scope:

Purpose

a. To establish and maintain the Department of the Navy (DON) Nuclear Weapons Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) per references (a) through (c) .

b. To provide policy and guidance for the administration of the DON PRP.

c. This instruction has been revised substantially and should be read in its entirety with references (a) and (b). Changes include:

(1) Aligning the instruction to higher level directives.

(2) Removal of temporary decertification.

(3) Modifies timeline for suspension.

(4) Permits trained, certified, and designated Independent Duty Hospital Corpsmen (IDC) to serve as competent medical authority (CMA).

(5) Modifies mandatory disqualification and/or decertification criteria.

(6) Aligns terminology related to substance and alcohol related conditions per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th Edition.

Applicability

a. This instruction applies to:

(1) DON commands or activities which possess nuclear weapons or nuclear command and control (NC2) systems and equipment, or are identified as a "nuclear capable activity" by reference (d) (hereafter referred to as PRP commands and activities);

(2) DON military personnel, government civilian personnel, and contractors assigned to or in training leading to assignment to PRP positions (see reference (b) for typical PRP positions); and

(3) DON commands and activities which provide support or services to the above entities or individuals.

b. Although strict adherence to PRP procedures during transition to war or during wartime may be impractical, particularly in a combat theater, the intent of the PRP policy shall apply. Commanding Officers, while not encumbered with the administrative controls of the PRP, shall continue to applytheir best professional judgment and select only the most trusted individuals to perform nuclear weapons-related duties.