Appeal, Statement, Administrative Correction or Complaint: Are you Using the Correct Term?

Frequently when sailor are unhappy with their Navy FITREP or Evaluation they state that they intend to “write a statement”. However, I as I will show below there are multiple types of statements ( Correction, complaint, appeal, or statement) and multiple places where that statement can go (your record, your CO, BUPERS or the Chain of Command)

Below are the most common terms when considering a Navy Statement.

Appeals: to the Chain of Command are internal requests where a sailor appeals to his chain of command to address a concern that is within his chain of commands authority. Common examples include appealing disapproved leave, appealing a NJP, and appealing a FITREP or EVAL. There are two types of appeals to the chain of command. The first type is formal where the sailor requests to speak to the commanding officer via Captains Mast, and the second type is informal and is simply discussing a concern to the chain of command.

Statements to the Record are letters submitted by the Sailor to PERS-32 for inclusion into his or her service record. These are most commonly used to comment on a FITREP or EVAL that the sailor is unhappy with.

Statements to the Board can be are submitted by Sailors prior to an administrative or statutory board. They are most commonly used to add FITREPS or awards which were missing a service record.

Administrative Corrections correct administrative material in a sailors FITREP or EVAL. They are normally submitted by the command, but can be submitted by a Sailor.

Supplementary Reports are used to supplement (not replace) submitted reports when a performance trait needs to be changed. These reports can only be submitted by the command.

Appeals Outside the Chain of Command are formal high level requests to the Secretary of the Navy or a courts marshal convening authority to address injustice or wrong doing committed by Chain of Command or Commanding Officer.

Complaints: To the Navy’s Inspector General: This is a formal high level request that goes to the Navy’s IG Office at the Navy Yard in Washington DC, or to one of the subordinate IG Offices located through the world. The IG Office is an investigating body able to step and correct matters of ethics, efficiency and advocate for the quality of life for Sailors, Marines and their families.