Inspector General Robert P. Storch announced today that the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) released the report “Audit of the Navy’s Accelerated Promotion Programs.” The audit assessed the impact of the Navy’s lack of legal authority over the Accelerated Promotion Programs (APPs) on employees hired in 2016 at the Navy’s four public shipyards. Under an APP, employees may qualify for a promotion at an accelerated rate.
“The DoD must help increase the quality of life of its greatest resource—its people,” said IG Storch. “Ensuring that programs like APPs are authorized and managed efficiently helps the DoD recognize strong performance, improve morale, and retain the most qualified individuals.”
The DoD OIG found that eligible engineers hired from January 23 to December 22, 2016, generally received accelerated promotions despite the Navy’s lack of authority for the APP. Of the 399 employees eligible to participate in the Entry Level Naval Shipyards Engineer APP, 13, or 3 percent, did not receive an accelerated promotion. Another 79 employees, or 20 percent, received a delayed accelerated promotion.
The DoD OIG also found that 11 eligible naval shipyard employees hired under the Nuclear Shift Test Engineers and Radiological Control Technicians APPs either did not receive an accelerated promotion or had their accelerated promotion delayed because of administrative errors.
The DoD OIG made seven recommendations, including that the commanders of Pearl Harbor and Puget Sound Naval Shipyards review the facts and circumstances that resulted in insufficient documentation and determine whether delayed or absent accelerated promotions are a result of the lack of authority for the APPs in 2016. The DoD OIG will continue monitoring the Navy’s progress toward implementing all recommendations.
This audit was performed in response to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022.