Appointment to Navy Limited Duty Officer (LDO)
The Navy LDO Program Overview
The LDO Program provides technically oriented commissioned officers
to perform duties requiring the authority, responsibility and managerial
skills of commissioned officers, but limited to broad enlisted occupational
fields outside the normal development pattern of the unrestricted
line, the restricted line or staff corps competitive categories.
The LDO Program also provides an opportunity for selected CWOs
and senior enlisted personnel to receive appointments as commissioned
officers designated for limited duty in the broad occupational field
indicated by their former warrant designator, or enlisted rating group.
 | |
The Limited Duty Officer's duties require authority, responsibility and managerial skills.
|
|
The LDO Appointment Process
To be appointed as a Navy LDO, you must meet the eligibility requirements,
complete the LDO application process and finally be selected by the
LDO Selection Board.
Basic LDO Eligibility
The Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program is open to Chief Warrant Officers
with more than one year of service as a CWO and to enlisted personnel
in paygrades E-6 through E-8. Enlisted applicants must have completed
at least eight but not more than 16 years of active naval service.
E-6s must compete in the E-7 examination and be designated LDO selection-board
eligible.
Specific Requirements
To be eligible to apply for the active duty LDO Program, and subsequent
temporary appointment as an LDO in the Regular Navy, you must meet
the following requirements:
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be serving on active duty in the Regular Navy or Naval Reserve
(including Naval Reservists in the Training and Administration
of Reserves (TAR)) at the time of application and, if selected,
remain on active duty until the appointment is tendered
- Be a high school graduate, or possess the serviceaccepted equivalent
as prescribed by existing directives
- Have no record of conviction by a general, special or summary
court-martial, no record of non-judicial punishment, nor conviction
by a civilian court for any offense other than minor traffic violations
for the three-year period immediately preceding October 1 of the
year application is made
- Meet the requisite physical standards for appointment as an
LDO prescribed by the Manual of the Medical Department, Chapter
15
- Be of good moral character and of unquestioned loyalty to the
United States
- Under the policy prescribed in SECNAVINST 5300.28C, no person
who is drug or alcohol dependent, who presently abuses drugs or
alcohol, whose pre-service abuse of drugs or alcohol indicates
a proclivity to continue abuse in the service, or who has a record
of any trafficking offenses, shall be appointed as an LDO
- Be favorably recommended for appointment by the candidate’s
commanding officer
Additional Eligibility Requirements for Chief Warrant Officer Applicants
In addition to the basic requirements specified above, CWO applicants
for the active duty LDO Program must meet the following requirements:
- Be serving on active duty as a CWO
- Have completed at least three years of active duty as a CWO
and no more than 19 years of total active service immediately
preceding October 1 of the year application is made; such service
shall be computed from initial date of rank as a CWO and active
duty base date
- Before being appointed as an LDO, any CWO applicant serving
on active duty in the Naval Reserve who is selected for appointment
as an LDO shall be reappointed in the Regular Navy; if such an
applicant holds a permanent CWO grade in the Naval Reserve, the
applicant must accept permanent appointment in the Regular Navy
as LDO in the grade of O2E
Additional Eligibility Requirements for Enlisted Applicants
In addition to the basic requirements specified above, enlisted applicants
for the active duty LDO Program must also meet the following requirements:
- Be serving on active duty as an E6, E7 or E8. An E6 must have
served in that capacity for at least one year immediately preceding
October 1 of the year application is made. Such service shall
be computed from the time-in-rate date for advancement to petty
officer first class.
- Have completed at least eight but not more than 16 years of active duty
immediately preceding October 1 of the year application is made. The
term "active duty" may include full-time duty in the Army, Air Force,
Marine Corps, or Coast Guard (when not operating as part of the Navy)
in a critical skill needed by the Navy.
- Personnel accepted to the LDO program must attend leadership training
via the LDO/CWO Officer Indoctrination School. Therefore, Leadership
Training Continuum is not required for an E6 taking the E7 exam
for the express purpose of applying for LDO.
- TARs and naval reservists serving on active duty who are selected
for temporary appointment as LDOs shall be honorably discharged
from their enlistment in the Naval Reserve and concurrently reenlisted
in the Regular Navy before being appointed as LDOs.
The Application
Eligible candidates desiring an LDO commission must submit a written
application following the published application procedures outlined
by the Deputy Chief of Navy Personnel (DEPCHNAVPERS), acting for Chief
of Navy Personnel, in OPNAVINST 1420.1A .
Candidates should be aware of the following the application guidelines:
- Candidates eligible for both programs may be considered in the
same fiscal year for both the active duty LDO Program and the
active duty CWO Program.
- The designator(s) for which application is made shall be listed
in the order of preference. A candidate may apply for appointment
in not more than two designators for which they are qualified.
Candidates requesting consideration for both the LDO and CWO Program
may apply for only one designator under each program.
- All applications must include a statement agreeing to further service.
The Selection Board Process
Appointment as an LDO shall be made only upon approval of a report
submitted by a board of officers appointed by CHNAVPERS to recommend
eligible personnel for such appointments, unless the requirement for
a board is specifically waived by CHNAVPERS. In-service procurement
selection boards shall be convened by precept addressed to the president
of the board and signed by CHNAVPERS.
Each board shall consider eligible candidates for appointment in the
designator(s) that the candidates have requested. If a candidate requests
consideration in more than one designator, the board may recommend
the individual for appointment only in the designator for which best
qualified.
Each board will submit a report stating that the candidates recommended
therein are qualified for appointment as LDOs, and are the best qualified
for appointment in the designators for which recommended of all candidates
under consideration. Each report shall be submitted via DEPCHNAVPERS
to CHNAVPERS for approval or disapproval, in whole or in part.
The Appointment
The appointment of each selected, physically qualified candidate will
be in the grade indicated below:
- CWO candidates will be appointed in the permanent grade of lieutenant
(junior grade) O2E in the Regular Navy under 10 U.S.C. § 5589.
- Enlisted candidates will be appointed in the temporary grade
of ensign OlE in the Regular Navy under 10 U.S.C. § 5596.
|
