Navy Special Programs and Recruiting Procedures and Supplementary Testing

HERITAGE LANGUAGE RECRUITING PROGRAM (HLRP)

• General Purpose: HLRP is designed to identify and recruit individuals from heritage communities to expand overall force capacity in critical foreign languages and dialects.

• Post-Training Assignments: Applicants must understand that duty assignments may require regular interaction with the language and dialect-specific general population. This can occur through:

  • Parent unit assignment.

  • Individual Augmentation (IA) to units identified for deployment to specific global areas.

• Applicability: While the emphasis is on the Active Component (AC), enlistment in the Reserve Component (RC) is authorized.

• General Qualifications:

  • Applicants must meet all basic enlistment eligibility requirements found in chapter $2$.

  • Character: Must possess integrity and loyalty necessary to be considered trustworthy to represent the United States to host nation nationals.

  • Prior Service: Documentation of language and dialect proficiency must be clearly annotated in the enlistment package for ECM review.

  • Gender: Program is open to both male and female applicants.

• Language and Dialect Proficiency Standards:

  • Applicants must pass the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) or Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).

  • Required Scores: Listening level $2$ and Reading level $2$ on the DLPT; level $2$ on the OPI (Interagency Language Roundtable standards).

  • Testing Administration: Testing is administered only after establishment of enlistment eligibility. Coordination is through NAVCRUITCOM N32 and the Navy Foreign Language Office (CNO N13F).

• Documentation:

  • Proficiency documented on DD Form $1966$, section i, page $1$, item $13$.

  • Testing results recorded on DD Form $1966$, section VI, page $4$, remarks section.

• Targeted Languages: Eligible languages are distributed via PRIDE NEWZ by NAVCRUITCOM N32.

• Rating Eligibility:

  • Applicants may access with AFQT scores of $21$ or higher.

  • Preferred ratings include Cryptology, Information Warfare, Intelligence, and Construction (Seabee).

  • ASVAB line score waivers are considered on a case-by-case basis by NAVCRUITCOM N32.

LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM (LRP)

• Eligibility Criteria:

  • Must be non-prior service.

  • Must be a High School Diploma Graduate (HSDG) (Tier $1$).

  • Must achieve a minimum AFQT score of $50$.

  • Must enlist in an LRP qualifying rating (authorized ratings are posted on PRIDE NEWS).

  • Eligibility remains valid if the service member is reassigned to a different eligible rating.

• Authority: 10 U.S.C. 2171 is the governing authority.

• Qualifying Loan Requirements:

  • Loans must have been made towards the education of the applicant.

  • Must qualify under part B, D, or E of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of $1965$ ($20$ U.S.C. $1071$ et seq; $1087a$ et seq; $1087aa$ et seq).

  • Federal Parent PLUS Loans: Authorized only when the master promissory note identifies the service member as the dependent.

  • Timing: Must be made after October $1$, $1975$, and before the active duty service date.

• Application Process:

  • Request LRP via PRIDE Mod II immediately upon meeting criteria.

  • Applicant must sign the LRP PRIDE Mod II text file.

  • Completed applications are due within $60$ days of entry into the Delayed Entry Program (DEP).

  • Initial requests in PRIDE Mod II must be submitted at least $70$ days prior to shipping.

  • Verification: Applicants without an LRP approved application within $10$ days of shipping must be rolled out or sign a decline letter.

• Benefit Structure:

  • Incentive Cap: Up to $\$65,000$.

  • Payment Calculation: The Navy pays the greater of $33 \frac{1}{3} \%$ of the approved balance or $\$1,500$ for each completed year of service.

  • Taxation: Loan repayments are subject to federal and state taxes; DFAS withholds these taxes, so the amount sent to the lender is less than the approved incentive.

• Disenrollment and Forfeiture: Occurs if the member:

  • Fails to provide LRP worksheet items within $10$ working days of shipping.

  • Is discharged from active duty or DEP.

  • Receives a commission or warrant appointment.

  • Is no longer in an active duty pay status.

• Educational Benefit Conflicts:

  • MGIB (Chapter 30): Participant must serve at least $36$ months in the first enlistment, reenlist, and serve another $36$ months to receive MGIB benefits beyond LRP.

  • Post 9-11 GI Bill (Chapter 33): Qualifying service begins only after the first $3$ years of active duty service are completed.

  • Navy College Fund (NCF): LRP participants are ineligible for NCF.

ENLISTMENT BONUS (EB) PROGRAM

• Purpose: Used to channel enlistments into ratings with chronically inadequate volunteer levels, extend enlistments beyond four years, and provide incentives for high-attrition training pipelines.

• Terms: Applicants are not required to sign a $12$-month extension for EB participation.

• Administrative Procedures:

  • Applicants sign NAVCRUIT $1133/102$ (Statement of Understanding) and NAVCRUIT $1133/52$.

  • Specific forms required by program:

    • FTS/NF/AEF/ATF: NAVCRUIT $1133/52$.

    • NAVET PRISE III: NAVCRUIT $1133/72$.

    • New Accession Training (NAT): NAVCRUIT $1133/52$ and NAVRES incentive agreement.

    • PACT Program: NAVCRUIT $1133/53$.

DIRECT PROCUREMENT ENLISTMENT PROGRAM (DPEP)

• Program Scope: Enlists applicants with civilian-acquired vocational or technical training and significant work experience.

• Paygrade Entry Levels:

  • E3 designated striker: Completed accredited civilian vocational/technical training comparable to rating but no significant work experience.

  • E3 to E6: Requires vocational training plus significant work/supervisory experience.

• Training and Experience Matrix (Table 7.1):

  • E3: $1$ year work experience, $0$ supervisory experience, $1,080$ training hours.

  • E4: $2$ years work experience, $0$ supervisory experience, $1,080$ training hours.

  • E5: $4$ years work experience, $2$ years supervisory experience, $2,160$ training hours.

  • E6: $7$ years work experience, $4$ years supervisory experience, $2,160$ training hours.

• Substitution Credits:

  • Every $2$ additional years of work experience = $1,080$ training hours.

  • Every additional $1,080$ hours of training = $1$ year of work experience.

  • College Credit: $24$ semester hours ($36$ qtr) in qualifying, rating-related courses = $1,080$ training hours.

• Specific Rating Requirements:

  • Hospital Corpsman (HM): Techs must have valid certification and accredited training. Surgical, radiology, and lab techs cannot be enlisted as general duty HMs.

  • Mortician (HM-8496): Must complete accredited mortuary science course and hold a current state license.

  • Law Enforcement (MA): Graduates from Glynco, GA or state/local government academies. Private academies are not acceptable. Must have Peace Officer Standards Test (P.O.S.T.) certificate.

• Commitment: Active Component (AC) enlistees incur an $8$-year military service obligation with a $4$- or $5$-year active commitment.

ADVANCED PAYGRADE PROGRAM

• General Rule: Non-prior service applicants enlist in $E1$ unless qualifying for $E2$ or $E3$. Combinations of different qualifications to reach a higher paygrade are not authorized.

• E2 Criteria:

  • $24$ semester ($36$ quarter) college hours.

  • Civil Air Patrol Billy Mitchell Award.

  • $2$ years of Junior ROTC or Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC).

  • $1,080$ classroom hours at accredited vocational/technical school.

  • $2$ years and graduation from accredited high school-level military academy.

  • Designation as $E5$ in Young Marines.

  • Future Sailor DEP referral (per COMNAVCRUITCOMINST $1650.3$ series).

• E3 Criteria:

  • $48$ semester ($72$ quarter) college hours.

  • Eagle Scout or Girl Scout Gold Award.

  • Quartermaster in Sea Scouts.

  • $3$ years and graduation certificate for Junior ROTC/NNDCC.

  • $2,160$ classroom hours at accredited vocational/technical school.

  • $3$ years and graduation from accredited high school-level military academy.

  • Navy Sea Cadet Corps (reached $E3$ and completed NTC indoctrination, under age $24$).

BUDDY PROGRAM

• Description: Enlistment of small groups (max $4$ males or $4$ females) to remain together through Recruit Training.

• Restrictions: Mutual assignment is restricted to Recruit Training only (approximately $8$ weeks). All members must enlist on the same day at the same MEPS.

• Separation Risk: Members may be separated due to illness, unsatisfactory progress, failure to meet water survival qualifications, or personal request of any member.

NAVY MUSIC PROGRAM

• Auditions: Required for both Fleet Bands and Premier Bands. Technical performance on a major instrument is the primary criteria.

• Premier Bands:

  • United States Navy Band (Washington, DC) and U.S. Naval Academy Band (Annapolis, MD).

  • Selected from top performers; civilian accessions are authorized advanced paygrade enlistment at $E6$ (MU1) after Recruit Training.

• Fleet Band NECs: Include Flute ($3801$), Saxophone ($3805$), Trumpet ($3806$), Tuba ($3811$), Voice ($3825$), etc.

• Audition Content:

  • Woodwinds/Brass: Perform solo, all forms of major/minor scales, and sight-read first-chair parts.

  • Percussion: $26$ rudiments (memory), rolls, prepared solos (snare/mallets), and drum set patterns (rock, funk, swing, latin).

NAVY SUPPLEMENTARY TEST ADMINISTRATION

• Navy Advanced Programs Test (NAPT):

  • Used for Nuclear Field (NF) applicants who do not qualify by ASVAB line scores alone.

  • Pre-screening: AFQT $65+$ or top $1/3$ of HS class or $C$ average in one year of Algebra.

  • Passing Score: Minimum $55$. Scores valid for $2$ years.

  • Retest: Authorized if initial score was $40+$ and applicant completed additional academic math/science courses ($7$ days minimum between tests).

  • Security: Two-party check-in/out for exams and keys. Storage in combination safe or locking bar cabinet.

• Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB):

  • Screens for potential to study foreign languages. Scores valid for $2$ years. Retest allowed after $6$ months.

• Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT):

  • For individuals claiming native or near-native proficiency. Requires listening and reading sections ($4 \frac{1}{2}$ hours).

• Test Security & Compromise: Defined as oral/written discussion of material with unauthorized individuals, reproduction of materials, unsupervised testing, or "teaching the test."

• Log Retention: NAPT test control logs and DLAB answer sheets must be retained for $2$ years.