ALCGENL 118/21 - NOVEMBER 2021 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION

R 221154Z JUL 21
FM COMCOGARD PSC WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCGENL

ALCGENL 118/21
SUBJ:  NOVEMBER 2021 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION
A.  Service Wide Examination (SWE) Guide, PPCINST M1418.1 (series)
B.  Enlistments, Evaluations, and Advancements, COMDTINST M1000.2C (series)
C.  Performance, Training and Education Manual, COMDTINST M1500.10C
D.  ACN 009/21, Enlisted Rating Advancement Training System (ERATS) Winter 2021
E.  Military Separations, COMDTINST M1000.4 (series)
1.  Summary. This message announces the November 2021 SWE competition for all ratings,
except MU, for advancement to pay grades E-5 through E-6. 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 E and this ALCGENL. 
2.  Schedule.  SWEs will be administered per the following schedule.  Any requests for
deviation must comply with Refs A and B.
a. AM 04 NOV 2021 (Thursday) SWE for ADV to E-5
b. PM 04 NOV 2021 (Thursday) SWE for ADV to E-6
3. Waivers. This ALCGENL supersedes previously published waivers. The following waivers
apply:
a. SWE. The November 2021 SWE is waived for BM2 only, and is continued as a supplemental
advancement list. 
b.  LAMS waivers are authorized for the November 2021 SWE cycle via a  PPC trouble ticket
using the waiver template at https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/ppc/Shared Documents/ADV/
LAMS Waiver Guidance.pdf.  Command endorsed waivers will be approved due to continued
impact to training opportunities.  LAMS Waivers are specific to each SWE cycle, members
previously issued a LAMS waiver must re-submit a new request. 
c. RAT/AQE. Per Ref D all Rating Advancement Tests (RAT) and Enlisted Professional
Military Education (EPME) Advancement Qualification Exams (AQE) are waived indefinitely.
d. Advancement Requirement Waivers. Requests for waivers of advancement requirements or
waivers of completion deadlines must be sent prior to 01 August 2021 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 PDE correction deadline
(01 October 2021). Using the template in Ref A, 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 again verifying the updated online PDE prior to the 01 October 2021 PDE correction
deadline. If the online PDE has not been corrected, the candidate shall submit a Trouble
Ticket prior to 01 October 2021 to PPC by e-mail to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.  PDE
corrections must be visible on the online PDE and completed NLT 01 October 2021.  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 the Self Service tab in August 2021.
b. Per Chapter 3 of Ref E, active duty enlisted members who reach or exceed their PGP on or
before 31 December 2021 (2022 HYT Candidates) must separate or retire on or before 01
September 2022 unless granted a waiver. HYT candidates who meet all SWE eligibility can
still participate in the 2021 SWE, however, these members will not be guaranteed advancement
even if placed above the published cutoff, unless the 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. Updated EPME EPQ guidance can be found at the ERATS CG Portal page at
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/communities/erats/SitePages/Home.aspx.
5. Command Responsibilities.
a. CO responsibilities are detailed in Article 3.A.4., and fully amplified throughout Chapter
3 of Ref B.
The most common reason for member ineligibility is a missing current Enlisted Employee
Review (EER). Per Article 3.A.5 of Ref B, each candidate must have a current EER with a CO’s
recommendation for each new SWE cycle. For E-5 and E-6 candidates, the EER must be dated after
01 February 2021 and NLT than 01 August 2021. SWE type EERs must have all competencies populated
in order to be valid.  SWE-EERs must be finalized in DA NLT the 01 October 2021 PDE correction
deadline date with an effective date NLT 01 August 2021. SWE-EERs cannot be submitted only to
change a CO recommendation.  For assistance with SWE-EERs, submit an email to HQS-SMB-CGPSC-
EPM-3-Evaluations@uscg.mil.
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 B. CORC EERs must be
received NLT the 01 October 2021 PDE correction deadline. Note, CORC EERs must have an effective
date NLT 01 August 2021, and the CORC EER shall not be used to reverse the advancement
recommendation of a discipline EER. For any EER questions, including CORCs, contact HQS-SMB-
CGPSCEPM-3-Evaluations@uscg.mil or the 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)
and Enlisted Performance Qualification Standards (EPQS) were signed off NLT 01 August 2021. RPQs
and EPQs must be completed and entered into DA. A competency entry process guide has been
created and is located on the ERATS CG PORTAL page. The Commanding Officer or Reviewer shall
verify a candidate has completed the necessary qualifications and authorize entry into DA by
the unit’s Personnel and Administration (P&A) entity. The completion and approval date of the
rating competency code and enlisted performance qualification codes recorded in DA must have an
effective date on or prior to the 01 August 2021 SED to be considered for the November 2021 SWE. 
Both competency codes must appear in the member’s DA competency record to receive an “Eligible”
PDE. Commands may enter backdated competency codes into DA during the PDE correction period up
until the 01 October 2021 PDE correction deadline date. It is highly recommended the competency
code be entered prior to the 01 August 2021 SED so the initial PDE shows a status of “Eligible”
rather than entering backdated competency codes and requesting PDE updates after PDEs are released.
d. Units away from homeport on continuous deployment from early October to the SWE date can
request early mailing of SWEs. Request of early mailing must be sent to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.
mil between 11 September and 01 October 2021.
e. Exam board OPFAC changes must be requested on or before 01 October 2021. OPFAC changes are
requested via PPC trouble ticket by submitting an email to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.
f. Waivers of advancement requirements or completion deadlines must be requested on or before 01
October 2021.
g. Substitute SWEs must be requested by 13 November 2021. SWE Officers administering substitute
exams shall adhere to the guidance outlined in 3.B.2 of REF. B and Page 27 of the SWE Officer
Handbook. Substitute exams must be administered on the date authorized by PPC and may not be
delayed due to personal leave or convenience.
h. SWE Officers forwarding exams for deployed members shall ensure a copy of the  SWE Officer
Handbook is included with the package and shall establish a method to verify receipt. This can
be done by the required traceable shipment and an email to receiving command. SWE Officers
forwarding exams OUTCONUS, or to deployed or underway units may contact PPC for additional
guidance and can request hand carry by authorized personnel as a method of shipment.
6. SPO Responsibilities. Last day to complete PDE corrections in DA: 01 October 2021.
7. PPC Responsibilities.
a. Post PDEs in DA: August 2021.
b. Early mailing of SWEs to underway units: September 2021.
c. Mail SWEs to exam boards: October 2021.
d. Compute final multiple: December 2021.
e. Post profile letters in DA: December 2021.
8. PSC Responsibilities. Publish SWE advancement eligibility list December 2021.
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%20Evaluations%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 B. The Point Start Date (PSD) shown on the PDE will be computed
per Article 3.A.17.c of Ref B and used to determine sea, surf, and award points. Candidates who
advanced on/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 PPCDG-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-DGCustomer
Care@uscg.mil. For additional SWE information go to the PPC (ADV) home page at
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/ppc/SitePages/Advancements%20and%20Evaluations%20Branch.aspx.
11. CDR R. F. Deisher, Acting, Chief, Enlisted Personnel Management, CG Personnel Service Center, sends.
12. Internet release authorized.