Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center: FAQs

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An advancement exam provides an unbiased factor for the Final Multiple Score (FMS) algorithm and helps rank-order qualified candidates for advancement consideration. All candidates who take the exam have met necessary requirements for advancement and have been recommended by their CO/OIC.

Active Duty, Full-Time Support and Canvasser Recruiters take the Active Duty enlisted Navy wide advancement examination. Inactive Reserve, including Active Duty for Special Work/One Year Recall, and those mobilized to Active Duty under Presidential Recall or Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) all take the SELRES enlisted Navy-wide advancement examination.

The exam administration schedules are:

E6 Active Duty exams - First Thursday in March and September
E5 Active Duty exams - Second Thursday in March and September
E4 Active Duty exams - Third Thursday in March and September
E7 Active Duty exams - Third Thursday in January
E4/5/6/7 SELRES Exams - February and August

Prior to taking an advancement exam, you must meet all eligibility requirements for the next higher paygrade. You must have met your Time-in- Rate requirement and have the promotion recommendation of your commanding officer (CO). Check box 45 on your Evaluation Report to see your CO’s recommendation for promotion.Check the TIR requirements below. The * denotes a 1-year Early Promote Time-in-Rate waiver for E6 and E7 candidates who have been recommended by their CO for early advancement on their last EVAL. Working hard and doing your job can help you earn the EP and advance ahead of schedule.

TIR Requirements:

E-1 to E-2 -- 9 months
E-2 to E-3 -- 9 months
E-3 to E-4 -- 6 months
E-4 to E-5 --12 months
E-5 to E-6 -- 36 months *
E-6 to E-7 -- 36 months *
E-7 to E-8 -- 36 months
E-8 to E-9 -- 36 months

Chapter 2 of BUPERSINST 1430.16F has specific details on eligibility requirements for advancement. Also, it is critical that your security clearance is up-to-date (if required for your rating) prior to taking the exam; many exams are invalidated due to security clearances. Check with your division Chief Petty Officer (CPO), Command Career Counselor (CCC), or your Educational Services Officer (ESO) to see if you need to meet any additional mandatory requirements prior to taking your exam.

Prior to participating in a Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE), ESOs are responsible for preparation of the Advancement in Rate or Change of Rating (Worksheet) NETPDTC 1430/3 (Rev. 06-14) for each candidate participating in an examination advancement cycle (E4 through E7), including LDO Program candidates. All Sailors must verify their advancement worksheet -through their Educational Services Officer (ESO). DO NOT take this lightly. This is YOUR career and you should ensure that you know what you are signing since every point counts

Your Performance Mark Average (PMA) uses only the Promotion Recommendation block (Block 45) from evaluations in the current paygrade. Use only the evaluations that fall within the prescribed dates outlined in the applicable advancement cycle NAVADMIN. For E4, your Education Services Officer (ESO) uses evals from the past 8 to 9 months. For E5, the past 14 to 15 months are used. For E6 and E7, the past 36 months are used. Block 45 marks are added together, then divided by the number of evaluations used in the computation.

Promotion Recommendation Point Values:

Early Promote = 4.00
Must Promote = 3.80
Promotable = 3.60
Progressing = 3.40
Significant Problems = 2.00

Example for PO2 (E5) Participating in PO1 (E6) Exam:

Evaluation Ending Block 45 Mark

16 March 15 EP = 4.00
15 March 15 MP = 3.80
14 March 15 MP = 3.80

Add 4.00 + 3.80 + 3.80 = 11.6, divide by 3 = 3.866
Round up to 3.87 = PMA

The standard score (SS) is a reflection of how well candidates do compared to candidate peers
taking the same exam. The SS range is 20 to 80. SS changes from exam to exam since the
average computations are based on the peer group at the time the particular exam is given.

There are occurrences where the highest scoring candidate does not have a SS of 80 and the
lowest scoring candidate does not have a SS of 20. These occurrences are totally dependent on
the peer group taking the exam.

In general, an SS of 80 indicates a candidate scored higher than 99% of the candidates taking
the exact same exam (i.e. 99th percentile). A SS of 70 indicates candidate scored higher than
98% of all candidates, 60 indicates 84%, 50 indicates 50%, 40 indicates 16%, 30 indicates 2%,
and 20 indicates 1%. It is the SS, not the raw score (number of questions answered correctly)
that is a component of the Final Multiple Score (FMS). Lastly -- FMS is how a candidate is
advanced with the combination of all elements: exam SS, evaluations (PMA), awards,
education, PNA points and service-in-paygrade.

Awards computed in the E4/5/6 Final Multiple Score (FMS) must be approved or earned prior to
the day of the regularly scheduled examination. Awards with only a month/year date are
presumed to have an ending date on the last day of the respective month. The maximum award
points E4/5 candidates can earn is 10 points. There is a maximum of 12 points for an E6
candidates. Candidates who have served greater than 90 consecutive days in the
Congressionally Designated Combat Zones and Approved Contingency Operations Areas
mentioned below are authorized a two point increase to maximum award points authorized.
Always make sure your award points are correct on your exam worksheet AND your exam
answer sheet.

Current list of awards and their values –

10 Points = Medal of Honor
5 Points = Navy Cross
4 Points = Distinguished Service Medal or Cross, Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit,
Distinguished Flying Cross
3 Points = Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (Strike/Flight), Joint Service
Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
2 Points = Executive Letter of Commendation (max 1), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy
and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Gold Life Saving Medal, Greater
than 90 consecutive days of service In Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa, (Kuwait,
Guantanamo (GTMO), Joint Task Force, 515 (USPACOM) or the Joint Force Special Task
Force-Philippines (USPACOM) (Service after 24 October 2001)) (max 1)
1 Point = Letter of Commendation (Flag/Senior Executive Service) (max 2)

PNA (Passed Not Advanced) Points are added to your FMS (E4/5/6 only) if you pass the test,
demonstrate superior performance and/or superior rating knowledge, but are not advanced to
the next-higher paygrade.

PNA Points come from two sources, your Exam Standard Score (SS) and your Performance
Mark Average (PMA). You can receive up to 1.5 Points each for PMA and SS per advancement
cycle for a maximum of 3.0 per cycle. Only the PNA points from the most recent five of the last
six consecutive advancement cycles in the same paygrade are used, so the maximum PNA
point total can only reach 15.

PNA Points for PMA are based on how you rank among your peers. Your PMA must fall within
the top 25% of ranked performance mark averages to garner points. Similarly, PNA Points for
SS are based on all exam standard scores where your SS must fall in the top 25% in your
paygrade/rating to earn points when not advanced.

PNA points will be retained for Career Intermission Program (CIP) candidates through the CIP
period.

Sailors competing for advancement to paygrades E4 through E6 will be awarded two points for
an accredited associate's degree, and four points for an accredited baccalaureate degree or
above. Education points will be awarded for the highest degree held, and will increase the total
overall Final Multiple Score (FMS) points. Sailors must ensure transcripts with degree
information are forwarded directly from their academic institution to the Joint Service Transcript
(JST) Operations Center. Sailors should have their official transcripts sent to:

COMMANDING OFFICER
NETPDTC
JST Operations Center N615
6490 Saufley Field Road
Pensacola, FL 32509

JST Operations Center will validate the transcript and enter education data into the Navy
Campus Management Information System (NCMIS). NCMIS will update the JST and be used
to calculate the E4 through E6 FMS. Do not include degree points in calculating award points.

To allow sufficient time for the JST Operations Center to process all documents, transcripts for
Sailors competing for advancement to E4 through E6 MUST be received no later than the first
day of the month in which their advancement exam occurs. (i.e. Active Duty Cycle = 1 Mar and
1 Sep, SELRES Cycle = 1 Feb and 1 Aug).

The Final Multiple Score (FMS) is a "Whole Person Concept" approach that considers your
exam score along with other factors to ensure the right Sailors are advanced. The other factors
considered for E4/5/6 are Performance Mark Average (how well you perform in your job and as
a Sailor), Service in Paygrade (experience in your job), Awards (your accomplishments in your
job and as a Sailor), Education Points (self-improvement through education (accredited college
degrees), and PNA points (credit for doing great on previous exam cycles but not enough
quotas available).

For those who are CPO board eligible, the FMS is computed using Performance Mark Average
and exam score only.

OPNAV N132 provides advancement quotas for the Active Duty cycles and BUPERS-32
provides advancement quotas for the SELRES cycles. Some ratings in a paygrade have limited
quotas, so the Navy works hard to advance the most qualified Sailors using the Whole Person
Concept.