WASHINGTON ? Almost 8,000 senior enlisted personnel must go before a continuation board later this year to determine whether they can continue to serve or must retire.
The board ? the first since early 2013 ? will convene Oct. 27, according to a Navy document released Aug. 14.
At risk are between 7,500 and 8,000 retirement-eligible active and reserve E-7s, E-8s and E-9s with at least at least three years' time in rate.
But there is a big upside to the process: Clearing out senior enlisted who have engaged in misconduct or whose performance has slipped noticeably makes way for hot running sailors to move up.
The board has no exceptions; even the most senior sailors ? up to and including Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens ? will have their records reviewed.
"It's an opportunity for us, as chief petty officers, to police ourselves,"
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/18/navy-chiefs-continuation-boards/14223129/