The Ultimate BUPERSINST 1610.10 Cheat Sheet: Admin Rules Explained in Plain English

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If there is one instruction that dictates the trajectory of your Navy career, it is BUPERSINST 1610.10. Unfortunately, the official manual reads like a stereo instruction booklet from 1985. It is hundreds of pages of dense bureaucratic jargon, endless annexes, and overlapping rules that leave most Sailors, Leading Petty Officers (LPOs), and even seasoned Chiefs completely exhausted by the time evaluation season rolls around.

When you are stressed about drafting the perfect performance bullets or fighting for that highly coveted “Early Promote” (EP), the absolute last thing you want to do is dig through a massive PDF to figure out if your physical readiness code should be a “P” or an “F,” or if you are legally allowed to extend your evaluation to 15 months.

Admin errors do not just delay the signing process; they can actually get your evaluation rejected entirely by PERS-32. This delays your promotion, creates gaps in your Electronic Service Record (ESR), and can fatally damage your Final Multiple Score (FMS) for the Navy Wide Advancement Exam.

We have translated the manual so you do not have to. This is your definitive, plain-English guide to surviving the administrative rules of Navy evaluations.

Quick Navigation:

The Core Philosophy | Block-by-Block Breakdown | The PRT Codes Table | Trait Scales & RSCA | Dates & Extensions | Block 43 & Adverse Evals | Quick Answers (FAQ)

The Core Philosophy: The “Closed Period” Rule

Before diving into the specific blocks, you must understand the golden rule of the BUPERSINST 1610.10: The evaluation is a permanent, legal document that reflects a specific, closed period of time. It is not a general overview of your entire naval career. It is a strictly bound snapshot. Every date, every code, and every word in Block 43 must accurately reflect only what happened between the “From” and “To” dates in Blocks 14 and 15. If an incredible achievement happened one day before the “From” date or one day after the “To” date, it does not legally exist for the purpose of this specific document.

Block-by-Block Breakdown

Most evaluation errors happen in the top half of the NAVPERS 1610/2 (for E-6 and below) or 1610/5 (for Chiefs). Here are the blocks that trip people up the most.

Block 20: Physical Readiness (The PRT Codes)

This block is notorious for getting evaluations kicked back. You cannot simply type “Pass” or “Fail.” You must use the exact alphabetical codes mandated by the instruction.

CodeCondition / Meaning
PPassed both the BCA (Body Composition Assessment) and the PRT.
FFailed the BCA or PRT.
MFull medical waiver for the PRT (but passed the BCA).
WPassed the BCA, but had a medical waiver on one or more specific events (e.g., the run).
BPassed the BCA, but authorized non-participation (non-medical, often due to deployment/operational commitments).
NNo PFA conducted during the reporting period (often for new accessions).

Note: For multi-cycle reporting periods, type the codes together with no spaces (e.g., “PP” or “PM”).

Block 28: Command Employment and Command Achievements

This block is not about you; it is about the ship, the squadron, or the shore command.

  • Rule of thumb: Keep it brief. You do not get promoted based on Block 28. However, if it contradicts your Block 43 narrative (e.g., Block 28 says “In Port,” but Block 43 says “Led 50 Sailors in combat operations”), the administrative department will flag it.

Block 29: Primary/Collateral Duties

This is where you list your job titles. It shows the board your span of control.

  • The Format: List your primary duty first, followed by the number of months you held it (e.g., “Work Center Supervisor – 12”). Then list your collateral duties (e.g., “ACFL – 6”).
  • The Trap: Do not list every single minor collateral duty. If you list 14 different duties, the Selection Board will assume you did not do any of them particularly well.

Block 41: Career Recommendations

  • The Rule: You get a maximum of two recommendations. They must be realistic, separated by a comma, and appropriate for your current paygrade. (e.g., “Shore Duty, Instructor,” or “LDO, LPO”). Do not put “Chief Petty Officer” if you are currently an E-4.

RSCA and the Trait Grading Scale

Many junior Sailors do not understand what the numbers in Blocks 33-39 actually mean. The Navy uses a 5.0 scale, but it is not graded like a high school test.

  • 5.0 (Superstar Performance): Could be promoted two paygrades today.
  • 4.0 (Advanced Performance): Far more than promotion-ready.
  • 3.0 (Dependable Performance): Fully qualified and can handle the next paygrade. This is the standard.
  • 2.0 (Useful/Promising): Needs development. Cannot be promoted right now.
  • 1.0 (Disappointing): Adverse. Significant problems.

(Note: This is a plain-English interpretation—official trait mark definitions appear in Annex F of the instruction.)

What is RSCA? (Reporting Senior’s Cumulative Average)

Selection boards and FMS calculators do not just look at your raw trait average; they look at the RSCA.

RSCA is the historical average of every evaluation your Commanding Officer (Reporting Senior) has ever given to Sailors in your paygrade.

  • If your CO is a “hard grader” with an average of 3.4, and you receive a 3.8, you are mathematically performing above the command average. This makes your 3.8 far more valuable than a 4.0 from a CO who gives everyone a 4.2. Understanding RSCA is critical to knowing where you truly stand against your peers.

Mastering the Timeline: Dates and Extensions

Dates and periods of report are the lifeblood of the 1610.10. Mess these up, and you create a gap in your ESR.

The 15-Month Rule (Extended Evals)

The Scenario: You check into a new command in September. The regular periodic evaluation for your paygrade is due in November. Do you need an entire evaluation for just two months of work?

The Rule: No. The command can submit a “Letter of Extension” (LOE) to combine those two months with your next periodic evaluation, as long as the total reporting period does not exceed 15 months.

  • Exception: You cannot extend an evaluation if you get promoted to a new paygrade or if the Reporting Senior changes.

The “Gap” and “Overlap” Rules

  • No Gaps: Your new evaluation’s “From” date must be the exact day after your last evaluation’s “To” date. If your last eval ended on November 15th, your new one must start on November 16th.
  • No Overlaps: You cannot be evaluated twice for the same day.

Block 43 and Adverse Evaluations

Block 43 is your narrative. While it feels like a blank canvas, there are strict legal limits.

1. Formatting and Prohibited Content

  • No PII/OPSEC: Do not include SSNs or classified operational details.
  • Font: 10 or 12-point font only (Arial, Times New Roman, Courier).
  • Styling: Bold text is allowed (and recommended for key metrics). Underlining and italics are strictly prohibited. Justify your text to avoid “airy” white space.

2. Adverse Restrictions

If you receive an adverse evaluation (a 1.0 trait, a 2.0 or below in Command Climate/EO, or a “Significant Problems” recommendation), specific legal triggers occur:

  • The Notification: The Sailor must be informed and sign the evaluation acknowledging the adverse nature.
  • The Rebuttal: The Sailor has the right to submit a written statement within 10 days.
  • What happens next? Your statement goes into your permanent official record attached to the evaluation. The Reporting Senior may endorse your statement to clarify the command’s position, but they cannot alter the evaluation itself.
  • The FMS Impact: An adverse evaluation yields an immediate 0.0 Performance Mark Average (PMA) for that cycle, effectively killing your ability to advance off the upcoming Navy Wide Advancement Exam.

Quick Answers to Common 1610.10 Questions

How long can a Navy evaluation period be extended?

A Navy evaluation can be extended up to a maximum of 15 months using a Letter of Extension (LOE), provided there is no paygrade change and the Reporting Senior does not change during the combined period.

What PRT code is used if a Sailor was medically waived?

Use “M” if the Sailor was fully waived from the PRT but passed the BCA. Use “W” if the Sailor passed the BCA but was medically waived from one or more specific PRT events, such as the run.

Can an NOB (Not Observed) evaluation be extended?

Yes. An NOB evaluation submitted for a period of less than 90 days can be extended by a letter of extension for up to an additional 90 days, or combined with the next regular report (up to the 15-month limit).

Conclusion: Audit Your Own Record

Writing a brilliant description of your leadership skills means nothing if your evaluation is rejected because you used the wrong PRT code. Do not rely blindly on your command’s Admin department to catch every error—they process hundreds of these documents. Audit your own dates, verify your codes, and ensure your evaluation is bulletproof before it reaches the Captain’s desk.

Ready to write a breakout evaluation? Stop staring at a blank page. [Click here to download our Free Navy Eval Bullet Bank], featuring 100+ proven, impact-driven Block 43 write-ups.

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