Once your relief has been identified, you will be contacted by your detailer, PERS-421A. He will request verification or status of your command qualifications, completion of a master’s degree and Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase I, your command endorsed Projected Rotation Date (PRD), any special considerations for your specific detailing, and what your desires are for job type, location, etc.
After looking at the Post-Department Head slate on the PERS 42 website, provide your top 10 preferences for assignments within 3 months before and after your PRD. . Unlike post-Division Officer detailing, Post-Department Head jobs involve many factors that are considered, your DH billet, XO screening status, command qualification completion, evaluation team recommendations, platform experience, and education background. Your detailer will take your inputs, official records, and the needs of the Navy into consideration to build you a personalized list of jobs to consider for your next assignment.
Ideally, you will be contacted by PERS-421A between six and nine months from your PRD. Your PRD is based on a nominal tour length of 32 months and is adjusted based on the needs of your command and the availability of your relief. In some cases, contacting your detailer earlier may be required. In all cases if you are within six months of your PRD and you have not been contacted by your detailer, please contact him.
SCC Assignment:
PERS-421A schedules XO screened officers to attend SCC. Once you are screened for XO, you will be placed into an SCC class based on your PRD. Between seven and ten months before attending SCC, you will receive notification that your class is being finalized. Class size is typically 15 PXOs and starts in January, April, July, and October. After your SCC class is finalized, timing of your relief becomes paramount. Ensure PERS-421A has a description of your current assignment and that any special considerations for your relief are clearly vetted.
XOSS Assignments
Shortly after the CO/XO board adjourns, officers who screened XOSS will be notified. If on a 24 month shore duty assignment, you may be extended at your present command for an additional 12 months to allow for possible call up to XO. This will be coordinated between the officer and PERS-421A.
Typically, four to six XO equivalent billets are available each year for XOSS screened officers. Other assignments such as Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) ENG and NAV also require an XOSS officer.
Whenever an XOSS assignment is identified for fill, all officers within six months of the required fill date are assessed for filling the billet. Those who meet requirements for the assignment will be contacted and offered consideration for the position. Once all inputs are collected, a final determination will be made and the selected officer will be detailed into the position.
The Post-DH Detailer will determine which Submarine Command Course (SCC) you will attend based on your PRD and career timing gate.
About 6 months prior to SCC the XO detailer will contact members to solicit inputs. Note: Up-to-date contact information is critical.
FITREPs, inputs on assignment preferences, and ship fit are the primary factors that go into the XO slating process. More than any other point in the career path, due to the unique responsibilities of the CO and XO, the needs of the Navy take on a large share of the detailing consideration.
The following specific considerations also factor into the process:
Engineering background: Either the CO or the XO must be an ENG-served officer. Since SSGN COs are Major Commanders, they are considered ENG-served and will normally have a Non-ENG-served officer assigned as XO.
Tactical Experience: The Submarine Force’s policy is to provide each officer forward-deployed mission experience (deploying SSN or SSGN) and strategic deterrent patrol experience (SSBN) prior to his Command tour. Additionally, the goal to achieve balance across each SCC class with respect to tactical experience factors into the slating process.
The submarines assigned to a slate are determined based on XO PRDs, ship schedules, and Wardroom Planning Conferences. (Note: The CO and XO reliefs must be separated by at least 3-months).
SCC: 9 weeks in either Pearl Harbor (January and July class) or Groton (April and October class). All briefs and lectures used during the course are available for review via the NKO-S portal. (Log on to NKO-S and select the NKO-S library link at the top of the page; click on “communities,” “submarine learning,” and “Submarine Command Course”). Additional course material is available on the COMSUBFOR and COMSUBPAC SIPRNET websites.
Command Leadership Course (CLC): 2 weeks in Newport, normally just before or just after SCC.
PCO/PXO Strategic Weapons Course (for SSBN XOs only): 5 weeks primarily in Bangor or Kings Bay. The course also includes brief trips to Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) in Washington, DC and USSTRATCOM in Omaha, NE.
Advanced Weapons System (AWS) Command Course (for SSGN XOs only): 1 week in Kings Bay.
PERS-421 details all post-XOs and 1120 CDRs who do not go on to submarine command.
Assignment is nominally determined 4-6 months prior to transfer.
For serving XOs, specific details about potential shore duty assignments can start taking shape once your relief is identified. For all other officers, 6-8 months in advance of your PRD is more typical.
Post-XOs on shore duty will remain with the post-XO detailer until ~6 months before the start of your prescribed PCO training pipeline. At that time, you will be formally handed over to the CO detailer for CO slating.
Typical Post–XO Shore Assignments
Nominative/High Visibility Assignments. These are primarily EA/Deputy EA billets and key nuclear assignments that require approval outside PERS-42. In most cases, PERS-42 must obtain approval for the officer(s) going to these billets before I can finalize the other assignments in the same timeframe.
Senior War Colleges. PERS-42 is assigned ~15 Senior War College billets per year that provide JPME Phase II and a master’s degree. You must have JPME Phase I complete prior to attending and these War College billets. Critical operational billets must be filled first, but the War Colleges can be an option in cases where timing and inventory supports.
Strike Groups. These billets are must fill positions on the Carrier Strike Group staffs.
Relieving a prospective CO or Squadron Deputy. These billets are the next priority and are normally filled as scheduled. In some cases they shift to the following quarter, and the incumbent’s training pipeline is delayed or his command takes a short gap until a relief arrives.
Other billets. These are usually the lowest priority and may or may not be filled depending on the officers rotating during the quarter. These billets often shift to the following quarter.
Additional Considerations
JPME/Master’s degree. If you are completing your XO tour and do not have Phase II and/or a master’s degree, and timing works with a class convening, War College might be a good option.
Joint Duty Assignments. There are a number of key joint assignments available at the CDR/post-XO level. Unfortunately, not all post-XOs can go to a Joint Duty assignment given the competing needs of the Navy (e.g., TYCOM staffs, OPNAV staff, Fleet staffs, etc.). Given later opportunities to meet the Joint Duty requirements, we are somewhat selective in the specific Joint Assignments we send post-XOs to.
Career timing. Most post-XO assignments are 24 months. Many officers behind in their YG will attend War College for one year and then start the PCO pipeline. War College followed by a Joint Duty assignment may be a good option for officers well ahead in their YG. CDRs who are not going to command or a Squadron Deputy assignment are typically issued 36-month orders.
Nuclear Assignments. There are four post-XO assignments that require highly successful Engineer-served officers: Moored Training Ship OIC (2 billets) and TYCOM Force Nuclear Power Officer (2 billets). There are also two billets at the Naval Reactors Line Locker.
