This guide provides useful information for those who are pursuing a Navy Counselor (NC) transition during Fiscal year 2025.
Some sailors seem to have everything figured out—the next duty station, the best career moves, exactly when to reenlist. That’s rarely an accident.
More often than not, there’s a Navy Counselor (NC) behind the scenes making sure they have the right information at the right time.
Whether you’re considering becoming an NC or just want to understand the person shaping careers in your command, this guide breaks it all down.
What they do, why they matter, and how they keep the fleet moving forward.
Navy Counselors (NC): The Career Guides of the Fleet
Navy Counselors (NC) oversee programs that support Navy Sailors through their career development, retention efforts, and transition processes.
Navy Counselors guide personnel through reenlistment processes and professional advancement while supervising command programs for enlisted development.
NCs serve active-duty and reserve members along with families and future applicants to build tomorrow’s Navy workforce.
Who Can Become a Navy Counselor?
This isn’t a job for new recruits. The Navy only allows experienced petty officers (E-6 and E-5) to apply. First-term enlistees aren’t eligible.
The role requires deep knowledge of the Navy—shipboard life, administrative policies, leadership responsibilities—gained through hands-on experience.
What Navy Counselors Do
- Interview sailors about career goals and challenges
- Run career development programs for Active Duty and Reserve personnel
- Deliver presentations to commands, families, and community groups
- Manage retention programs to keep skilled personnel in the Navy
- Assist with transitions to civilian life, including veteran benefits
- Coordinate with local media to communicate career opportunities
Work Environment
Most of the work happens in an office. Navy Counselors interact with sailors daily, but they also work independently, making critical career recommendations.
The job is mental, not physical, and requires strong communication and organizational skills.
Why This Role Matters
Retention and career development don’t happen by accident. Navy Counselors ensure that sailors have the guidance, resources, and opportunities to make informed career decisions.
Specific NC Roles
Career Specialist: The Navy’s Career Codebreakers
Career Specialists don’t just advise Sailors—they build the system that shapes their careers. Every reenlistment, every career move, every early exit tells a story.
The job is to read that story, spot the patterns, and adjust course before problems become full-blown retention crises.
A rating starts losing people faster than expected. The numbers don’t lie—something is off. Maybe training pipelines need adjusting.
Maybe career paths aren’t clear enough. Maybe leadership hasn’t caught the warning signs yet. A Career Specialist isn’t just there to report the issue. They’re there to fix it.
Beyond the numbers, there’s the individual impact. A Sailor walks in, unsure about their future. The right guidance can turn hesitation into action.
This isn’t just about listing career options. It’s about showing a real, viable future and making sure the system supports it.
Sailors don’t stay because of paperwork. They stay because they see a path forward.
Chief Career Counselor: The Retention Architect
Chief Career Counselors don’t guess what’s working. They know. Data tells the story—who’s staying, who’s leaving, and why.
Their job is to make sure the Navy reacts fast enough to keep people in uniform and moving forward.
This is where policy meets action. Every command has career programs, but those programs only matter if they work.
The Chief Career Counselor ensures they do. That means pushing initiatives, refining training pipelines, and holding leadership accountable for execution.
If retention numbers dip, there’s no waiting to see what happens next. Adjustments start immediately.
Compliance is another battleground. Policies change, regulations shift, and the Navy evolves. Every command needs to keep up, and that doesn’t happen automatically.
The Chief Career Counselor ensures no Sailor’s career is limited by outdated policies or a lack of information.
The Navy can’t afford to lose trained, experienced Sailors. This role makes sure it doesn’t.
Command Career Counselor: The Sailor’s Career GPS
A Command Career Counselor is the bridge between a Sailor’s goals and the Navy’s opportunities. Career progression isn’t automatic.
Without guidance, good people slip through the cracks.
This role is about making sure every Sailor in the command understands their options and has access to real career development—not just on paper, but in practice.
That means setting up programs, tracking career milestones, and making sure information reaches the right people at the right time. It’s not enough for opportunities to exist. They have to be usable.
Strong commands don’t just complete missions. They build careers. A Command Career Counselor ensures no one gets left behind.
Navy Counselor Rank Structure
| Pay Grade | Rate | Rating | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-5 | Petty Officer Second Class | Navy Counselor Second Class | NC2 |
| E-6 | Petty Officer First Class | Navy Counselor First Class | NC1 |
| E-7 | Chief Petty Officer | Chief Navy Counselor | NCC |
| E-8 | Senior Chief Petty Officer | Senior Chief Navy Counselor | NCCS |
| E-9 | Master Chief Petty Officer | Master Chief Navy Counselor | NCCM |
Note: The Navy Counselor (NC) rating is open to Petty Officers Second Class (E-5) and above, not exclusively starting at E-6. Candidates must have between 5 and 16 years of service and at least 12 cumulative months of experience as a departmental or divisional career counselor, or hold the Command Career Counselor Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC 806R).
Career Path for Navy Counselor
The Navy Counselor (NC) rating is reserved for First and Second Class Petty Officers who’ve already lived and breathed Navy life—who’ve walked the decks, handled the policies, and seen the system from the inside.
This isn’t about learning on the job; it’s about taking everything you already know and using it to shape the careers of others.
A strong foundation in Navy organization, personnel policies, and administrative procedures is essential.
Career Counselors aren’t just advisors—they’re system navigators, ensuring Sailors understand their opportunities and making sure commands are running career programs that actually work.
They assist with retention strategies, transition programs, and professional development, helping both enlisted personnel and officers map out their next steps.
Career Progression
- 8–12 Years: Conversion to Navy Counselor begins. Advancement to NC1 (First Class Petty Officer) typically happens around the 9.5-year mark. Assignments focus on shipboard and deployable unit experience, ensuring Counselors know the realities of operational life firsthand.
- 12–16 Years: First shore tour. Promotion to Chief Navy Counselor (NCC) opens leadership roles in command career counseling, instructor positions, and staff duties. Maximum qualification within assigned billets becomes critical.
- 16–20 Years: Second sea tour. Senior leadership opportunities expand, with Counselors serving as Leading Petty Officers (LPOs) and Division Leading Chief Petty Officers (DLCPOs). Command Career Counselor and program management roles become standard.
- 20–23 Years: By now, most successful NCs hold Senior Chief (NCCS) or Master Chief (NCCM) positions. Assignments shift toward force-wide counseling roles, regional program management, and fleet-level career development leadership.
- 23–30 Years: The highest levels of leadership. NCCMs take on Fleet and Force Counselor positions, guiding Navy-wide career development initiatives and serving as key advisors in manpower strategy.
Advancement Considerations
Advancement isn’t automatic. Successful candidates demonstrate leadership beyond their primary duties—mentoring junior Counselors, leading career development training teams, and ensuring commands meet retention and transition program standards.
Completing qualifications like Enlisted Warfare Designations, professional military education, and command training roles can set candidates apart.
For those eyeing higher ranks, experience in diverse assignments—large shore commands, major warfighting platforms, or specialized training units—becomes a major factor.
Leadership roles in career development symposiums, training initiatives, and policy implementation at the regional or fleet level all strengthen promotion potential.
The Navy Counselor rating isn’t just about helping others plan their careers. It’s about shaping the future of the force.
Those who succeed in this path don’t just understand the Navy’s career system—they make it better.
How to Become a Navy Counselor
New recruits cannot access the Navy Counselor position, which is intended for experienced Sailors who can mentor others through their naval careers.
Here’s how to make the transition:
Eligibility Criteria:
- Rank and Experience: To qualify for this role you need to serve as either a First or Second Class Petty Officer and possess extensive experience in naval operations and shipboard duties as well as a thorough understanding of all naval responsibilities.
- ASVAB Scores: Candidates must achieve a combined minimum score of 156 across Verbal Expression (VE), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), and General Science (GS).
- VE + MK + GS = 156
- Professional Background: Candidates need to complete at least 12 cumulative months working as a departmental or divisional career counselor or have the Command Career Counselor Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC 806R).
- Conduct and Fitness: Secure a disciplinary record free from non-judicial punishments and Physical Fitness Assessment failures over the last two years.
Application Process:
Command Endorsement: Your first step should be to meet with your Command Career Counselor (CCC) to verify your interest matches their requirements and to confirm you meet all necessary prerequisites.
Documentation:
Prepare and submit the following:
- Performance evaluations from the past three years.
- Submit evidence that shows you have finished the NAVEDTRA 43699-D course.
- Latest ASVAB scores.
- Electronic Personnel Action Request NAVPERS 1306/7 which your Commanding Officer must sign.
- Submit NAVPERS 1306/92 Special Program Screening Form with complete information and your signature.
- Operational duty screening results.
- Submit Physical Readiness Information Management System (PRIMS) reports covering the past two years.
- Obtain letters of recommendation from your CCC as well as endorsements from your Command Master Chief and both your Immediate Superior in Command (ISIC) Career Counselor and Fleet or Force Career Counselor.
Submission Process:
- Chain of Command: Your completed package must pass through your chain of command where each level provides required approvals.
- Final Submission: After obtaining necessary endorsements your package should be forwarded to the MyNavy Career Center (MNCC) Human Resources Service Center (HRSC) through your CO and the TYCOM Fleet NCs along your chain of command.
Important Considerations:
- Timeliness: Your application submission should occur well ahead of any upcoming transfer orders or duty status changes.
- Accuracy: Ensure all forms are complete and correct to avoid delays in processing.
- Communication: Open communication with your CCC remains essential throughout the process so you can quickly resolve any issues that arise.
Training and Assignment:
- Training: Successful candidates will receive specialized training that will provide them with essential counseling and career development skills.
- Assignment: Navy Counselors operate at sea and on land to support Sailors with their career choices and professional growth and transitional support.
More Information
If you wish to learn more about becoming an Navy Counselor (NC), speak with your Chain-of-Command and Career Counselor. They will provide you with more detailed information you’re unlikely to find online.
You may also be interested in the following related Administrative Navy Enlisted jobs:
- Navy Counselor—Career Recruiter Force (NC CRF)
- Yeoman (YN)
