The PS Rating
The Personnel Specialist rating is a result of a merger between the Personnelman (PN) and Disbursing Clerk (DK) ratings on October 1, 2005. Both the Personnelman and Disbursing Clerk ratings were established in 1948.
The Navy's computerized personnel system associates the rating name with an alphanumeric Navy Navy Enlisted Manning Code (EMC). For PS, the EMC is B710.
Personnel Specialists provide enlisted people with information and counseling related to Navy occupations, opportunities for general education and job training, requirements for promotion, and rights and benefits.
The PS maintains and audits pay and personnel records of military personnel. They determine military allowances, travel entitlements, and deductions. They prepare the financial/accounting reports related to individual pay and travel transactions and operate associated accounting systems. They also assist enlisted personnel and their families with special problems or personal hardships.
Personnel Specialist class "A" school is approximately five weeks in duration. The school is located in Meridian, Mississippi. The PS rating requires a 48 month (4 year) minimum enlistment obligation.
Personnel Specialist job description (PS)
Personnel Specialists provide customer service to active and reserve members, retirees and dependents. They maintain financial and service records of military personnel and prepare military personnel and pay transaction documents utilizing current Automatic Data Processing (ADP) systems. They process and review for accuracy documents affecting military pay entitlements (BAH, COLA, SRB, etc.) and deductions and perform related computations.
PSs prepare, verify and submit all pay and personnel documents resulting from Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL), Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP), and Courts Martial. They counsel personnel regarding permanent change of station, separation entitlements and policies, and determine transportation entitlements, prepare orders and arrange transportation, compute travel allowances incurred by military personnel and their dependents. They conduct reenlistment and separation counseling, prepare reenlistment and separation documentation, counsel personnel on education and training opportunities, and order, prepare advancement worksheets, and administer Navy-wide advancement examinations.
Personnel Specialists prepare routine naval correspondence and administrative naval messages. They conduct pre-deployment and indoctrination briefs. They maintain Enlisted Distribution Verification Reports (EDVR) and optimal manning posture, monitor accession, contract and quality control reports. PSs initiate security screening for enlistment qualification and special duty assignments, and maintain leave and accounting records. They prepare military payrolls, and process and audit vouchers supporting receipt and expenditures of public funds and ensure accuracy of accounting data.
PSs maintain related fiscal records and prepare associated reports and returns. They operate shipboard ADP equipment associated with afloat pay delivery systems, and verify, issue, and maintain security of active, reserve, retired and dependent identification cards. They also maintain and audit Automated Teller Machines onboard Navy ships.
Career Sea - Shore Rotation Chart
| Rating | SEA1 | SEA2 | SEA3 | SEA4 | SEA/SH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS | 48 | 42 | 42 | 36 | 36/36 |
| SH1 | SH2 | SH3 | SH4 | ||
| 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
Sea tours and shore tours for Sailors that have completed four sea tours will be 36 months at sea followed by 36 ashore until retirement.
Qualifications, Interests, and Working Environment
PSs should be people-oriented and enjoy providing customer service. They should be good at record keeping, have the ability to do detailed work and perform repetitive tasks; and communicate clearly their ideas. Helpful skills are writing, typewriting, arithmetic ability, and good memory.
Normal color perception is not required. Members of this rating are not required to be citizens of the United States.
Work in the PS rating is usually performed in a clean office environment. People in this rating may work alone with little supervision, or work closely with others under close supervision, depending on individual assignments. They do mostly administrative and mental work, depending on assignment. PS's ASVAB Test requirement.
About 2,300 men and women work in the PS rating. Qualified and self-motivated people have a good opportunity for entry into this rating.
Personnel in the Personnel Specialist rating are paid allowances (BAH, BAS, etc. if eligible) and billet pay (sea pay, flight pay, submarine pay, etc. if eligible), and basic pay based on pay grade and years of military service.
Credit Recommendations
The American Council on Education recommends that semester hour credits be awarded in the vocational certificate or lower-division bachelor's/associates degree categories for courses taken in this rating for typewriting and office procedures.
Page written and maintained by NCCM Thomas Goering, USN (Retired).
If you are seeking information about joining the Navy, feel free to contact me.
