CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 291908Z APR 24 MID120001063692U FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 089/24 PASS TO OFFICE CODES: FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// SUBJ/FOREIGN LANGUAGE ONE-TIME TESTING BONUS// REF/A/DOC/OPNAV/08NOV18// REF/B/DOC/NLSA/01MAR23// REF/C/DOC/OPNAV/30AUG10// NARR/REF A IS OPNAVINST 7220.7H, NAVY FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY BONUS PROGRAM. REF B IS THE NAVY FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY BONUS PROGRAM GUIDANCE FOR ACTIVE AND RESERVE COMPONENTS. REF C IS OPNAVINST 5200.37, NAVY FOREIGN LANGUAGE TESTING PROGRAM.// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces implementation of the One-Time Testing Bonus (OTTB) component of the Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus (FLPB) program. 2. The intent of the FLPB program is to incentivize development and identification of critical foreign language and dialect capabilities needed to build a Navy that can fight and win. The overall FLPB program is designed to incentivize language professionals to achieve and maintain higher proficiency levels and to encourage Sailors to identify and measure their foreign language capability through foreign language testing. FLPB reinforces capabilities necessary for interoperability with our allies and partners and supports priorities outlined in the National Defense Strategy. Specifically, FLPB reinforces competencies vital to keeping pace with growing multi-domain threats. References (a) and (b) promulgate overarching policy, establish procedures, and provide guidance for the administration and payment of FLPB. 3. Beginning 1 May through 30 September 2024, the Navy will implement the OTTB component of the FLPB program and will offer a one-time bonus of $500 per language to encourage foreign language testing and identification of capability in the force for certain languages not recently or previously incentivized through monthly FLPB payments. 4. Eligibility a. OTTB is available to personnel in the Active and Reserve Components with at least one year left in the Navy, who are not currently receiving or eligible for monthly FLPB payments. Sailors in FLPB eligible groups or those currently receiving monthly FLPB payments for any language are not eligible for the OTTB. Groups of Sailors not eligible for OTTB include language professionals (i.e., foreign area officers and cryptologic technicians interpretive), graduates of Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, special forces personnel, and Sailors earning regular monthly FLPB for other reasons, such as assignment to language-coded billets. b. The languages designated for OTTB between 1 May and 30 September 2024 are Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, Hausa, Hungarian, Kurdish-Sorani (Kurdish-Central), Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian. These languages may be beneficial in support of current operations with partners and allies, and they align with and complement languages identified as critical to Department of Defense and the Navy. Since these languages have not been recently or previously incentivized through monthly FLPB payments, the Navy's current capability in these languages is not measured. OTTB may focus on other critical language and dialect capabilities in future iterations. 5. Award Criteria a. Eligible Sailors with skills in one or more of the OTTB- designated languages can qualify for the one-time $500 bonus in one of the following two ways: (1) Achieve at least 2+ proficiency level (as measured on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale) on both the listening (L) and reading (R) portions of a Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). (2) Achieve at least ILR level 2+ in speaking (S) via an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). b. ILR level 2+ is generally understood to be close to the proficiency level of an educated, native speaker. More detail on ILR skill level descriptions can be found at https://www.govtilr.org/. c. There are no DLPTs available for Estonian, Latvian, and Slovak. Sailors with skills in these languages may assess speaking ability via OPI testing to demonstrate eligibility for the OTTB. There is no OPI available for Lithuanian. Sailors with Lithuanian skills can only qualify for OTTB via DLPT. d. Sailors with capability in any of the languages listed are encouraged to test and may test in more than one language. Sailors with skills in multiple languages may qualify for OTTB in up to two languages per month. Sailors may take more than two tests per month, however, the maximum allowable OTTB payment for each individual is $1,000 per month. e. Eligible Sailors must complete all tests on or before 30 September 2024 to qualify for this one-time bonus. Sailors are encouraged to take the tests as soon as possible. Individuals must wait 180 days before retaking the same DLPT or OPI. More information about foreign language testing can be found in reference (c). 6. DLPT a. To schedule a DLPT, eligible Sailors should visit https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/training-education- qualifications/appointment-scheduler. If your desired testing location is not available in the appointment scheduler, contact the Navy Foreign Language Testing Office at languagetesting@us.navy.mil. b. Sailors should be advised that the listening and reading portions of the DLPT must be scheduled individually. When not contrary to command or testing facility policy, Sailors may take listening and reading portions in any order, may take both portions on the same day or on different days. However, Sailors must complete both portions of a DLPT within 30 days of each other to comprise a valid test, and they must complete both portions of the DLPT before 30 September 2024 to be eligible for the OTTB. 7. OPI a. Sailors should be advised that OPIs can take up to six weeks to schedule and must be completed before 30 September 2024 for OTTB eligibility. To schedule an OPI, Sailors or their test administrator should contact the Navy Foreign Language Testing Office at languagetesting@us.navy.mil. b. Sailors must identify a test administrator when scheduling their OPI. A test administrator must be a commissioned or warrant officer, E-7 or above, or civil servant at level GS-5 or higher. 8. FLPB is a special pay, not an entitlement, and is subject to change or discontinuation. Although there are no specific, unfilled requirements for these skills at this time, acceptance of FLPB constitutes acknowledgement of the recipient's possible eligibility for deployment for language-related duties. 9. Foreign language testing is beneficial to Sailors regardless of eligibility for FLPB or OTTB. Enlisted Sailors who achieve ILR scores of listening 1+/reading 1+ or better via a DLPT or an ILR speaking score of 1+ or better via an OPI also earn a Navy Enlisted Classification code to document language skill(s) in their personnel records. The American Council on Education recommends college credits for certain languages based on proficiency levels achieved on the DLPT. Sailors interested in applying for college credit should contact the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support Military Training Evaluation Program. More information can be found on their website at https://www.dantes.mil/credit4training/. For Navy-specific assistance on getting started, Sailors may also contact the Navy College Virtual Education Center through their website at https://www.navycollege.navy.mil/. 10. Commanding Officers should ensure widest dissemination of this information. 11. Points of Contact a. For policy questions, contact the Navy Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture Office, OPNAV N13F at Navy_LREC@us.navy.mil or by phone at (703) 604-6267. b. For specific FLPB payment questions, contact the program manager at nxag_n13f_flpb@navy.mil or by phone at (703) 604-5509. c. For assistance with foreign language testing and to schedule an OPI, visit https://www.mnp.navy.mil/group/training-education- qualifications/appointment-scheduler or contact the Navy Foreign Language Testing Office at languagetesting@us.navy.mil. d. For frequently asked questions regarding foreign language testing visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/lrec/dfltp/. 12. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or 30 September 2024, whichever occurs first. 13. Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//