Selective Early Retirement Board Exemption Deadline Extended

From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Navy announced March 25, an extension to the deadline for those senior officers who wish to be exempt from the fiscal year 2012 Selective Early Retirement board.

Captain and commanders being reviewed by this board now have until May 15, to apply.

"High retention, reduction in officer end strength and low attrition among active component senior officers in the unrestricted line has led to an excess," said Rear Adm. Tony Kurta, director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy. "The board will select for continuation those officers who are best and most fully qualified, demonstrating superior performance in operational billets and possessing critical skills."

The Selective Early Retirement (SER) board, originally announced in NAVADMIN 006/11, is designed to balance the force by ensuing sufficient senior officers are available at the right time in their careers to serve in critical billets in the Fleet.

To accomplish this, the SER board will consider the records of all active duty Unrestricted Line (URL) captains with at least four years time-in-grade as of July 1, 2011, and commanders who have twice failed for promotion to O-6.

Officers selected by the board for early retirement will be required to retire no later than the first day of the seventh month following the secretary of the Navy's approval of the board recommendations. The target date for this approval is Sept. 1, 2011.

Current projections indicate the SER board will select approximately 120 captains and 120 commanders for early retirement. These numbers may be adjusted based on the volume of voluntary retirement requests received prior to the board.

Captains and commanders who submit a retirement request ahead of the May 15 deadline will not be considered by the SER board and can choose a retirement date no later than Sept. 1, 2012.

"By electing to retire ahead of the board, these officers will be giving themselves and their families several more months to prepare for a career transition," explained Kurta.