Navy trimming ranks, offering early outs

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Navy trimming ranks, offering early outs
By Lisa M. Novak, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, January 6, 2009

NAPLES, Italy — Sailors looking to leave the Navy early may get their wish. In several recent messages to the fleet, the Navy announced its latest force-shaping tools in the form of three early-out programs aimed at officers and enlisted members.

The Enlisted Early Transition Program enables some sailors to leave the Navy a year early. Those who decide to opt out must request a separation date no later than Sept. 15, 2010.

There are certain restrictions. The program isn’t open to those in the nuclear field or the special-warfare communities.

Those with permanent change of station orders are also ineligible.

The Navy also announced time-in-grade waivers for senior enlisted sailors in ranks E-7 through E-9, and officers in grades 0-5 and 0-6. Those individuals with 20 years of service can apply for a waiver that would enable them to retire with only one year in their current rank for enlisted, and two years in their current rank for officers.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59806