Photo By Katesha Washington | RS1 Maurice Kelley, a retail specialist who recently arrived to NAVSUP FLC San...... read more read more
NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center San Diego recently welcomed its first two retail specialists to the Regional Navy Mail Center here, as part of a Navy-wide plan to provide Sailors with better advancement opportunities.
Petty Officer 1st Class Maurice Kelley and Petty Officer 1st Class Juan Quiroz, both retail specialists (RS) with NAVSUP FLC San Diego, joined the command last fall and began training to become postal technicians. Their arrival to the RNMC marks the beginning of a major overhaul in the Navy’s realignment of ratings that will progressively remove logistics specialists from postal billets and replace them with retail specialists.
The purpose of the realignment is to modernize and enhance supply enlisted Sailors’ professional development.
As outlined in a Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) memo released in early 2020, the “implementation of RS detailing to NAVSUP postal billets will commence in early CY2020 aligning with projected rotation dates of incumbent Sailors. This will be a deliberate transition allowing Navy to increase its cadre of RS Sailors to meet growing demand. All shore postal billets are expected to transition within three years.”
Since the retail specialist rating was at one point, the smallest supply enlisted rating in the Navy, the change will now provide more opportunities for promotion of Sailors between the E-4 and E-6 ranks. More promotions equates to an increase in the number of retail specialists, a positive step in the right direction says RS1 Kelley, one of the more senior RS petty officers with 12 years of service.
“When I found out about this realignment, I was ecstatic!” he stated. “In the past, Sailors in my job field didn’t have a lot of shore duty experience so this change opens things up for our rate as far as advancements.”
Prior to his promotion to petty officer first class, Kelley had been an E-5 for three years, and at his current rank for six years. Now, he looks forward to the possibility of being advanced to chief petty officer faster than previously expected.
“This change to our rating will give me a great chance to make chief, so it is a very welcomed transition.” He explained.
RS1 Quiroz has been in the Navy for 14 years, and says that although there has been a steep learning curve as a new postal technician, he embraces the challenge.
“It’s been very rewarding working with civilians and Sailors who’ve been teaching us the processes and systems in place for the mail facility. They are truly experts in their job field, and have really embraced us as we’ve tried to learn as much as possible in the short time we’ve been here.” He said. “It’s been a great experience so far.”
According to Robert Shaw, NAVSUP FLC San Diego’s Director of Postal Operations, “any trepidations with the realignment were soon allayed by the incoming Retail Specialists' enthusiasm and willingness to learn. The RS rating is extremely customer service focused, which aligns perfectly with what we do at the RNMC day in and day out, and benefits all the commands we service.”
Quiroz and Kelley will be joined by more retail specialists at the RNMC over the next several months, in order to be fully staffed as required.
NAVSUP FLC San Diego is one of eight FLCs under Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP's mission is to provide supplies, services, and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighter. Learn more at www.navsup.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/navsup and https://twitter.com/navsupsyscom.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.25.2021 16:58 |
| Story ID: | 392314 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 710 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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