I don't understand how the “early slate” process and SPEAR work together. I know that there is some pipeline training involved but, I am still wondering how it is possible to shop billets before the overall list is developed.
Example: Priority 1,2 or 3 looks at the “early slate” which is usally all cutters and hard fills and is told by AO's “you need to choose it now or wait for the final list” . Well what if the final list has a great billet on it and I already stepped up for another cutter or hard fill? Or what if I wait for the final list and there is nothing I want, and the Cutter or hard fill billet that was on the early slate is already filled by the priority 5 “you are a sea duty candidate”.
Big question… How does my choice as a priority 1,2, or 3 get overridden by a priority 5 that picks early? Doesn’t this actually give the lower priority personnel the advantage?

Before I get hammered, I understand, "needs of the guard, have ID card will travel, home is where the CG sends you and orders aren't invitations".

Detailer offers you the ability to choose and you don't like what you see you roll the dice and look later. Some Pri 5 volunteers for Sea Duty that you could have choose but didn't well , so what!

So the priority 5 gets to see all the options and the priorty 1,2,3 doesn't. Proves my point, thanks

First of all - the SPEAR program got the shaft many years ago. It does not exist.

Assignment priorities are how we meet the desires of the memebrs, which as you know, comes AFTER the needs of the service.

A little secret here - AOs keep notes. Not just notes in their own little black book, but real notes. When I visted my AOs, they showed me notes from conversations I had with my AO WHEN I WAS A QM1! That was a FEW years ago. Folks that step up to the plate - in any number of ways - will have if nothing else, good karma with the AOs.

MC,
I must have missed that ALCOAST , so I take it that priorities are out also. I still don't understand how a shore based member can wait until the middle of October or November and see ALL the available billets while afloat and or isolated, inconus, outconus are told to choose with out all the options.
It seems to me that members that actually want to step up aren't given the same oppurtunity as the members that want to hide and wait for all the afloat billets to be taken, then choose a another shoreside billet. Maybe my ONCONUS AFLOAT guys would take a billet at "land station you choose" and their second choice is "cutter that's open" but... they are not given the oppurnunity to know the "land stations" before the "afloat" billets.
They step up in July for another cutter and then see their dream billet listed in September that gets filled by a member that's already ashore that never stepped up. So I guess priorities are out the window.
How does a land based member get to wait and see ALL the choices, while an afloat member has to choose blind? "NEEDS OF THE GUARD?" I agree. Pull some of these 2 and 3 tour ashore members and make them get the pipeline training for afloat.
I guess the old term is true " those that have sea time will get more, and those that don't, won't"
CDR Pat Flynn with all due respect, your comment "so what!" re-inforces my reasons for retiring, I guess shipmates are running low!

Madchief ... you got a shipmate here. I understand exactly why you're concerned ... been gone too long to understand the policies, and what to do about it. But the assignments "crapshoot" is a gut-wrenching time of uncertainty ... you want the best for your family; you want to enjoy a deployment to your prime choice of units. This is some important, important $hit to a service member ... and it deserves the understanding of yer mates.

Mr. Flynn frivolously blew off your concerns that are personal to your heart, and a shipmate doesn't do that ...

The two biggest things that mess with your head and heart in the Coast Guard is Transfers and promotions. So I will agree the process can be very frustrating to say the least! One way I get a snap shot of what may be coming open on the shopping list is to go into people soft off of create e-resume and look at all the billets in my rate at my paygrade. I click on each billet and see when the person filling that spot at the time is tour complete. I know, my rate is smaller and doesn't take long to see all the ASTC Billets, but if you have some time to check out all of the ones in your rate it should give you a ball park figure.

Chief,

I nhad never looked at your profile and assumed you were retired. My bad!! But, I do the same thing and am already looking at PO1 (hopefully not!) and CPO billets for when I transfer in 2.5 years. I would love to stay where I am.

Chief;
I guess it would depend on what rating you are talking about. (I would have to guess maybe ET for you?) Early slates exist for different reasons in different ratings. For BMs - it is about OinC/XPO jobs. For OS, it is about Pri 1-4 and Sea Duty Candidates. I believe for ETs it is about billets with extensive pipeline training. Assignment Priority remains one of the most important factors, on the 'desires of the member' side. Of course, 'needs of the service' come first. Becuase of that, in the OS rating for example, a Pri 3 who wants to go back/stay afloat, may get bumped by a Pri 5 who 'needs' to go afloat. Also - member's 'needs' and member's 'desires' don't always go hand in hand.

And we all sing along with Mick:

"You can' always get what you wa-aahnt ..."

quote:

Originally posted by Mightyz90_93:
First of all - the SPEAR program got the shaft many years ago. It does not exist.

Assignment priorities are how we meet the desires of the memebrs, which as you know, comes AFTER the needs of the service.

A little secret here - AOs keep notes. Not just notes in their own little black book, but real notes. When I visted my AOs, they showed me notes from conversations I had with my AO WHEN I WAS A QM1! That was a FEW years ago. Folks that step up to the plate - in any number of ways - will have if nothing else, good karma with the AOs.

And those who question why they aren't getting there priority. Will pay dearly especially if they work the detailers chain. Seen it happen a million times " cant tell you why you didn't get the billet or why someone with a lessor priority did". Its the detailers call, You will often see me refer to them as having a GOD like mentality.

Telling you what they think is good for your career.
Were big boys and girls let us worry about our career's and you (detailers) worry about where I want to go with my priority.

I already answered why folks don't always get their priority. AP is part of the member's desires side of the matrix. Needs of the Service (as with any employer) is the first consideration. Assignments are not a 'one at a time' decision process. AOs are shuffling up to a several hundred people at a time, and what they do with each person has an affect on everyone else.

Your career is not just your bussiness. It is the bussiness of the leaders in the rating too. You have an affect on everyone around you and on the future state of your unit and the CG.

Final reminder - any set of PCS orders can be turned down! Some people will say that is an urban myth, but it is not. If you really don't want to execute your orders, immediately inform your AO as such as they will be more than happy to give you alternate orders. Just be careful and be certain you don't want the original ones. The alternate orders will likely be SILO or RILO.

Becuase of that, in the OS rating for example, a Pri 3 who wants to go back/stay afloat, may get bumped by a Pri 5 who 'needs' to go afloat.
I guess that makes priority and needs of the guard pointless. Let me wait until I need sea time for advancement then I can BUMP the Pri 3.
Maybe some good career counseling is in order for the priority 5's. Orders aren't invitations.
I just wish I could tell my hard chargers why they couldn't see all the billets.