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My Coast Guard
Commentary | Aug. 27, 2020

Test for Success: Ensure Your PDE is Accurate

Are you an enlisted reservist competing for pay grades E-5 through E-9? Are you planning to take the Reserve Servicewide Exam (RSWE) in October? If your answer is yes to both of these questions, now is the time to review and verify your Personnel Data Extract (PDE) in Direct Access (DA).You need to verify that your PDE states your status as “ELIGIBLE” in order for you to receive an exam.

With the October RSWE quickly approaching, you must verify that your information is correct. Your PDE is your golden ticket for the RSWE and contains personalized data used to determine your eligibility.

As always, specific requirements vary by rating and pay grade, and it is your responsibility to make sure you have completed each prerequisite. If you are unable to verify your PDE or report and make any necessary changes, your PDE will have a “NOT ELIGIBLE” status for RSWE or loss of points in the final multiple.

If there are errors on your PDE, talk with your chain of command to correct them in order to change your “NOT ELIGIBLE to “ELIGIBLE” to take the RSWE. The Servicewide Examination Guide includes a PDE Verification section with guidance on how to complete corrections.

Once you have validated that your PDE states “ELIGIBLE,” you should be aware that the exam is scheduled to take place Saturday morning, October 31, 2020. In years past the RSWE was on the third Saturday of the month, not the last as it is this year.

Active duty members (if otherwise eligible) who Release from Active Duty (RELAD) and affiliate with the Ready or Standby Reserve (active status) before Sept. 1, may participate in this RSWE cycle upon request.

Remember, you are responsible for the accuracy of all information. Report any incorrect PDE data to your unit administration office or Servicing Personnel Office (SPO). After reporting incorrect data, you must follow up in DA before the September 1 deadline to confirm the corrections are complete. 

Waivers for advancement requirements or completion deadlines must be submitted before the PDE correction deadline of September 1. You will not receive a waiver if you miss this deadline. You should also keep in mind that if you sat for last year’s RSWE, that does not grant immediate eligibility on the upcoming RSWE. You have to verify your PDE for the upcoming RSWE.

If the online PDE has not been corrected, remember you should not delay in submitting a help ticket before Sept. 1 to PPC-DG-CustomerCare@uscg.mil.

As a reminder, a supplemental list is still in place for BM1, BM2, CS2, IS2, ME2, MST2, PA1, PA2, SK2, and YN2 per ALCGRSV 026/20.