Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman has paused a Navy Recruiting Command order that would have had recruiters work six days a week.
Navy Recruiting Command ordered a six-day work week, starting July 8, in the latest effort to increase recruitment. The order was met with backlash from sailors, and after feedback from the fleet, Cheeseman put out a statement Friday issuing a pause.
The Navy is committed to a work-life balance, according to Cheeseman’s statement.
“The reality is we have a projected shortfall, need a healthy pipeline of people enlisting, and need to grow our Delayed Entry Program (DEP),” Cheeseman said in a statement. “Our recruiters are the people who make that happen. We will continue to do everything to support our recruiters, adjust policy when we see an opportunity, and remain focused on ensuring we have a force ready to fight.”
The Navy had more contracts in May than it did the year before, Cheeseman said in the statement.
“When I visit recruiting stations, I am impressed by the hard work our recruiters are doing, and it shows in the amount of new contracts,” he said.
The idea behind a six-day work week for recruiters was to expand the reach to potential recruits, USNI News previously reported.
Following the announcement, sailors vented their frustration on online portals like Reddit and Instagram. One meme on Instagram posted after the expanded work week featured the image of singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan from a 2007 ASPCA commercial with the caption, “For one referral a day, you too can save a recruiter in need.”
In April, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti said in the sea service was expected to miss its recruiting goal by 6,000 sailors. Navy Recruiting Command spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Richard Parker did not have an updated number when asked by USNI News on Wednesday.
The following is the complete Friday statement from Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman on the six-day recruiter workweek.
To address mission requirements, recruiting leadership sought to implement a six-day workweek to extend outreach opportunities to potential recruits. The Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, issued a pause on Navy Recruiting Command’s change in working hours as the Navy is committed to providing a work-life balance for our personnel.
“When I visit recruiting stations, I am impressed by the hard work our recruiters are doing, and it shows in the amount of new contracts. We had more contracts this past May than we did last May – people are interested in joining the Navy.
The reality is we have a projected shortfall, need a healthy pipeline of people enlisting, and need to grow our Delayed Entry Program (DEP). Our recruiters are the people who make that happen.
We will continue to do everything to support our recruiters, adjust policy when we see an opportunity, and remain focused on ensuring we have a force ready to fight.
