The Navy announced July 13, in NAVADMIN 174/17 that as part of its Sailor 2025 efforts, the service will implement a new Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) code construct this October and also realign enlisted rating communities and career fields.

"These efforts are about warfighting readiness and are absolutely critical to the development and implementation of the Navy's Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) and rating modernization initiatives," said Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert Burke. "Not only will these changes improve our personnel and billet management processes to assign the right individual to the right job, but it will ultimately provide us the ability to train and repurpose elements of our force to meet a rapidly changing world."

Beginning in October 2017, NEC codes will have four alpha-numeric characters and be organized into 12 communities and 23 career fields as part of the new construct.

These revised communities and career fields, which can be viewed at www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/nec/pages/default.aspx, were developed within the rating modernization working group and will replace the current occupational fields and associated ratings listed in the Navy Enlisted Occupational Standards Manual (NAVPERS 18068F, Volume I). As new NEC codes are developed, they will be created using this new construct.

The new career fields and communities will not only aid the rating modernization effort, but they also more directly translate to civilian occupations and will help facilitate licensing and credentialing efforts.

Going forward, the first digit of the new NEC code will be based on a Sailor's community and identify the individual's respective career field. The second and third digits will be unique alpha-numeric identifiers developed by the Navy Manpower Analysis Center. The fourth digit will represent how many blocks of training remain for a Sailor, or if the NEC code is not yet part of blocked training.

For example, the current NEC code for a Logistics Specialist Postal Basic (NEC 2800) would become S000 under the new construct.

- 1st Digit: S (supply career field)
- 2nd Digit: 0 (part of unique identifier assigned by NAVMAC)
- 3rd Digit: 0 (part of unique identifier assigned by NAVMAC)
- 4th Digit: 0 (all blocks complete)
1 (1 block remaining)
2 (2 blocks remaining)
3 (3 blocks remaining)
4 (4 blocks remaining)
Letters A-Z (NEC code is not associated with blocked training).

Another aspect of the revised NEC construct currently being developed is a two digit suffix to the NEC code which will contain additional information about a Sailor's skillset. This is intended to better capture a Sailor's proficiency, experience and currency, which is a fundamental element of the Navy's rating modernization efforts.

Quarterly updates, released in NAVPERS 18068F, VOLUME II Navy Enlisted Classifications, will identify the Navy's 1,400 NEC codes that have completed their conversion to the revised construct.

No action is required on a Sailor's part - these changes will occur automatically.

NEC codes are used to track skills and training, distribute Sailors to appropriate billets, and ensure operational units have Sailors with the necessary skills to carry out their missions.

RRL is a Sailor 2025 initiative focused on providing the right training at the right time in a way that Sailors will retain. Block Learning, an important part of RRL, will divide enlisted Sailors' training into separate courses delivered at multiple points throughout a career to help improve their retention. This will also help ensure that content is refreshed for changing platforms and technologies so Sailors are ready to perform on day one at their new units and help the Navy transform its industrial, conveyer-belt-training-model into a more modern one.

NAVADMIN 174/17 has complete information on these changes and can be found at www.npc.navy.mil.

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