Subscribe

SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — The board tasked with cutting 3,000 sailors from the Navy to meet congressionally-mandated force strength numbers has forwarded its first set of recommendations to the Navy Personnel Command, Navy officials announced Friday.

Results from the first phase of the enlisted retention board — which will decide the fate of E-4 and E-5 sailors from 31 overmanned ratings — are expected to be released in mid to late October, after the recommendations are reconciled and applications on sailors converting to undermanned rates are processed, according to a Navy news release.

Once approved, commanding officers will then be informed of the board’s decisions and will notify and counsel sailors not chosen for retention, the release said.

Due to high retention rates, the Navy is conducting the board for active-duty sailors in rates that are more than 103 percent manned, officials have said previously. The board was charged with inspecting the official military records of 16,000 sailors and keeping the most qualified.

The second phase, which will look at E-6 through E-8 sailors, is kicking off in the next few days - with results expected in November, officialssaid. Sailors not selected for retention will have access to the Navy’s transition assistance management program, according to the news release.

Rear Adm. Don P. Quinn, acting chief of naval personnel, said approximately 2,000 sailors filed applications to convert to an undermanned rate. To learn more, visit the board’s website, www. http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/boards/ERB/Pages/default2.aspx.

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now