Expert: Rod Powers - 12/28/2006

Question
OK, I've spoke to the Navy Career Counselor, again, and I apparently got the wrong impression. Now, another question has popped up. I have elected to Obliserv for my overseas tour which isn't supposed to kick in until Jan 20, 2007. I was under the impression that if I reenlist before that date the Obliserv agreement is null and void. She said it is not and therefore will only get an SRB for 4 months due to my 36 year reenlistment and my Obliserv of 32 months. My last Navy Career Counselor told me that only 24 months would be reimbursed meaning I would lose 8 months pay only. I'm getting different answers from everybody I ask. Do you know anything about this type of situation?
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-----Question-----
I have been in the USN for 9 years and I'm currently serving overseas in Japan. To get her I had to Obliserv for 32 months to satisfy the 36 month tour requirement for overseas duty. I was positive the personnelmen at my last command in Washington told me I could reenlist here in Japan as long as it covered the remainder of my overseas tour. But my Navy Career Counselor here at my new command is stating I have to reenlist for double the amount of my tour because I obliserved. She has not shown me any documentation proving it but I can not find any documentation disproving it. And my enlistment is coming up in a month. Do you know the answer to this question and/or could give me any physical documentation to support any side of the argument?
-----Answer-----
Hi Michael,

I've not been able to find any instruction or regulation which requires you to extend your tour length. My advice would be to contact your detailer, to see what's really up.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com


Answer
Hi Micheal,

Okay, I asked a really good friend of mine, who has spent several years as a Navy Career Counselor, and here is what he says:

Tour Length extension question - MILPERSMAN 1160-040
4.f. To obtain OBLISERV required to execute permanent change of station (PCS) orders.  Two extensions are authorized if obtainment of OBLISERV by reenlistment or one single extension of enlistment will result in possible loss of selective reenlistment bonus (SRB)/enlistment bonus (EB) entitlement.  For example, if a servicemember is in receipt of orders with a SRB qualifying Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) school in route to the final destination, and does not qualify under the OBLISERV to Train (OTT) program (see most recent SRB NAVADMIN message), member may execute one extension to complete the school and a second extension to meet the total required OBLISERV on member’s orders.  See MILPERSMAN 1306-106 for information about OBLISERV in connection with a PCS transfer.

So that covers why he had to get the 32-month extension (must have wanted Japan orders really bad).  He must have had only 4 months left before he got his orders, which put him outside the 30-day window, as addressed in

MILPERSMAN 1306-106 - Time on Station (TOS) and Retainability/Obligated Service (OBLISERV)
g.  If reenlistment and/or obtainment of OBLISERV within 30 days of receipt of PCS orders would cause potential loss of SRB, and the servicemember is not qualified to participate in the OBLISERV to Train (OTT) program, commands/Personnel Support Detachments (PERSUPP DETs) may request a waiver of the 30-day requirement from COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-451).  If not qualified for the OTT program and there is still potential for SRB loss, commands/PSDs are authorized to use a combination of extension(s) and/or NAVPERS 1070/613 (Rev. 10-81), Administrative Remarks entry in lieu of (all) hard OBLISERV.  Two extensions may be used if needed - one conditional extension to extend the servicemember’s expiration of active obligated service (EAOS) past graduation date from a school which will result in an SRB qualifying Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) being earned, and a second extension for the maximum allowable period that can be cancelled with no SRB loss will be done to get as much up-front hard OBLISERV for the Navy with no loss of SRB for the servicemember.  Information on the maximum allowable period to cancel inoperative extension(s) upon reenlistment with no SRB loss, the required length of the reenlistment and the OTT program can be found in the latest SRB NAVADMIN message, available at http://www.persnet.navy.mil/navadmin/.  

(1) If using the maximum allowable (cancelable) extension period possible will not satisfy the OBLISERV required on the PCS orders, commands/PSDs are authorized to use a NAVPERS 1070/613 entry in lieu of hard OBLISERV for periods not to exceed 12 months.

SRB Question:  Latest SRB message I see is NAVADMIN 330/06.  
Para 6 states, :
A MEMBER WHO MUST OBLIGATE SERVICE TO EXECUTE A PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION MOVE MAY REENLIST ANY TIME WITHIN THE SAME FISCAL YEAR AS THE DETACHMENT MONTH, BUT NOT LATER THAN THE DATE OF DETACHMENT FROM THE LAST INTERMEDIATE DUTY STATION.

Para 9 addresses the extention
9. CANCELLATION OF NON-OPERATIVE EXTENSIONS. ANY MEMBER MAY CANCEL UP TO 24 MONTHS OF A NON-OPERATIVE EXTENSION OF ENLISTMENT PROVIDED:
A. THE EXTENSION IS CANCELLED BEFORE IT BECOMES OPERATIVE.
B. THE MEMBER IMMEDIATELY REENLISTS FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS BEYOND THE EXTENDED EAOS, DAY-FOR-DAY.
THE CANCELLED INOPERATIVE EXTENSION WILL COUNT AGAINST MEMBER'S SRB AWARD UNLESS THE REENLISTMENT IS FOR GREATER THAN THE PERIOD OF THE INOPERATIVE EXTENSION PLUS TWO YEARS.

That ought to answer all the questions... I miss anything?

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com