The results of the March advancement exams are in, showing that personnel stationed at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, finished ahead of the curve.

Sixty-eight Kingsville sailors took the exam, with 20.6 percent of those pinning on an extra chevron.

The Navywide advancement percentage was lower, with only 15.8 percent of the 93,601 sailors that took the exam advancing to the next pay grade.

“I would like to congratulate the 14 sailors on board NAS Kingsville who were selected for advancement,” said CMDCM (SW/AW/FMF) Charlie Ratliff, NAS Kingsville’s command master chief. “As the Navy continues to right-size, advancement is difficult in many rates but the opportunity to advance still exists.”

Those sailors hoping to join the ranks of Third Class Petty Officer had the highest rate of advancement, with 23.6 percent Navywide making E-4, and 83.3 percent aboard NAS Kingsville advancing.

The advancement rate became continuously lower for the higher pay grades, with only 14.7 percent of those taking the E-5 exam Navywide advancing to Second Class Petty Officer.

NAS Kingsville’s advancement percentage was much higher, with 23.8 percent of candidates pinning on a second

Promotions chevron. The only Navywide advancement percentage that Kingsville did not top was for those joining the ranks of First Class Petty Officer. Only 9.8 percent of Kingsville sailors that took the E-6 exam were pinned with a third chevron, with 3 out of 41 candidates advancing.

The Navywide advancement percentage for E-6 was not much higher though, with only 10.7 percent — 3,274 out of 30,564 — of sailors becoming an E-6.

All but one of the 68 Kingsville sailors who took the exam Building passed but were not advanced (PNA). The PNA percentages Navywide were:

75.3 percent for E-4; 83.3 percent for E-5; and 88.3 percent for E-6. Overall Kingsville sailors did an excellent job this advancement cycle, with 98.5 percent of those taking the exam passing.

“The keys to advancement have not changed for years and will not change in the future,” Ratliff said.

“First, work hard and earn yourself a good performance evaluation,’ he said.

“Second, ensure you are studying the correct material. Third, dedicate yourself to good study habits so you are well prepared to take the advancement exam.”

Naval Air Station Kingsville provides undergraduate jet strike training for hundreds of Navy and Marine Corps flight students annually.