{"id":83348,"date":"2026-05-21T15:54:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T15:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2026\/05\/21\/ai-powered-tool-helps-navy-talk-thousands-of-sailors-out-of-leaving\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:55:52","slug":"ai-powered-tool-helps-navy-talk-thousands-of-sailors-out-of-leaving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/industry\/techwatch\/2026\/05\/21\/ai-powered-tool-helps-navy-talk-thousands-of-sailors-out-of-leaving\/","title":{"rendered":"AI-powered tool helps Navy talk thousands of sailors out of leaving"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AI-powered \u201cdecision support tools\u201d are helping the U.S. Navy hang on to more of its highest-priority sailors \u2014 with the help of commanders authorized to persuade and offer flexibility incentives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the little more than a year since the service launched the \u201cFull Power Navy\u201d pilot program in February 2025, leaders have \u201cconverted\u201d 3,300 sailors who had begun the process of separating, convincing them to re-up instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the group targeted for engagement \u2014 sailors with between five and 20 years in service in ratings designated as high need \u2014 20% more are choosing to stay in, said Rear Adm. Jeffrey Heames, assistant commander of Navy Personnel Command. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program aims to communicate with command triads about sailors whose data indicates they are at or near a departure decision from the Navy and initiating a conversation about the reasons for leaving, and what might convince them to stay instead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe most important part of this is having the command talk to the sailor about staying in the Navy, and what you know, what are the obstacles, and identifying some of those, and informing us through our digital tracking system, so that we can reach out to them and hopefully craft up the new solution,\u201d Heames said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solutions that might be offered include alternative assignments that better align with career or family needs or put them in a desired location. In fact, location needs or mismatches are the most common driver for sailor departures, Heames said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome sailors are looking for opportunities to go back to their hometown areas. In some cases, sailors are looking to stay in the same geographic area where they are,\u201d he said. \u201cGeographic location, and in some cases, stability, is a really, really high priority for our sailors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some ways, the program sounds like the consumer retention programs that will drastically drop subscription rates or offer hidden benefits for customers moving to take their business elsewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would say that\u2019s less of a secret menu and more of a constantly evolving set of opportunities, because it just changes every single day based on what happens with people, where we have losses that are unplanned,\u201d Heames said. \u201cWhen you have more billets than you have people, there\u2019s always an excess of opportunity, so it\u2019s less of a secret and more of a curated opportunity based on what\u2019s available today, when we\u2019re talking to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t