Last Updated on October 14, 2024
This guide provides useful information for those who seek to become a United States Navy Officer through the Human Resources In-Service Procurement Program during the Fiscal Year 2025.
The U.S. Navy, being one of the biggest employers out there, is always on the lookout for people to join and support its global operations. Each job requires specific skills and qualifications, so how does the Navy make it all happen—recruiting, selecting, and keeping its folks on board?
That’s where the Navy’s human resources team steps in. They handle the recruitment process, pick the right people, and help them stay active in their roles. One of the programs designed to help with this is the Human Resources In-Service Procurement Program (HR ISPP), which is all about managing these tasks effectively.
You gotta know the ins and outs of the requirements and steps for this program. So, let’s break down the Navy Human Resources In-Service Procurement Program (HR ISPP). We’ll cover what the program’s all about, who’s eligible to join, and how you can throw your hat in the ring.
Navy Human Resources Officer
A Navy Human Resources Officer is a commissioned officer in the United States Navy responsible for overseeing personnel management, recruitment and retention of personnel, career planning, financial assistance, and other matters related to personnel. They also provide guidance on personnel issues for both junior enlisted members and officers in all branches of service.
One of the main paths to becoming a Human Resources Officer in the Navy is by going through the Human Resources In-Service Procurement Program (HR ISPP).
Eligibility Requirements
The requirements below are current as of June 2024, per the Navy Personnel Command. No updates have been issued thus far.
| Citizenship | Applicants must be United States citizens. |
| Gender | No gender restrictions. |
| Age | Applicants must be at least 26 years old as of the first date of the board and able to commission before the age of 42. |
| Education | You must have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school to qualify. It’s a bonus if your degree is in something like human resources, personnel management, finance, operations research, or other HR-related fields. Oh, and your GPA needs to be at least 2.2 on a 4.0 scale. Now, if you’ve got a graduate degree focused on HR with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, that’ll count more than if your undergrad GPA didn’t make the cut. |
| Certifications | A current Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification is highly desired and strongly encouraged. |
| Work Experience | You need at least 18 months of recent work experience (within the last four years) in HR-type jobs like being a Command Pay and Personnel Administrator (CPPA), a command career counselor, or a recruiter. This has to be backed up in your Navy performance reviews. Another option is if you’ve got 36 months of CPPA experience in the last four years, you’re good to go too. |
| Medical | You must be open to assignments anywhere in the world and physically fit for sea duty, as laid out in Chapter 15 of the Medical Department Manual. |
| Behavior | You must have a clean record and solid character. No disciplinary actions under Article 15 of the UCMJ, no court-martials, no felony convictions in civilian court, and no misdemeanors (except minor traffic tickets under $300) in the last three years. A DUI or DWI counts as a major traffic violation and will disqualify you. If you’ve had pre-service drug or alcohol use, it’s not a dealbreaker, but any proven drug or alcohol abuse during your service, no matter when, will disqualify you. |
| Physical Fitness | Applicants must have passed their last two PFAs and provide their most recent scores. If official scores are unavailable or the previous PFA was waived, a mock PFA conducted by a qualified Command Fitness Leader will suffice. |
| Time in Service | A minimum of three years of enlisted active service as of the date the board convenes is required. |
| Warfare Qualification | An enlisted warfare qualification as identified in OPNAVINST 1414.9C is required (i.e., EAWS, ESWS, FMF, etc.). |
| Aptitude | Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR) test score is not required to apply for this program. |
| Interview | Once the NRC and your Commanding Officer (CO) sign off on your application, the Officer Community Manager (OCM) will reach out to set up two interviews with HR officers (designator 1200). You’ll get interviewed by one HR Captain and one HR Commander (both designator 1200). The OCM will give the interview form to the officers doing the interviews. Just keep in mind, those interviews are only good for one board cycle. |
| Nuclear-Trained Sailors | Include the full process for nuclear-trained Sailors to submit the Enlisted Personnel Action Request (NAVPERS 1306/7) to obtain a conditional release. |
NOTE: Waivers are unauthorized for the HR ISPP.
Who May Apply
This program is only for active-duty enlisted Sailors. If you’re in the Selected Reserve (SELRES), Training and Administration of Reserve, or Individual Ready Reserve, you can’t apply. Also, SELRES on active duty for operational support, mobilization, training, short-term recall orders, or working as a canvasser recruiter aren’t eligible either.
Application Process
Application packages must come from a command that has completed the first training pipeline and must be approved by the applicant’s CO. Applications from the first training stream will be rejected.
Applicants must be nominated positively by the CO’s Recommendation portion of the Officer Programs Application, OPNAV 1420/1. Determine that all sections have been completed and that the applicant fits all eligibility conditions. The following statements or attestations must be included in the CO’s endorsement:
- The applicant is serving without restriction on full duty;
- The applicant meets requirements for physical fitness and body fat percentage; and
- Outline of any negative performance evaluation results and the applicant’s proactive steps to address these performance issues.
To verify that all requirements of this Program Authorization are met, Navy Recruiting Command (NRC) will examine applicant packets. If an application package is ineligible or incomplete, the NRC will reject it. The nominations will be sent back to the original command in these situations, and the CO will be informed of the error that prevented further processing.
The HR OCM, BUPERS-314B, will receive application packets for the HR ISPP professional recommendation board’s review.
After the HR ISPP professional recommendation board, the results of the board will be forwarded to the CNRC to inform the selected candidates via BUPERS Online (BOL) and prepare them for Officer Candidate School (OCS).
Upon Commissioning
All candidates who get accepted must complete OCS (Officer Candidate School) in Newport, Rhode Island. If you can’t finish OCS for any reason besides an injury, you’ll go back to your previous command at the same rank and rate.
Once you’re commissioned, you’ll get the rank of ensign with a 1200 designator.
If you’re an enlisted candidate in pay grade E-4 or below and get selected, you’ll be called an officer candidate and promoted to E-5 when you report to OCS. If you’re already E-5 or higher, you’ll keep that paygrade until you’re commissioned.
For prior enlisted members with a qualifying record, you’ll get the O1-E paygrade and be paid accordingly.
Service Obligation
All officers have to serve for eight years, as per Title 10 U.S. Code section 651. You’ll meet this requirement through a mix of active duty and reserve duty, but you’ve gotta serve at least four years on active duty. Officers commissioned through this program can’t request lateral transfers until they’ve finished the required service.
More Information
If you want more information about this program, visit your local Command Career Counselor for further guidance.
If you think you’re already fully qualified, contact your local Navy Officer Recruiter for processing.
Hope this was helpful to your career planning.
