CDB, Career Development Board

Editor's Notes

• #2: Career Development Board is one of the major Navy Retention Program tools. USNSE’s first ever CDB was held 22 May 2003 and our goal is to have one CDB a month until all USN Enlisted Personnel are boarded before the fiscal year ends. We find it timely though to do a CDB on the PO2s who PNAd the last Navy Wide exam cycle.
• #3: Professional skills pertain to both military and technical skills. Although USNSE JCSC does not have a serious retention issue yet, whatever advice and information we give and impart to USN personnel will surely have a significant impact on their future career plans and CDB when when organized properly, can significantly influence advancement and the retention of our sailors. Case in point: For incoming personnel, Larissa is a 1 year unaccompanied, and 2 years accompanied. USN personnel who transfers to Larissa obligates prior to coming here for 2 years at a minimum, whether it be an extension or reenlistment. Others have to hard obligate for 6 if they guarded this tour. The earliest EAOS we have for the careerist, that is for sailors who have more than 10 years of service, , is 04 Feb. For first timers, its 2005 May. And for second termers, its 2005 September. So, even for USNSE JCSC Personnel who transfers out of here still doesn’t need to obligate for their next set of orders. Since USNSE JCSC stood up, we’ve only had ONE reelistment. That would be 2 by next month, only because SKC have maxed out his extension months to 48, otherwise he would have opted for a ONE month extension to obligate until 2005 July for his orders to London. By the way, extensions to be counted towards retention, it has to be a qualified extension, meaning extension of 24 months or more.
• #4: At a minimum, the board will have the CMC or the SEA, who presides and is the chair person, the one who coordinates the program. The command career counselor does all the scheduling and preparation of the CDB packages. The package provides board members “statistics”, so to speak, about the personnel being boarded based from service record and edvr entries. The package gives the board member some kind of a perspective about the individual and can be a bases for their questions and inquiries, and recommendations. The personnel officer or a personnel office representative, in a large command, provides the facts and figures that the CCC compile for the individual package.. LCPO or LPO or any senior enlisted representative who will accompany the individual, with DIVO record and training jacket or folder for board review.
• #6: The boardee is encouraged to be comfortable and not feel intimidated, for him or her to be able speak freely without the fear of retribution. Its funny how sometimes CDB, like Captain’s Mast or Page 13, has a bad rap. To some, it has a negative connotation. Like they are in deep trouble if they went to one. Also, the presence of their immediate supervisor, LPO or LCPO or department head or all of them at the same time, give the boardee a feeling of uncomfortability. If it does happen, it is not uncommon or unwise to give them their much needed smoke breaks  . Their temporary absence could make the difference. The location or venue also plays an important factor. An environment that is well lit, clean and properly set up is conducive for open discussion and enhances the boardess comfortability and thought process.
• #11: 1. For general guidance, no specific topic for CDB. Usual topics of discussion are: career intentions, long and short term goals, interest in special programs suck as different navy schools, commissioning programs. Duty rotations, locations and preferences. Education endeavors, on and off duty, military or civilian. For E-3 to E-5 who PNAd. E-6 who didn’t make the selection board or have made the selection board but was not advanced. Non selection for Limited Duty Officer or Warrant Officer Programs (Traditionally, advancement CDBs are held for personnel who have PNAd 3 times, or have scored lower than 40, or failed the exams. Commissioning programs, both for Requests, applications or non selection. Education programs to include academic skills or basic skills and GED. Undesignated seaman, airman or fireman striking for a specific Rating, or petty officers in overmanned ratings requesting to convert to a creo group 1 or 2 rating. Requesting for A(basic) or C(advanced) or P(refresher) schools, or other formal schools related to their current rating in order to have a specific NEC, or schools to better perform command collateral duties, i.e. DAPA, TCO, CCC, or other Training Assignments HARP, or BJHARP. OTEIP requestees can also be boarded. Physical fitness education for personnel who fails Physical Fitness Assessment
• #15: Who can better steer a Sailor’s career but a group of seasoned, experienced , well trained and technical experts? What the CDB does is not to force programs into the service member nor do we order or direct them to do this or that. We are here for guidance.
• #17: It is our responsibility to monitor career progressions and determine when a PDB may be necessary. This is an except from USNSE’s instruction and it sums up the CDB’s responsibility. You would be surprised how many junior personnel, specifically first timers, have no clue as to what they are eligible for when they first joined the Navy. But look at it this way, If we can get them to four years, we have a chance to show them that the Navy can become a career, and CDBs can reinforce that possibility and turn that possibility into a reality. I’ve personally witnessed possible discharges into retention numbers as a personnelman and a career counselor. To sum it up, CDBs are important to the command’s structure. They can serve as a catalyst to motivate sailor and show them that their goals and aspirations are important to the people they work for and work with.