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ROUTINE

R 252311Z MAR 10

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NAVADMIN 110/10

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/MAR//

SUBJ/ACTIVE DUTY COMMANDING OFFICER LONG-TERM ABSENCES AND COMMAND AUTHORITY//

REF/A/DOC/SECNAV/16SEP1990//

REF/B/DOC/OPNAV/11APR1994//

NARR/REF A IS U.S. NAVY REGULATIONS. REF B IS OPNAVINST 3120.32C, STANDARD 
ORGANIZATION AND REGULATIONS OF THE U.S. NAVY//

RMKS/1.  OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN HAVE CREATED REQUIREMENTS FOR 
OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEMBERS TO SERVE AS INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTEES
(IA) IN SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM.
ON OCCASION, OFFICERS SERVING IN COMMANDING OFFICER BILLETS HAVE BEEN 
CONSIDERED FOR IA ASSIGNMENTS OR OTHER LONG-TERM ABSENCES FROM THEIR COMMANDS 
IN SUPPORT OF ONGOING OPERATIONS.  GIVEN A COMMANDING OFFICER'S STATUTORY, 
REGULATORY AND CUSTOMARY LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HIS OR HER COMMAND, 
IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO AUTHORIZE CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY COMMANDING OFFICERS TO 
SERVE ON ASSIGNMENTS THAT REQUIRE LONG-TERM ABSENCES FROM THEIR COMMANDS IN 
ALL BUT THE MOST EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES.  ACCORDINGLY, ECHELON II COMMANDERS 
SHALL NORMALLY DISAPPROVE REQUESTS FOR CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY COMMANDING OFFICERS 
TO BE ABSENT FROM THEIR COMMANDS IN EXCESS OF 30 DAYS FOR AN OPERATIONAL 
ASSIGNMENT OR FOR TRAINING.

2.  IN THOSE RARE CASES WHERE THE EXPECTED BENEFITS WARRANT THE ASSIGNMENT, 
ECHELON II COMMANDERS MAY APPROVE LONG-TERM ACTIVE DUTY ABSENCES IN EXCESS OF 
30 DAYS ONLY AFTER NOTIFYING THE CHIEF OF NAVAL PERSONNEL (CNP) OF THEIR 
INTENT TO APPROVE THE ABSENCE, AND AFTER CONSIDERING THE CO'S CURRENT COMMAND 
AND ITS MISSION; THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF THE CURRENT XO; THE PURPOSE, 
DURATION, LOCATION, TIMING, AND IMPORTANCE OF THE PROPOSED LONG-TERM 
ASSIGNMENT; AND ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES RAISED BY THE REQUESTING COMMAND.  
THE REVIEWING ECHELON II COMMAND MAY REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE 
REQUESTING COMMAND, AS NECESSARY.

3.  IF THE ECHELON II COMMANDER APPROVES A REQUEST, THE XO SHALL BE DESIGNATED 
IN WRITING AS ACTING CO TO PRESERVE UNITY OF COMMAND AND ELIMINATE AMBIGUITY 
REGARDING WHAT AUTHORITY HE OR SHE MAY EXERCISE IN THE CO'S ABSENCE PER REF A.  
SIMILARLY, COMPETENT AUTHORITY (E.G., ADCON ISIC) SHALL RELIEVE THE DEPARTING 
CO OF HIS OR HER RESPONSIBILITIES IN WRITING FOR THE DURATION OF THE ABSENCE.
A. TO ESTABLISH CLEAR ACCOUNTABILITY, CLASSIFIED MATERIAL AND OTHER 
INVENTORIES, AND FINANCIAL AUDITS, AS APPROPRIATE, SHALL BE CONDUCTED PRIOR TO 
THE CO'S DEPARTURE AND AGAIN UPON HIS OR HER RETURN.
B. ANY EXTENSIONS TO AN APPROVED ABSENCE, OR ANY EXTENSIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE 
AN ABSENCE OF 30 DAYS OR LESS TO EXCEED THE 30-DAY THRESHOLD, REQUIRE ECHELON 
II COMMANDER APPROVAL WITH CNP NOTIFICATION

4. THIS NAVADMIN SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL THE ABOVE POLICY IS REFLECTED IN 
THE NEXT REVISION OF REF B.

5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//

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