High Year Tenure

High Year Tenure (HYT)

What is High Year Tenure?

High Year Tenure (HYT) is the Navy’s force management policy that sets specific limits on how long a Sailor can serve based upon paygrade. The Navy uses HYT to help ensure community health and equitable advancement opportunity.
Sailors approaching HYT limits will be unable to re-enlist, extend, or negotiate orders, unless they receive an HYT waiver.
HYT applies to the total force, both active and reserve.

What is High Year Tenure Plus?

HYT Plus is a recent program that allows Sailors to serve beyond HYT limits, as long as they are willing and able to take orders to a valid, vacant billet, which could include extending at the current command to reach normal tour length. This program was piloted in FY-23 (see NAVADMIN 288/22) and was recently made indefinite (see NAVADMIN 277/23).
NOTE: HYT Plus does not eliminate the HYT policy. Rather, it offers a way to serve beyond HYT gates for those willing to serve, through a program that allows a Sailor to obligate themselves to fill a valid vacant billet. If you chose to decline orders into a valid, vacant billet, you separate at HYT under HYT policy.
HYT Plus is executed through the normal HYT waiver process, after orders are negotiated with the detailer.

HYT Waivers

Sailors approaching HYT limits may request a waiver by contacting BUPERS-328 (active duty, including TAR) or BUPERS-352 (SELRES, including definite recall and canvasser recruiters) using the ePAR (NAVPERS 1306/7) process. The Sailor should contact their Command Career Counselor for this.
Commands must submit the ePAR to the MNCC via MyNavy Portal, or by emailing the MNCC directly at askmncc.fct@navy.mil. Additionally, commands may contact MNCC directly at 901-874-MNCC.
Unless a HYT waiver approval is authorized by the Enlisted Community Manager (BUPERS-32), Active Duty (ACDU) and FTS personnel may only reenlist or extend up to their HYT date for their current pay grade. Personnel who have advanced to the next higher pay grade may reenlist or extend up to the HYT date of their prospective pay grade.

HYT Gates

Rank               Total Years Active-Duty Service                     Total Years Reserve Service
E1/E2               4 years                                                  6 years (Not eligible for HYT waiver)
E3                    6 years                                                  10 years (Not eligible for HYT waiver)
E4                    10 years                                                14 years
E5                    16 years                                                20 years
E6                    22 years                                                22 years
E7                    24 years                                                24 years
E8                    26 years                                                26 years
E9                    30 years                                                30 years

Commonly asked questions

Q1. Does this mean that E5’s can now retire at 20 years if they stay beyond their original HYT of 16 years and do not make First Class Petty Officer?
A1. Sailors will need an approved waiver (which they can obtain through HYT Plus or separately) to continue service beyond their YOS gate. It is possible to reach 20 years of service in this fashion.
Q2. How does a Sailor apply for HYT Plus to remain at their current command?
A2. See the “HYT Waiver” section above.
Q3. A Sailor is approved for HYT Plus and has PCS orders. Can the Sailor reenlist for additional time past the PRD at the gaining command in order to reach a desired date?
A3. HYT Plus only covers a Sailor until the end of their PRD (as adjusted to reach a ‘full’ tour). To stay beyond that date without accepting additional orders, the Sailor can submit another HYT waiver request.
Q4. If an E-5 approaching 16 years, does not get under orders, but not due to their own fault, do they need to separate at 16 years? Moreover, if yes, then are they qualified to receive Severance Pay?
A4. Currently, the Navy has plenty of work available for Sailors, including work not tied to specific ratings, so any Sailor requesting HYT Plus will be offered an available billet. If the Sailor does not wish to accept orders to one of the billets offered, they will separate at HYT as a voluntary separation (i.e. without separation pay).
Q5. If a Chief, approaching HYT gate at (24 years), does not get under orders, are they still eligible to compete for Senior Chief?
A5. If the member has not yet submitted retirement paperwork, then they would be considered board eligible. However, if retirement paperwork has already been submitted, even if on their behalf, this would be considered a voluntary separation, and they would not be considered by the advancement selection board.

References

NAVADMIN 288/22, High Year Tenure Plus Pilot, Dec. 2022 (see Fact Sheet)
NAVADMIN 277/23, “High Year Tenure Plus Pilot Indefinite Extension”, Nov. 2023 (see Fact Sheet)
NAVPERS_1306-7, Electronic Personnel Action Request (ePAR)
MPM 1160-120, AC/TAR HYT Program (Updated 13 Jul 2023)
MPM 1160-135, HYT for SELRES/IRR/USNR-S1 (Updated 31 Oct 2023)

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