Navy eradicates fitness test failures in campaign to improve retention
By Diana Stancy Correll
Thursday, Feb 16
The shift is part of a Navy-wide campaign aimed at improving accessions, retention and attrition so the service can hit its end-strength goals for 2023, according to Rear Adm. James Waters III, director of military personnel, plans and policy.
“This is connected because it clearly affects attrition, right? It will reduce attrition if we do not separate sailors based on past PFA failures,” Waters told reporters Wednesday. “But it came about through all of the analysis for this campaign plan, through a recognition that we don’t want to punish sailors because gyms were closed during the pandemic. We don’t want to disadvantage sailors.”
The policy, which the Navy labeled a “one-time reset,” means all active duty sailors and those in the Navy Reserve who want to remain in the Navy and advance will now have zero PFA failures prior to 2023, allowing commanding officers to reinstate retention and advancement recommendations. The policy does not apply to other programs that evaluate past PFA failures, including officer commissioning programs, selection or screening boards, and special duty screenings.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2023/02/16/navy-eradicates-fitness-test-failures-in-campaign-to-improve-retention/
