ACN 011/19 - FEB 2019 ENLISTED RATING ADVANCEMENT TRAINING SYSTEM (ERATS) WINTER 2019 UPDATE

ALCOAST COMMANDANT NOTICE                CANCEL DATE 14 FEB 2020

R 151126 FEB 19
FM COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA//FC-C//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N01430//
ACN 011/19
SUBJ: ENLISTED RATING ADVANCEMENT TRAINING SYSTEM (ERATS) WINTER 2019 UPDATE
A. Performance, Training, and Education Manual, COMDTINST M1500.10 (series)
1. Per REF (A), this ACN promulgates updated advancement policy and procedures related
to the Enlisted Ratings Advancement Training System (ERATS) and provides updates to the
Occupational Analysis (OA) schedule.
2. ERATS Policy and Procedure:
   a. All Rating Advancement Tests (RAT) and Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME)
Advancement Qualification Exams (AQE) remain suspended. All other advancement requirements,
including completion of the Rating Performance Qualifications (RPQ) and EPME Performance
Qualifications (EPQ) remain in effect. Command Cadre and Professional Development Coaches
(PDC) are critical to ensuring the integrity of RPQ/EPQ sign-offs. PDCs remain responsible
for ensuring performance standards are being met or exceeded when carrying out their role
as signatories for RPQ/EPQs.
   b. A Rating Competency Code is required for all grades. Members who previously earned a
Rating Competency Code need not recertify unless required to do so as stated in the
rating-specific guidance memo available on the ERATS CGPortal page at the following URL:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/erats/ERATS%20ANNOUNCEMENTS%20ARCHIVE/Forms/
AllItems.aspx. Review Section I: Record of Changes of each RPQ while preparing for the
Servicewide Exam to ensure you are using the most up-to-date references.
   c. RPQs should be completed and entered in Training Management Tool (TMT) for all
candidates except those ratings with revised or new RPQs. For a number of ratings, TMT is
not being programmed to match new or revised RPQs. In these circumstances, commands are
authorized to enter rating competency completions directly into DA. A competency entry
process guide has been created and is located on the ERATS CGPortal page. The Commanding
Officer or RPQ Reviewer shall verify a candidate has completed the RPQs and authorize entry
into DA by the unit’s Personnel and Administration (P&A) entity. The following ratings are
currently impacted by these TMT issues: AMT, DC, GM, EM, HS, MK, MST, OS, and SK.   
3. EPME EPQs. New Enlisted Performance Qualifications (EPQs) have been approved and are
available on the ERATS CGPortal page at the following URL:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/erats/EPME/SitePages/Home.aspx under the EPME 2.0
folder. Completion of the EPME 2.0 EPQs begins with the Nov 2019 SWE, and must be completed
by 01 Aug 2019 to be eligible for the Nov 2019 SWE. However, the May 2019 SWE EPQ questions
will be based on these new EPQs. Members who have previously completed EPQs do not need to
complete the new EPQs for May 2019 SWE eligibility, however, the members should understand
only the content from the new EPQs will be tested. Additional guidance can be found at the
ERATS CGPortal site.
4. RPQ Repository. In an effort to make it easier to access RPQs, they are now housed on
each rating’s individual ERATS CGPortal Page. All ratings have been migrated over. During the
next two SWE cycles, RPQs will still be available on the Learning Management System (LMS),
but members need to ensure they have the most up-to-date versions for studying. The most
up-to-date versions will be on their ratings respective ERATS CGPortal Page at the following
URL: https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/erats/SitePages/Home.aspx.
5. Rating Specific Notes. Specific changes and instructions for EPQs and RPQs are now
captured in a semi-annual memo approved by FORCECOM Training Division. The approved memo is
available on the ERATS CGPortal Page under the ERATS Announcements Archive folder.
6. Occupational Analyses (OA).
   a. OA Process: Consists of a periodic review of all ranks of a specific rating. The
process includes a rating-wide survey that is used to make critical decisions related to
advancement and training requirements. Maximizing participation in the survey is critical
to ensuring the real-time world of work for a rating is accurately captured. 
   b. OA Upcoming Schedule. MST – February 2019; DV – March 2019; IV – July 2019.
These timeframes are subject to change.
7. Points of Contact:
   a. OA POC: CWO Tim Lacey, Timothy.J.Lacey@uscg.mil
   b. ERATS POC: MCPO Mike O’Berry, Eugene.M.Oberry@uscg.mil. 
   c. Rating specific advancement requirements should be directed to the respective Rating
Force Master Chief.
8. RDML B. Penoyer, Commander, Force Readiness Command, sends.
9. Internet release is authorized.