When an E-7 is advanced on September 16, what is the new assigned time-in-rate?

The correct answer is based on the Navy's advancement policy, which states that the time-in-rate for an individual who is advanced to E-7 is established as the first day of the month in which the advancement cycle started. In this context, if the advancement exam was taken and the results were effective by September 16, the time-in-rate assigned for the newly advanced E-7 would indeed date back to September 1 of that cycle.

This principle ensures that all personnel who pass the advancement exam are recognized for their tenure starting from the beginning of the cycle, rather than being penalized or lacking recognition for their prior service immediately following the advancement. Therefore, establishing a time-in-rate of September 1 is a systematic approach to ensure consistency across the ranks.