DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
O
FFICE
O
F THE
S
ECRETA
RY
1000
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PENTAGON
WASHINGTON DC 20350·1000
SECNAVINST 1400.1C
ASN (M&RA)
5 Apr 2019
SECNAV INSTRUCTION 1400.1C
From: Secretary of the Navy
Subj: OFFICER COMPETITIVE CATEGORIES FOR THE ACTIVE DUTY LIST
OF THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS
Ref: (a) 10 U.S.C.
(b) DoD Instruction 1320.14 of 11 December 2013
(c) SECNAVINST 1420.1C
(d) SECNAVINST 5200.35F
(e) SECNAV M-5214.1
(f) NAVMC 1200.1D
Encl: (1) Navy Active Duty List Competitive Categories
(2) Marine Corps Active Duty List Competitive
Categories
1. Purpose. To establish the officer competitive categories
within the U.S. Navy (Navy) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for
officers on the Active Duty List (ADL) under sections 574,
621, and 649a of reference (a), and reference (b), and
criteria to assess the need for new competitive categories.
This instruction is a complete revision and should be reviewed
in its entirety.
2. Cancellation. SECNAVINST 1400.1B.
3. Applicability. This instruction applies to the Office of
the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, the
Commandant of the Marine Corps, and all Navy and USMC
installations, commands, activities, field offices, and all
other organizational entities within the Department of the
Navy (DON).
4. Policy. DON policy is to establish officer competitive
categories to provide for separate promotion consideration and
career development of groups of officers with related
education, training, skills, and experience needed to meet
mission objectives of the Navy or USMC and to ensure maximum
flexibility of officer management. Each officer on the ADL
within the Navy and the USMC will be appointed to a
competitive category for these purposes. New competitive
categories will be established when needed to meet the mission
objective of the services. It is therefore intended that
