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Z-Gram #100; dated 29 October 1971

Personnel Exchange Program (PEP)

R 291219Z OCT 71
FM CNO (Z-100)

TO NAVOP

UNCLAS //N05700//
PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM (PEP)

1. A PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM (PEP) HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE EXCHANGE OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED PERSONNEL BETWEEN THE U.S. NAVY AND THE NAVIES OF OUR ALLIES, AS WELL AS INTER-SERVICE EXCHANGES WITH THE USA, COAST GUARD, AND USAF.

2. THE PURPOSES OF THE PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM ARE:

A. TO PROVIDE INTERESTING AND CHALLENGING FOREIGN SHORE DUTY FOR JUNIOR OFFICERS AND ENLISTED PERSONNEL, PARTICULARLY DEPRIVED RATES.

B. TO FOSTER A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATE OF OUR ALLIES, AND IN TURN ALLOW THE HOST NATION TO BECOME BETTER ACQUAINTED WITH THE U.S. THROUGH PERSONAL CONTACT.

3. THE P.E.P. CONCEPT WILL PROVIDE A NUMBER OF OFFICERS AND ENLISTED PERSONNEL WHO, BY THEIR EXPERIENCE, WILL HAVE GAINED AN INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING INTO THE WORKINGS OF THE COUNTRY AND SERVICE TO WHICH THEY ARE ASSIGNED. THIS EXPERIENCE WILL BE PROJECTED INTO THEIR LATER CAREER, AND WILL ENABLE THEM AND THE FRIENDS THAT THEY HAVE MADE DURING THEIR EXCHANGE DUTY TO FOSTER THAT MUTUAL CONFIDENCE AND COOPERATION BETWEEN OUR ALLIES AND THE USN, WHICH IS A GROWING NECESSITY IN FURTHERING WORLD PEACE AND SECURITY.

4. NEGOTIATIONS TO ESTABLISH EXCHANGE BILLETS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY WITH AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, CANADA, UNITED KINGDOM, GREECE, THE NETHERLANDS, ITALY AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY. WE PLAN TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO OTHER ALLIED NAVIES.

5. UPON A SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A P.E.P. TOUR OF DUTY, OFFICERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION CODE AS A COUNTRY, AREA, OR REGIONAL SPECIALIST (CARS) IAW BUPERS NOTICE 1040 OF 14 JUL 1971. A SPECIAL NEC IS BEING DEVELOPED FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR TOUR. THIS SPECIAL RECOGNITION WILL PERMIT IDENTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL FOR SUBSEQUENT ASSIGNMENT TO OVERSEAS BILLETS OR FOR ASSIGNMENTS TO U.S. BILLETS WHERE SUCH EXPERTISE WOULD BE AN ASSET. ALL WATCHSTANDING AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS ATTAINED WHILE ASSIGNED TO FOREIGN NAVIES WILL BE FORMALLY ACCEPTED AS EQUIVALENT TO THOSE PERFORMED UNDER USN COMMANDS.

6. OFFICER AND ENLISTED PERSONNEL SELECTED FOR EXCHANGE WILL BE THOSE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF REPRESENTING AUTHORITATIVELY THOSE TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS OF THE NAVY IN WHICH THEY HAVE SPECIALIZED. EXCHANGE PERSONNEL ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE LIAISON OFFICERS, ADVISORS, INSTRUCTORS OR OBSERVERS, BUT INTEGRATED WORKING MEMBERS OF THE UNIT OR STAFF IN WHICH THEY ARE EMPLOYED, FILLING AN ASSIGNED POSITION WITHIN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS THOUGH THEY, IN FACT, BELONGED TO THE NAVY TO WHICH THEY ARE ASSIGNED.

7. OFFICERS CONSIDERED FOR EXCHANGE DUTY WILL NORMALLY BE OF THE RANK OF COMMANDER AND BELOW, BUT CERTAIN SPECIAL EXCHANGES MAY BE OF HIGHER RANK. ENLISTED PERSONNEL WILL NORMALLY BE CAREER DESIGNATED PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS OR ABOVE. PARTICULAR EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON PROVIDING EXCHANGE DUTY ASHORE FOR DEPRIVED RATINGS.

8. TOUR OF DUTY FOR AN EXCHANGE WILL NORMALLY BE TWO YEARS, EXCLUSIVE OF LANGUAGE AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING IF REQUIRED PRIOR TO ARRIVING ON STATION. TOUR LENGTHS MAY BE ADJUSTED DEPENDING UPON THE ASSIGNMENT AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED.

9. THE PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM IS A DYNAMIC U.S. NAVY ADJUNCT TO THE NIXON DOCTRINE OF SHARED PARTICIPATION IN THE FREE WORLD DEFENSE AND IS INTENDED TO EVOKE THE IDEAS OF ALLIES WHILE WORKING TOGETHER TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THAT MEET OUR COMMON NEEDS.

10. A FORTHCOMING OPNAVINST AND BUPERSNOTE WILL FORMALLY ESTABLISH THE PROGRAM AND PROMULGATE PROCEDURES FOR VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION WITHIN THE PERSONNEL EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

11. ALL HANDS ARE URGED TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FORSTER CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND FRIENDLY SUPPORT TO THOSE OFFICERS AND MEN OF FOREIGN NAVIES WHO WILL BE OR ARE NOW SERVING IN OUR SHIPS AND STATIONS. IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE GIVEN MEANINGFUL ASSIGNMENTS AND BE MADE TO FEEL THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE TEAM. E. R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U.S. NAVY, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.

BT

__________

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS:
BUPERS: Bureau of Naval Personnel
BUPERSNOTE: Bureau of Naval Personnel Noted
IAW: in accordance with
NEC: Navy enlisted classification (code)
OPNAVINST: Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Instruction
USA: United States Army
USAF: United States Air Force
USN: United States Navy

[END]
Published: Thu Jan 06 08:44:27 EST 2022