ALCGENL 011/24 - SUBJ: MAY 2024 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION

ALCGENL 011/24
SUBJ: MAY 2024 SERVICE WIDE EXAMINATION (SWE) COMPETITION
A. Service Wide Examination (SWE) Guide
B. Enlistments, Evaluations, and Advancements, COMDTINST M1000.2 (series)
C. Performance, Training and Education Manual, COMDTINST M1500.10C
D. ALCOAST 363/23, ENLISTED RATING ADVANCEMENT TRAINING SYSTEM (ERATS) FALL 2023 UPDATE
E. Military Separations, COMDTINST M1000.4 (series)
1. Summary. This message announces the May 2024 SWE competition for all Ratings, except Cyber Mission Specialist (CMS), Musician (MU), and Public Affairs Specialist (PA). Commanding officers must ensure dissemination of this ALCGENL to all active duty enlisted members in their respective areas of responsibility. Members planning to compete in the SWE shall be aware of the requirements and guidelines contained in this ALCGENL. Failure to do so is not justification for a waiver to compete in the SWE. Furthermore, units, SWE Officers, Education Services Officers, and members planning to compete in the SWE shall familiarize themselves with the contents of references A thru E.
2. Schedule. SWEs will be administered per the following schedule. Any requests for deviation must comply with references A and B. Please note the change in administration from a 2-day to 4-day schedule.
a. 07 MAY 2024 (Tuesday) SWE for ADV to E-5.
b. 08 MAY 2024 (Wednesday) SWE for ADV to E-6.
c. 09 MAY 2024 (Thursday) SWE for ADV to E-7.
d. 10 MAY 2024 (Friday) SWE for ADV to E-8.
3. Waivers. This ALCGENL supersedes previously published waivers. The following waivers apply:
a. SWE. The May 2024 SWE is waived only for BM2, CS2, DC2, EM2, ET2, and IT2 and will continue to be administered as a supplemental advancement list.
b. RAT/AQE. All Rating Advancement Tests (RAT) and Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) Advancement Qualification Exams (AQE) are waived indefinitely.
c. LAMS. For advancement to E-6, completion of Leadership and Management (LAMS) Course prior to the 01 Feb 2024 SWE Eligibility Date (SED) is suspended. Members above the cutoff for E-6 must attend LAMS prior to advancing. The requirement to complete LAMS prior to the SED for advancement to E-6 will resume for the May 2025 SWE.
d. Advancement Requirement Waivers. Requests for waivers of advancement requirements or waivers of completion deadlines must be sent prior to 01 February 2024, 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 April 2024). Using the template in ref A, send requests for waivers via e-mail to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil and include member’s commanding officer/executive officer in Cc-line.
4. Candidate Responsibilities.
a. The online Personal Data Extract (PDE) must show a status of “Eligible” to receive an exam or to be ranked on the CMS or PA advancement eligibility list. Candidates who participated in the previous SWE should not assume eligibility on the upcoming SWE. The Personal Data Extracts for the upcoming SWE must be verified. Candidates expecting extended time away from their unit (ie. extensive “C” schools, deployments, temporary duty, parental leave, etc.) from the SWE eligibility date to the end of the correction period should make alternate arrangements to verify and correct their PDE. Candidates are solely responsible for accuracy of all Personal Data Extract information, including where the SWE will be shipped (Exam Board DEPT ID). Candidates shall report any incorrect Personal Data Extract information to their unit administrative office 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 Personal Data Extract prior to the 01 April 2024 correction deadline. If the online Personal Data Extract has not been corrected, the candidate must submit a Trouble Ticket prior to 01 April 2024 to PPC by e-mail to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil. PDE corrections must be visible on the online Personal Data Extract and completed NLT 01 April 2024. Failure to report and verify online Personal Data Extract 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 2024.
b. EPME EPQs. Updated EPME EPQ guidance can be found at the ERATS SharePoint page at https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/erats_spo/SitePages/EventPlanHome.aspx.
5. Command Responsibilities.
a. Commanding officer 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 missing the most recent Enlisted Employee Review (EER). Per Article 3.A.5 of ref B, each candidate must have a current EER with a commanding officer’s recommendation for each new SWE cycle. For members competing in the SWE, the EER must be dated after 01 February 2023 and NLT than 01 February 2024. SWE-EERs must have all competencies populated in order to be valid. SWE-EERs must be finalized in DA no later than the 01 April 2024 PDE correction deadline date with an effective date no later than 01 February 2024. SWE-EERs are not permitted when a Commanding Officer Recommendation Change (CORC) will suffice. For assistance with SWE-EERs, submit an email to HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-3-Evaluations@uscg.mil.
b. If the commanding officer wishes to change an advancement recommendation, the CO must submit a Commanding Officer Recommendation Change (CORC)-EER per Article 4.D.3.i of ref B. CORC-EERs must be received NLT the 01 April 2024 PDE correction deadline. Note, CORC-EERs must have an effective date NLT 01 February 2024. For any EER questions, including CORCs, contact HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-3-Evaluations HQS-SMB-CGPSC-EPM-3-Evaluations@uscg.mil.
c. The commanding officer shall verify the candidate’s most current Rating Performance Qualifications (RPQs) and Enlisted Performance Qualification Standards (EPQS) were signed off prior to 01 February 2024. RPQs and EPQs must be completed and entered into Direct Access. A competency entry process guide has been created and is located on the ERATS SharePoint page. The commanding officer or designated unit Reviewer shall verify a candidate has completed the necessary qualifications and authorize entry into Direct Access 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 Direct Access must have an effective date on or prior to the 01 February 2024 SED to be considered for the May 2024 SWE. Both competency codes must appear in the member’s Direct Access competency record to receive an “Eligible” Personal Data Extract. Commands may enter backdated competency codes into Direct Access during the PDE correction period up until the 01 April 2022 Personal Data Extract correction deadline date. It is highly recommended the competency code be entered prior to the 01 February 2024 SWE eligibility date so the initial Personal Data Extract shows a status of “Eligible” rather than entering backdated competency codes and requesting Personal Data Extract updates after Personal Data Extracts are released.
d. Units away from homeport on continuous deployment from early March until the SWE date can request early mailing of SWEs. Request of early mailing must be sent to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.
e. Exam board DEPT ID changes must be requested on or before 01 April 2024. DEPT ID 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 February 2024.
g. Substitute SWEs must be requested by 13 May 2024. 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 Pay and Personnel Center (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 April 2024.
7. Pay and Personnel Center (PPC) Responsibilities.
a. Post Personal Data Extracts in DA: February 2024.
b. Early mailing of SWEs to underway units: March 2024.
c. Mail SWEs to exam boards: April 2024.
d. Compute final multiple: June 2024.
e. Post profile letters in Direct Access: June 2024.
8. Personnel Service Center (PSC) Responsibilities. Publish SWE advancement eligibility list June 2024.
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://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/ppc/SitePages/PPC%20Advancements%20Service%20Validation%20and%20Data%20Corrections.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, incentive, and award points. Candidates who advanced on/after 01 January 2010 will have a point start date equal to the day following the SWE eligibility date for that advancement. Candidates who have not advanced since 01 January 2010 will show a point start date equal to their Active-Duty Base Date (ADBD). Candidates with broken service and with an adjusted ADBD may contact Pay and Personnel Center by e-mail at PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil to request a point start date 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://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/ppc/SitePages/PPC%20Advancements%20Service%20Validation%20and%20Data%20Corrections.aspx
11. CAPT J. W. Guyer, Chief, Enlisted Personnel Management, CG Personnel
Service Center, sends.
12. Internet release authorized.