THE "STAYNAVY.NAVY.MIL" WEBSITE, AND THERE ARE OTHER MORE RADICAL EXAMPLES SUCH AS ONE SHIP IN PACNORWEST WHERE A REENLISTMENT OCCURRED UNDERWATER IN SCUBA GEAR! 3. FLEET INPUT IS HELPING SPREAD THE WEALTH OF GOOD IDEAS. SOME EXAMPLES ARE LISTED BELOW: A. WHILE VISITING USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64) IN SAN DIEGO, WE OBSERVED A PDB PROGRAM THAT WAS AGGRESSIVELY RUN BY THE CMC/CCC TEAM. CONVERSATIONS WITH JUNIOR SAILORS BORE OUT THE FACT THAT WHEN EXPECTATIONS WERE ALIGNED THROUGH PDB/CRB PROCESS, THEY UNDERSTOOD THEIR ROLE AND FELT BETTER INFORMED REGARDING CAREER INFORMATION. B. USS PRINCETON (CG 59) IN SAN DIEGO, PRESENTS A FLAG FLOWN FROM THE SHIP TO EVERY SAILOR WHO REENLISTS. MAY SEEM SMALL, BUT AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE WANTED THAT FLAG! C. THE REVERSE REQUEST CHIT IS A REENLISTMENT CHIT ORIGINATED BY THE CO TO A SAILOR WHO MAY BE A FENCESITTER. THE CHIT IS ROUTED DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND FOR THE SAILOR TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE. THIS DEMONSTRATES TO ALL HANDS THAT THE COMMAND LEADERSHIP IS CONCERNED ABOUT EACH SAILORS' CAREER AND IS IN KEEPING WITH THE MISSION OF RETAINING ONE SAILOR AT A TIME. ANY REQUEST THAT IS DISAPPROVED WOULD GENERATE A CAREER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR THE SAILOR TO DISCUSS THEIR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER OPTIONS THAT MAY CONVINCE THEM TO STAY NAVY. 4. NAVSTA SAN DIEGO AND SUBMARINE SQUADRON SEVEN IN PEARL HARBOR TOOK SOME IDEAS FROM REF C AND CONDUCTED THEIR OWN CAREER INFORMATION WORKSHOPS. SEND YOUR IDEAS, SUCCESS STORIES, AND INNOVATIONS TO CCD SO THEY CAN BE SHARED WITH THE FLEET. 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 VADM NORB RYAN, JR., N1.// BT