Chapter 5: Reserve Officer Programs Processing

COMNAVCRUITCOMINST 1131.2C

CHAPTER 5

RESERVE OFFICER PROGRAMS PROCESSING

SECTION 1 – APPLICATION PREPARATION

050101. OVERVIEW. This section provides specific guidance for preparing an officer programs application for all Reserve Officer Programs.

050102. RESPONSIBILITIES

a. Unless specifically directed otherwise by the Officer Programs Officer (OPO) or personnel with “by direction” authority, the Officer Processing Lead (OPL) shall:

(1) Ensure that all officer application paperwork is managed, monitored and completed by the applicant and the Processing Division within the Officer Programs Department. Unless specifically directed otherwise by the OPO, officer recruiters (ORs) primary duties are to recruit applicants and Officer Processors (OPs) primary duties are to process the applications.

(2) Conduct a thorough review of each application to be forwarded for selection consideration.

(3) Ensure at a minimum the following:

(a) All required application documents are complete, accurate and included as listed in the appropriate checklist.

(b) Any discrepancies between documents are resolved prior to submission to COMNAVCRUITCOM.

(c) The OR and OPO have completed their review and made all necessary comments on the Application Processing and Summary Record (NAVCRUIT 1131/1).

b. Prior to submitting an application to COMNAVCRUITCOM, the OP, the OR, the OPL and the OPO or personnel with “By direction” authority, shall thoroughly review the file for completeness and accuracy. Each individual reviewing the application shall make any necessary comments in the

appropriate sections on the Application Processing and Summary Record (NAVCRUIT 1131/1), sign and date where indicated, confirming their individual review.

c. During the course of the review, the OR shall evaluate the information in the application, and using this information and his/her personal knowledge of the applicant, make an initial recommendation of the applicant's suitability for appointment. The OR shall record in writing his/her evaluation and recommendation on the Application Processing andSummary Record along with all other items of information required therein.

d. When the complete application is forwarded to the OPO or XO/CO for signature (or personnel with “by direction” authority), it carries the OPO’s, OR’s and OPL/OP’s implicit assurance, by virtue of the initialed application checklistand written evaluations, that the application is in compliance with policy and processing regulations, and that the suitability recommendation is consistent with the factual material therein.

050103. FORMS, DIRECTIVES AND GUIDANCE. The following list of additional resources and directives shall be utilized when additional guidance is desired and/or required:

a. COMNAVCRUITCOM Recruiting Quarterdeck website

b. Manual of the Medical Department (MANMED)

c. MILPERSMAN

d. OPNAVINST 5510.1 (Series)

e. OPNAVINST 6110.1 (Series)

050104. APPLICATION PROCESSING AND SUMMARY RECORD. The Application Processing and Summary Record (NAVCRUIT 1131/1) shall be completed prior to submission for all applicants. Instructions for completing this form can be found in the status bar within the MS Word ® document.

050105. APPLICATION FOR COMMISSION

a. The Application for Commission or Warrant Rank, U. S. Navy or Navy Reserve(NAVCRUIT 1131/2) shall be completed by all applicants prior to submission. Instructions for completing this form can be found in the status bar within the MS Word ® document.

b. Completion of this form is self-explanatory; however, dependent upon the applicant's answers to individual questions, additional documentation may be required.

050106. MOTIVATIONAL STATEMENT. Section VIII, Motivational Statement, of the Application for Commission (NAVCRUIT 1131/2) shall be completed by all applicants.

050107. ELECTRONIC PERSONNEL SECURITY QUESTIONNAIRE. This form shall be completed in accordance with Article 050201.

050108. FINGERPRINT CHARTS. Fingerprints shall be submitted in accordance with Article 050201.

050109. SF86 AGENCY USE FORM. Information for completion of the SF86 Agency Use Form is contained in the SECNAV 5510 series instruction. See Article 050201 for further instructions.

050110. RESUME. See CURRICULUM VITAE, Article 050113.

050111. CURRICULUM VITAE. Applicants for all Direct Commission and Inter-service Transfer Programs shall provide a signed, and dated curriculum vitae (resume).

050112. TRANSCRIPTS

a. Accredited Institutions. Officer candidates for all programs must, prior to applying for commission, possess a baccalaureate degree from a college or university that is listed in the Directory of Accredited Institutions of Post Secondary Education or the Higher Education Directory, published annually by Higher Education Publishing Incorporated. The college or university must be accredited by the New York State Board of Regents or the agencies listed above. Exceptions to this will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by COMNAVCRUITCOM. Completion of all work for a degree at such institutions, together with written certification by the college/university that the degree is to be conferred later, is also acceptable.

b. Non-accredited Institutions

(1) Officer program applicants from colleges/ universities not accredited by one of the seven regional accrediting agencies may be considered for Navy officer programs if the non-accredited institution's credits are fully accepted by at least three regionally accredited institutions. The following example is an acceptable statement that may be signed by the registrar, admissions officer, or any other appropriate official of a regionally accredited institution and must bear the school seal:

"This is to certify that (name of regionally accredited institution) accepts all credits by transfer from (name or non-accredited institution) in the same manner that it accepts credits from institutions accredited by regional associations. (Name of regionally accredited institution) also admits graduates of (name of non-accredited institution) to graduate study if they meet the same standards that graduates of regionally accredited colleges/universities meet."

(2) On an individual basis, an applicant who has received a baccalaureate degree from a non-accredited college/university may be processed if he/she has been accepted by a regionally accredited institution as a candidate for a master's or higher-level program of study.

c. Graduates of Foreign Institutions. Foreign college or university graduate applicants must furnish an officialtranslated transcript indicating that he/she has been awarded a baccalaureate degree. The degree must be certified in writing by an international consulting firm, the NAVCRUITDIST Education Specialist, or a COMNAVCRUITCOM Education Specialists (COMNAVCRUITCOM N35). A written statement regarding accreditation of the foreign institution compared to a degree granted by an accredited college and university in the United States is required. Only if the certification is positive will the application be submitted. Questions concerning international consulting firms shall be directed to the COMNAVCRUITCOM (N35). See Article 050304 for translation of foreign documents.

d. Official Transcripts. A transcript is considered "official" only if issued by the original source, sent directly from the educational institution in question, and clearly identified as being an official document of that institution; i.e., marked by a raised or colored seal of the institution of higher learning. For all medical student and MSC programs, see Article 060160.

e. All transcripts shall be official transcripts. Transcripts stamped "issued to students" are not acceptable unless they have been sent directly from the school to the NAVCRUITDIST in a sealed envelope. In this case, the OR shall annotate on the Application Processing and Summary Record (NAVCRUIT 1131/1) the process by which the transcripts were obtained.

f. Transcripts will be submitted for each post secondary institution the applicant has attended.

g. Applicants for Medical programs (less students) shall include a statement regarding their participation in continuing education and statements from appropriate training program officials regarding the completion of professional or certification training.

h. All Dental Corps applicants shall provide a certified copy of their dental school diploma.

050113. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES/CERTIFICATION

a. If an applicant has earned a professional certification or license, a copy of the appropriate document shall be included in the application package. Examples include:

(1) Engineer in Training (EIT)
(2) Professional Engineer (PE)
(3) Graduate Medical Education Certificates
(Internship, Residency, Fellowship)
(4) Current Medical Professional licenses (certified)
(5) Medical Specialty Certification
(6) Foreign Medical Graduate Certificate
(ECFMG/FMGEMS)
(7) Nursing License (certified) (all licenses ever held).
(8) Certificate of Ordination
(9) National Commission on Certification of Physician
Assistant
(10) Dental Specialty: Specialty Board Certificate
(11) JAG: Proof of Good Standing with BAR
(12) MSC Clinical Psychology: Internship Certificate/License
(13) Workforce Dental & Optometry: National Board
results

b. Where reproduction of the certification or license is prohibited, a statement that the certification has been sighted by the recruiter shall be included in the Application Processing and Summary Record (NAVCRUIT 1131/1).

050114. INTERVIEWS

a. The primary objective of the professional interview is to determine the applicant’s potential as a naval officer. The interview has secondary functions to include:

(1) Providing an opportunity to inform the applicant of the details of the program for which he/she is applying;

(2) Informing the applicant about the training he/she will receive; and

(3) Providing the applicant an opportunity to answer questions.

b. The number of interviews required varies among programs. The application checklist shall be reviewed to ensure the correct procedures are followed.

c. All interviews shall be completed by an officer holding a paygrade of O-3 or senior.

d. One of the interviewers shall be from the officer designator of the program for which an application is being made. In the case of MSC, one interview shall be with an officer of the same sub-specialty.

e. Interviews may be performed by either USNR or USN officers.

f. Personnel assigned to recruiting duty in the Officer Programs Department are not authorized to interview reserve officer program applicants.

g. In no case shall a reserve applicant for a reserve officer program be interviewed by other than as indicated above.

h. In no case shall an interview appraisal form be prepared based on input, either written or oral, from another source.

i. Regardless of the interview method chosen, all interview appraisals submitted with an application shall be the result of either close association (the one informal interview allowable) or of formal observation (face-to-face personal contact).

j. Interview Procedures

(1) As mutually agreed upon prior to the interview, either the senior interviewing officer or the individual officer most closely associated with the applicant, shall ensure that during the course of the interview, the applicant is advised of the following:

(a) The contents of the applicable service agreement.

(b) The duration and type of training to be received to include the mandatory Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) requirements.

(c) That after processing and approval, the application will be forwarded to COMNAVCRUITCOM for final action.

(d) That written notification to the NAVCRUITDIST is required for withdrawal of an application or declination of selection, stating the reasons for the request.

(e) That marginal applicants should be prepared for possible rejection.

(2) The interview room must be comfortable and provide sufficient privacy.

(3) Interviewers shall have information concerning the applicant's background, test scores and physical qualifications prior to the interview. The application folder of each applicant shall be furnished to the interviewers for review prior to commencement of the interview.

k. Recording of Interview Results

(1) Written interview results shall be made using the Interviewer's Appraisal Sheet(NAVCRUIT 1131/5). Interview results shall not be recorded during the course of the interview. However, each interviewer shall evaluate carefully and impartially the characteristics of the applicant and record evaluations while the details of the interview are still fresh in his/her mind.

(2) Any applicant who speaks English as a second language shall complete a portion of the interview telephonically to access the applicant's level of proficiency and clarity using English as their primary means of communication. The interviewer's comments shall include a statement as to the applicant's ability to communicate in English.

(3) Appraisals legibly handwritten in ink are acceptable, but not recommended.

050115. REFERENCES - REQUEST FOR REFERENCE

a. A minimum of three references are required.

b. The Request for Reference(DD Form 370) shall be used to document employment, character, peer, professional and military reference information.

c. The purpose of gathering personal data regarding an applicant is to provide information about the applicant's leadership potential, character, and integrity from sources other than the applicant. Any unauthorized disclosure of information provided in response to requests for personal data not only betrays the trust that an individual has placed in the Navy, but jeopardizes the reliability of future responses. No applicant shall be told the nature of any reply to an inquiry, nor shall he be told he has been disapproved for reasons of an unfavorable investigative report.

d. Employer references. Each employer listed on the Application for Commission or Warrant Rank, U. S. Navy or Navy Reserve(NAVCRUIT 1131/2) and the Electronic Personnel Security Questionnaire (EPSQ), including part-time employers, for three years immediately preceding the date of application shall be queried using the DD Form 370. The following guidance applies:

(1) If requested by the applicant, a DD Form 370 shall not be forwarded to the applicant's current employer (e.g., the applicant feels it might jeopardize their job). If the current employer is not queried, it shall be annotated on the Application Processing and Summary Record (NAVCRUIT 1131/1).

(2) Officer recruiting processors shall complete the front of the employment reference and mail it to the appropriate employer.

e. Military References. The Commanding Officer of all applicants who are currently serving on inactive duty in any branch of the Armed Forces shall be requested to provide a reference.

f. Peer References. Three peer references are required for officer applicants applying for the Chaplain program. Peer references are also required in conjunction with the Healthcare Professional Qualification Summary (HPQS) as indicated. HPQS peer references are used to assess the applicant’s clinical skills.

g. Character Reference. Only when employer references are not available will the applicant be required to submit character references.

h. Congressional/Political References. Applicants inquiring about such endorsements or reference should be advised that they are not necessary and will be favorably considered by the selection board only when the individual providing the reference has had personal knowledge of the applicant prior to the time of application.

050116. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

a. Health Care Providers deal in direct patient care and include the following:

Physicians Dentist

AudiologistNurse Anesthetist Clinical Dietician Nurse Midwife Physical Therapist Clinical Pharmacist Nurse Practitioner Podiatrist Clinical Psychologist Occupational Therapist Speech Pathologist Optometrist

Clinical Social WorkerPhysicians Assistant

b. As part of the application process, recruiters verify license/registration with state and/or national licensing boards and forward the Health Professional Qualifications Summary (NAVCRUIT 1131/11) as part of the application.

050117. LETTER OF GOOD STANDING. A letter of good standing with the school/residency program is required for 2105 and 2205 applicants who are currently enrolled in a residency program.

050118. LICENSE. Certified copies of licenses are required for officer applicants applying for any direct appointment to Medical Programs (2105, 2205, 2305 and 2905), JAG or Chaplain program.

050119. LICENSE VERIFICATION FOR MEDICAL PROGRAMS APPLICANTS. The licensing of all health care provider applicants shall be verified with the appropriate state/national licensing board using the Licensure Verification for Medical Programs Applicants (NAVCRUIT 1131/13). All Nurse Corps applications shall include a report of inquiry with a licensing agency from all states in which the applicant has ever held a license.

050120. VERIFICATION OF NURSING EDUCATION. All Nurse Corps applications shall include a report of inquiry of their nursing school(s) using the Verification Of NLN/CCNE Nursing Education(NAVCRUIT 1131/17). This information can be located on the internet at the NLN and CCNE websites.

050121. PROOF OF GOOD STANDING. JAG workforce applicants must provide proof of good standing with their BAR.

050122. REPORT OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION. See Articles 020306, 020312, and 020313 for DD Form 2808, Report Of Medical Examination, requirements.

050123. REPORT OF MEDICAL HISTORY. See Articles 020312 and 040801 for DD FORM 2807-1,Report of Medical History, requirements.

050124. PRIVACY ACT - HEALTH CARE RECORDS. The Privacy Act - Health Care Records, (DD Form 2005), shall be read and signed by all officer applicants. The original will be retained in the applicant’s residual file and a copy included in the application.

050125. DOCUMENTATION OF REQUEST FOR ECCLESIASTICAL ENDORSEMENT APPROVAL

a. An Ecclesiastical Endorsement (DD 2088) verifies that the applicant is a fully qualified clergy from a recognized religious organization; actively employed in a denominationally approved vocation; and recommended as being spiritually, morally, intellectually and emotionally qualified to represent the applicant’s religious body in the Chaplaincy of the Armed Forces. An ecclesiastical approval attests that a seminary student is considered a potential candidate for ordination. It is the prerogative of the individual church or religious body to establish its own requirements. Each denomination has specific application procedures for endorsement consistent with the policy of that particular church body.

b. The Issuing of an Endorsement. In connection with an application for appointment in the Chaplain Corps/Theological Student Program, a copy of the Ecclesiastical Endorsement (DD 2088) or Documentation of Request for Ecclesiastical Endorsement (NAVCRUIT 1131/10) shall accompany all applications forwarded by the NAVCRUITDIST. In many instances, the application for the Navy Chaplain Corps Program, and the request for Ecclesiastical endorsement, does not occur simultaneously. Districts shall forward applications if the applicant provides a completed Documentation of Request for Ecclesiastical Endorsement (NAVCRUIT 1131/10) indicating the date of request for ecclesiastical endorsement and the name of the endorsing agent/office contacted. An application will not be considered by the selection board until the Ecclesiastical Endorsement is received in the Office of the Chief of Chaplains. Forwarding an application without ecclesiastical approval can extend the time before an applicant is notified of the final selection decision.

c. Requesting Endorsement or Approval. The point of contact in the endorsement system between individual religious bodies and the Department of Defense is the ecclesiastical endorsing agency. The endorsing agent is a descriptive term used by all three services to identify the committee, commission, board, or diocesan office authorized by each organization and formally recognized by the Department of Defense to issue endorsements or approvals. For information regarding ecclesiastical endorsements, contact the Chaplain Programs Manager, COMNAVCRUITCOM (N342).