Human Capital Strategy Implementation - Enlisted Assignment Priority Policy
Flag Voice #475

Assignment Priority (AP) is one of 14 factors Assignment Officers use to determine where to assign an enlisted member while meeting the needs of the Service, unit, and member.  To that end, APs are an important part in the enlisted service member assignment process, particularly for arduous or hard-to-fill assignments.  As assignment and workforce dynamics have evolved and continue to change since its original implementation, the AP system no longer effectively addressed the needs of the workforce and those managing it.  A holistic review of the current AP tables was necessary to reinforce confidence in the system and accurately reflect the needs of the enlisted workforce.

We (CG-1 and MCPOCG) chartered the Assignment Priority Assessment Working Group (APAWG) in March 2016 under the Human Capital Strategy.  The working group comprised of members from the Office of Military Personnel, Policy and Standards Division (CG-1331), Personnel Service Center, Area and field-level Command Master Chiefs, Rating Force Master Chiefs, and Headquarters Program Managers analyzed existing AP policy and procedures governing enlisted assignment priorities. 

Based on the working group’s recommendations and data collected from a service wide survey, an AP Review Panel was convened on 22 February 2017 to review and validate the current AP tables, a backlog of AP change requests, and revalidate any recent changes to AP. 

AP Changes Overview:

• The AP table currently listed in the Military Assignments and Authorized Absences Manual, COMDTINST M1000.8A will be removed and promulgated by CG PSC to allow faster future updates.
• AP changes will be effective beginning in Assignment Year 2018.
• Members assigned to a unit downgraded in AP will maintain their current higher AP until tour complete.
• Members serving in units in which AP is upgraded will immediately assume the higher AP.
• Every three years, CG PSC-epm will solicit AP change requests and convene a Review Panel to consider change requests, review, and validate the AP tables.
• APs will continue to be applied across the entire unit/unit types for all ratings unless we determine the need for different APs (by position), due to service need; such exceptions will be rare.

Additional AP Information:

For details on the new AP table and more information on assignment priority, refer to the PSC EPM Portal site at http://cglink.uscg.mil/b9c9b3f3

For general policy questions or concerns regarding this policy, contact COMDT (CG-1331) at HQS-PolicyandStandards@uscg.mil.

Members should contact Commander (PSC-epm-2) for questions related to specific assignments and assignment priority.

 
Issue date: 5/23/17