Navy Tribe

Procrastination. For all too long this one word, this state of being, has been my bugaboo. I know it’s a bad habit, but I feel this inexplicable sense of pride in my ability to pull it all off.  It’s an art really, no big deal. Unfortunately for me, and the many like me, results don’t favor our lifestyle – not results we’re hoping for anyway. This is especially true for the Navy Advancement Exam. As painful and uncomfortable as it may be, we are talking about money here. Simply put: Mo’ Study, Mo’ Money. Preparation is needed.

As there are several ways to skin this cat, this particular roux is designed with the assumption that you have at least a month to attack the beast, and quite a few hours a week to devote. (There are about 8 weeks till the test as I write this – Hot damn! How bout’ that coincidence…)

1. Obtain your Bibliography and Topic/Subtopics list. This can be done logging onto NKO – https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil – using your CAC card, or user name and password. (Note: if this proves too difficult a task you probably have no chance of making it anyway. Stop reading now and continue watching Jersey Shore or whichever Housewives show fits your fancy. Thanks for playing. Try not to hurt yourself with the remote.)
2. Start with the PMK (Professional Military Knowledge) as this is where you’ll get the most bang for your study buck. Bounce the Topics and Subtopics off of the Bib Pubs and focus on the applicable topics, and only the applicable topics in each pub.
3. Study already! There is such a thing as too much planning and organizing! Less action, more traction. Once you’ve identified the relevant info in each pub, study in your style. Whether it be making flashcards, study guides, outlines, ect… Whatever the case, just get to work.  If you can get a grip on your PMK, you’re more than half way there. Now for the shortcuts: there is no need to reinvent the wheel. There’s plenty of gouge out there!(Yes, I know there are advantages to generating your own study material. If you wince at the thought of this, just skip over to the next step. Or better yet, it may be better to just leave this site. Shit like this is what I am all about) www.flashcardexchange.com has a pretty decent library of user made flashcards ready to go for most pubs in your Bib. Remember though, live by the sword, die by the sword. A gamble well worth taking in my opinion.
4. Study the Rate related pubs you feel weakest at. You know what they are, and while it may be the most painful step in the process, it will also pay dividends in the long run.
5. Join a study group. Find someone who is a hard-worker and join forces, share what you have and push each other to share the workload. This alone will boost your score 10 points.