ALCGENL 003/20 - MAY 2020 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION

united states coast guard

R 08 JAN 20

ALCGENL 003/20
SUBJ:  MAY 2020 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION
A.  ALCGENL 220/19
B.  Service Wide Examination (SWE) Guide
C.  Enlistments, Evaluations, and Advancements, COMDTINST
M1000.2(series)
D.  Performance, Training and Education Manual, COMDTINST
M1500.10(series)
E.  COMCOGARD FORCECOM NORFOLK VA 311453 JUL 19 ACN 081/19
F.  Military Separations, COMDTINST M1000.4(series)
1.  Summary. This message announces the May 2020 SWE competition for
all ratings, except MU, for advancement to pay grades E-5 through E-8.
Ref (A) announced the implementation of the Master Chief Advancement
Panel for advancement to E-9. Commanding Officers (CO) must ensure
dissemination of this message to all active duty enlisted members in
their AOR.  Members planning to participate in the SWE need to be
aware of these requirements, as well as their responsibility to
confirm they are met.  Failure to review and follow the guidelines of
this message will not justify a waiver of its requirements.  Units,
SWE Officers, Education Services Officers, and affected members shall
familiarize themselves with the contents of Refs A thru F and this
ALCGENL. 
2.  Schedule.  SWEs will be administered per the following schedule.
Any requests for deviation must comply with Refs B and C.
a.  AM 05 May 2020 (Tuesday)  SWE for ADV to E-5
b.  PM 05 May 2020 (Tuesday)  SWE for ADV to E-7
c.  AM 07 May 2020 (Thursday) SWE for ADV to E-6
d.  PM 07 May 2020 (Thursday) SWE for ADV to E-8
3.  Waivers/Deferrals.  This ALCGENL supersedes previously published
waivers and deferrals.  The following waivers and deferrals apply:
a.  SWE.  The May 2020 SWE is waived for BM2 candidates. 
b.  RAT/AQE.  Per Ref E, all Rating Advancement Tests (RAT) and
Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) Advancement
Qualification Exams (AQE) are permanently cancelled. 
c. Advancement Requirement Waivers.  Requests for waivers of
advancement requirements or waivers of completion deadlines must be
sent prior to 01 February 2020, the SWE Eligibility Date (SED). 
Failure by a candidate, supervisor, or supporting command to fulfill
their responsibilities is not justification for a waiver of the
Personnel Data Extract (PDE) correction deadline (1 April 2020). 
Using the template in Ref B, send requests for waivers via e-mail to
PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil and include member’s CO/XO in Cc line.
4.  Candidate Responsibilities. 
a.  The online PDE must show a status of “Eligible” in order to
receive an exam.  Candidates who participated in the previous SWE
shall not assume eligibility on the upcoming SWE.  The PDE for the
upcoming SWE must be verified.  The candidate is solely responsible
for accuracy of all PDE data, including where the SWE will be shipped
(Exam Board OPFAC).  Report any incorrect PDE data to the unit Admin
or Servicing Personnel Office (SPO).  After reporting incorrect data,
the candidate must follow up to ensure PDE corrections were made by
verifying the updated online PDE prior to the 01 April 2020 PDE
correction deadline.  If the online PDE has not been corrected, the
candidate shall submit a Trouble Ticket prior to 01 April 2020 to PPC
by e-mail to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.  PDE corrections must be
visible on the online PDE and completed NLT 01 April 2020.  Failure to
report and verify online PDE corrections by the deadline will result
in a “Not Eligible” status for the SWE or loss of points in the final
multiple.  PDEs will be posted online in Direct Access (DA) under
Self-Service tab in February 2020.
b.  Per Chapter 3 of Ref F, active duty enlisted members who reach or
exceed their Professional Growth Point (PGP) on or before 31 December
2020 (2021 High Year Tenure (HYT) Candidates) must separate or retire
on or before 1 September 2021 unless granted a waiver.  HYT candidates
who meet all SWE eligibility can still participate in the 2020 SWE,
but will not be guaranteed advancement even if placed above the
published cutoff unless the 2021 HYT Waiver Panel grants member a
waiver and the waiver includes advancement authorization.  For more
information regarding HYT visit PSC-EPM-1’s website at
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/psc/psc-epm/SitePages/HYT.aspx.
c.  EPME EPQs.  EPME EPQ guidance can be found at the ERATS CG
Portal page at the following URL:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/erats/EPME/SitePages/Home.aspx.
5.  Command Responsibilities.
a.  CO responsibilities are detailed in Article 3.A.4. and fully 
amplified throughout Chapter 3 of Ref C.  The most common reason for
member ineligibility is a missing current Enlisted Evaluation Report
(EER).  Per Article 3.A.5 of Ref C, each candidate must have a current
EER with a CO’s recommendation for each new SWE cycle.  For members
competing for E-7 and E-8, the EER must be dated after 01 February
2019 and NLT 01 February 2020.  For members competing for E-5 and E-6,
the EER must be dated after 01 August 2019 and NLT 01 February 2020. 
If an EER was not completed for a member competing for E-7 or E-8 due
to reasons listed in Article 4.C.1.b(4) of Ref C, commands shall
complete a “SWE-EER” with an EER effective date which is after 01
February 2019 and NLT 01 February 2020.  For members competing for E-5
and E-6, the SWE-EER must have an effective date after 01 August 2019
and NLT 01 February 2020.  SWE-EERs must have all competencies
populated in order to be valid.  SWE-EERs must be finalized in DA NLT
the 1 April 2020 PDE correction deadline date. It is recommended that
commands backdate the SWE-EER to create a gap of over 92 days for E-5
and below, or 184 days for E-6 and above, before the next semi-annual
or annual EER due date in order to keep the member on a normal EER
schedule.  SWE-EERs cannot be submitted only to change a CO
recommendation.   
b.  If the CO wishes to change an advancement recommendation, the CO
must submit a Commanding Officer Recommendation Change (CORC) type EER
per Article 4.D.3.i of Ref C.  CORC EERs must be received NLT the 01
April 2020 PDE correction deadline.  Note: CORC EERs must have an
effective date NLT 01 February 2020 and the CORC EER shall not be used
to reverse the advancement recommendation of a discipline EER. 
For any EER questions, including CORCs, contact EPM-3 at ARL-SMB-
CGPSC-EPM-Evaluations@uscg.mil or visit their website at
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/psc/psc-epm/SitePages/EPM-3.aspx.
c.  The CO shall verify the candidate’s most current Rating
Performance Qualifications (RPQs) were signed off NLT 01 February
2020.
d.  Entering Competencies in Direct Access (DA): EPQ/RPQ pay grade
completion shall be entered directly into DA.  Use the ERATS – Direct
Access Competency Entry Process Guide to accurately record completion
through your Personnel & Administration (P&A) entity.  Even if there
are no RPQ standards for your specific pay grade, the competency code
still needs to be entered in DA for service wide exam and Master Chief
Advancement Panel eligibility.  Units are authorized to enter
competencies directly into DA after verifying core competencies are
certified complete.  TMT entry is not required.  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 rating competency code must appear
in the member’s DA competency record to receive an “Eligible” PDE. 
Commands may enter backdated competency codes into TMT or DA during
the PDE correction period up until the 01 April 2020 PDE correction
deadline date.  It is highly recommended the competency code be
entered prior to the 01 February 2020 SED so the initial PDE shows a
status of “Eligible” rather than entering backdated competency codes
and requesting PDE updates after PDEs are released.  Commands shall
notify PPC (ADV) via email at PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil if members
receive an “Eligible” PDE, but have not completed eligibility
requirements by the SED to prevent an exam from being shipped.
e.  Units away from homeport on continuous deployment from early April
to the SWE date may request early mailing.  SWEs are normally mailed
during the first week of April.
f.  Exam board OPFAC changes must be requested on or before 01 April
2020.
g.  Waivers of advancement requirements or completion deadlines must
be requested on or before 01 February 2020.
h.  Substitute SWEs must be requested by 14 May 2020.
6.  SPO Responsibilities.  Last day to complete PDE corrections in DA:
01 April 2020.
7.  PPC Responsibilities.
a.  Post PDEs in DA:  February 2020.
b.  Begin mailing SWEs to units that have requested an early mail OOA
18 March 2020.
c.  Mail SWEs to exam boards:  April 2020.
d.  Compute final multiple:  July 2020.
e.  Post profile letters in DA:  July 2020.
8.  PSC Responsibilities.  Publish SWE advancement eligibility list:
July 2020.
9.  Miscellaneous.
a.  All candidates may use non-programmable calculators.  Consult the
“SWE Officer Handbook” on the PPC web pages at the following link: 
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/ppc/SitePages/Advancements%20and%20Ev
aluations%20Branch.aspx for information regarding items that may be
used by BM/OS candidates.
b.  EERs in current pay grade will be used to compute the marks
multiple within the date ranges listed in Article 3.A.7.b of Ref C.
c.  The Point Start Date (PSD) shown on the PDE will be computed per
Article 3.A.17.c of Ref C and used to determine sea, surf, and award
points.  Candidates who advanced on or after 01 January 2010 will have
a PSD equal to the day following the SED for that advancement. 
Candidates who have not advanced since 01 January 2010 will show a PSD
equal to their Active Duty Base Date (ADBD).  Candidates with broken
service and with an adjusted ADBD may contact PPC by e-mail at PPC-DG-
CustomerCare@uscg.mil to request a PSD adjustment to capture prior
service awards.
10.  PPC(ADV) is the single POC for all SWE inquiries.  They can be
reached by e-mail at PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.  For additional SWE
information go to the PPC (ADV) home page at
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/ppc/SitePages/Advancements%20and%20Ev
aluations%20Branch.aspx.
11.  CAPT S. Matadobra, Chief, Enlisted Personnel Management Division,
CG Personnel Service Center, sends.
12.  Internet release authorized.