Career Development Boards Help Leaders, Sailors

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (AW) LaTunya Howard, Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- Leaders across the Navy are saying that career development boards (CDB), mandated by OPNAVINST 1040.11C, assist both the Navy and Sailors in achieving their goals.

"CDBs are a critical tool for the chain of command to interact directly with every Sailor from the day they check aboard," said Vice Adm. Allen Myers, commander, Naval Air Forces. "They are a positive element of command climate, but only when implemented with the intended end state in mind - due diligence to our Sailors."

The Brilliant-on-the-Basics program was introduced Navywide a few years ago with CDBs as the centerpiece. Brilliant-on-the-Basics includes six key programs: command sponsorship, command indoctrination, CDBs, mentorship, ombudsman programs and recognition programs. According to NAVADMIN 043/08, these six best practices form the enduring foundation upon which every successful career is launched.

Typical topics covered during a CDB are watch-standing qualifications, continued education goals, advancement, short and long-term career objectives, Perform-to-Serve (PTS) and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores. Leadership can use CDBs to take full advantage of learning the priorities of the Sailor.

"It is crucial that we identify Sailors at initial CDBs who have low Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) scores and get them enrolled into academic skills classes so they can retake the ASVAB test," said Myers. "We are seeing Sailors who want to stay Navy but are not eligible to convert into other rates once in the PTS window. Waiting to correct low AFQT scores once a Sailor is in the PTS window is too late. Losing a great Sailor because he or she could not meet a PTS window due to lack of initiating a PTS request is not something we desire."

CDBs are required for all Sailors upon reporting to a command - after six months on board, at 12-months on board and at 12-month intervals thereafter. Official guidance is contained in OPNAVINST 1040.11C. When the Sailor's career desires are recorded in the Career Information Management System (CIMS) it becomes part of a permanent record that can follow the Sailor throughout his or her career.

CIMS is available to all shore commands with Internet access and on board 150 ships using CIMS Afloat on the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System server. The primary function of CIMS is to assist career counselors with tracking, conducting and documenting CDBs.

The command master chief, chief of the boat, senior enlisted leader and the command career counselor team are the focal points for career development initiatives within the command.

For more information on CDBs, read OPNAVINST 1040.11C.