PENSACOLA, Fla.—NAVADMIN 326/20 announced the Navy-wide advancement exam (NWAE) administration dates for Active-Duty and Full-Time Support E-5 and E-6 candidates for the upcoming March 2021 advancement cycle (Cycle 251).

Sailors taking exams will likely see similar procedures used as they did during the 2020 fall cycle as the Navy continues to ensure the safety of all Sailors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For E-5 and E-6 candidates, exams will be administered using testing windows vice the single-day testing used prior to the pandemic.  This provides commands the ability to administer the exam with fewer Sailors in any one room and therefore maximize social distancing.

E-6 candidate exams will be administered during a testing window of 1-15 March 2021.

E-5 candidate exams will be administered during a testing window of 16-31 March 2021.

E-4 candidates will not participate in the advancement exam administrations.  Instead, the opportunity for advancement will be based on an alternative Final Multiple Score (FMS) rank-order method.

“For Cycle 251 E-4 candidates, an alternative FMS will be calculated but will not take an exam into account,” said Naval Education and Training Professional Development Center (NETPDC) Command Master Chief Greg Prichard. “Since no exam will be taken, it is very important for Sailors and educational services officers (ESOs) to ensure that E-4 candidate Sailors complete their enlisted advancement worksheet in Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System per Cycle 251 NAVADMIN guidance.”

Another important date for Cycle 251 candidates is the Professional Military Knowledge-Eligibility Exam (PMK-EE) completion deadline.  Sailors must successfully pass the online exam prior to 1 February 2021.  PMK-EE completion is required once per paygrade.

Once exams are administered, ESOs are encouraged to expeditiously mail in answer sheet packages from each exam administration to NETPDC and not hold exam answer sheets until the end of the testing window.  This will ensure exam answer sheets are processed efficiently and results are released in a timely manner.

All questions concerning exam ordering and discrepancy corrections should be directed to the points of contact listed in NAVADMIN 326/20.

As part of the MyNavy HR Force Development team, NETPDC provides products and services that enable and enhance education, training, career development and personnel advancement throughout the Navy.  Primary elements of the command include the Voluntary Education Department, the Navy Advancement Center and the Resources Management Department.

Additional information about NETPDC can be found at https://www.netc.navy.mil/NETPDC.