New Navy PFA Separation Policy for PRT Failures
WASHINGTON (NNS) — The Navy announced revisions to the Physical Readiness Program separation policy, directing commands to discontinue processing Sailors for separation as a result of Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) failures and providing guidance on how to handle Sailors with approved separations in NAVADMIN 304/17, Dec. 21.
The goal of the Navy’s physical readiness program is to maintain a minimum prescribed level of fitness necessary for world-wide deployment and to maintain a Sailor’s long-term health and wellness.
“My number one priority is to keep the Fleet properly manned,” said Vice Adm. Robert Burke, Chief of Naval Personnel. “Retention of every capable Sailor is critical to the operational readiness of the Navy while ensuring every Sailor has the opportunity to safely achieve and maintain fitness and body composition standards.”
Effective immediately:
* All commands will discontinue processing members for separation as a result of PFA failures.
* Separation orders resulting from PFA failures prior to Soft End of Active Obligated Service (SEAOS) with approved dates after March 31, 2018 are cancelled.
* Officers with approved separation orders for PFA failure with a directed separation date prior to March 1, 2018 can request their separation orders be cancelled in order to remain in the Navy by contacting PERS-833, Post Selection Board Matters subject to Secretary of Navy (SECNAV) approval.
* MILPERSMAN 1910-170, Separation by Reason of PFA Failure, is cancelled.
For enlisted Sailors who fail one PFA, the failure will be entered into Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS) to inform them of the failure and enroll them in the Fitness Enhancement Program (FEP) until passing the next official PFA. Also, Sailors cannot be frocked or advanced but may regain eligibility by meeting PFA standards with a monthly mock PFA.
If an enlisted Sailor fails two or more consecutive PFAs, they will continue service until their SEAOS. These Sailors will be ineligible for advancement, reenlistment or extension, receive an adverse report that states significant problems on evaluations and detailed as required. A Sailor can regain eligibility for advancement and reenlistment by passing an official PFA and receiving the recommendation of the Commanding Officer.
Enlisted Sailors who currently have an approved separation or Fleet reserve dates as a result of the previous PFA separation policy may have a decision to make on whether or not they want to remain on active duty. The NAVADMIN annotates direction for these Sailors to take if they desire to stay Navy.
Officers who fail one PFA will not be promoted. Commands are required to delay promotion and inform PERS-834, Officer Performance and Separations. A Letter of Notification will be issued to inform them of the PFA failure and their enrollment in FEP. Members may regain eligibility by passing the next command monthly FEP mock PFA.
Officers who fail two or more consecutive PFAs will be recommended for administrative separation processing. If the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) determines the officer is to be separated or retired, this action will occur at the officer’s PRD or upon SECNAV’s determination, whichever is later, regardless of PFA cycle outcomes.
If an official PFA is passed prior to SECNAV’s decision on retention or separation, administrative separation processing will cease and the member will be retained upon notification to PERS-834, Officer Performance and Separations. A special Fitness Report may be submitted to document the Officer’s satisfactory physical readiness status. Two or more consecutive PFA failures will result in an adverse report that states significant problem on their fitness report.
Effective Jan. 1, 2018, all PFA failures will be reset to zero. Also, a Body Composition Assessment (BCA) will be conducted within five working days of reporting to a new command. This BCA spot-check will not count as the official BCA for newly reported members during the command PFA cycle, regardless of the status of the official command PFA cycle. Upon either a BCA spot-check failure or PFA failure, Sailors must be enrolled and participate in FEP until they pass an official PFA. All members who have regained promotion/advancement eligibility are reminded of their ability to communicate in writing to promotion and selection boards as outlined in MILPERSMAN 1420-010, Communication with Officer Promotion Selection Boards.
Additional information can be found on the website: http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/physical/Pages/default2.aspx.
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