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Independent publication — not affiliated with the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense

NavyMentor

Editorial Policy

How we research, source, fact-check, update and correct what we publish.

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This policy describes how NavyMentor decides what to publish, how we check it, and what we do when we get something wrong.

Our sourcing standards

For anything involving requirements, pay, benefits, eligibility, training or policy, we work from primary sources first:

  • Official U.S. Navy sites, including Navy.com, Recruit Training Command and MyNavy HR
  • NAVADMIN messages and published Navy instructions and guides
  • Department of Defense resources, including the Transition Assistance Program and SkillBridge
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA.gov)
  • Official test publishers, such as the ASVAB program

Reputable news reporting and specialist publications are used for context, and we say so when a detail comes from reporting rather than an official document. We do not treat forums, social media posts or other affiliate sites as sources of fact.

Fact-checking

  • Every factual claim about a rule, a number or a date is checked against a source before publication.
  • Where sources disagree, or where we could not confirm a figure from a primary source, we leave the number out and tell you where to get the current one.
  • Articles on changeable topics end with a Sources list and the month we last checked them.
  • We do not invent statistics, quotations, requirements or benefits.

Sensitive topics

Some subjects can affect your health, money or legal position. On those, we give general information only and say clearly when you need a professional: a recruiter for eligibility, a medical provider for training and injuries, an accredited Veterans Service Officer or the VA for benefits claims, and a legal assistance office for legal questions.

Updates and dates

Each article shows when it was published and, if it has been revised, when it was last updated. We only change the “updated” date when the content has actually been reviewed. Topics that change often — fitness standards, enlistment rules, benefits and product recommendations — are reviewed on a regular schedule and whenever a relevant policy change is announced.

Corrections

If we publish an error, we fix it promptly. Significant corrections — anything that could have changed a reader’s decision — are noted in the article. To report a problem, use the contact form and choose “Report a correction”.

Authors and experience

Articles are credited to a named author or to the NavyMentor editorial team. We do not claim military service, rank or qualifications that an author does not hold. When a piece relies on first-hand experience, the article says whose experience it is.

  • Recommendations are made on the criteria set out in our methodology.
  • Brands cannot pay for inclusion, placement or favourable wording.
  • We do not publish star ratings or scores, because we do not run controlled product tests.
  • We never say “we tested” unless we did.
  • Pages with affiliate links carry a disclosure near the top. Details are in our affiliate disclosure.

Images

Photographs come from official U.S. military sources in the public domain and from royalty-free libraries, and are credited on our image credits page. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Independence

NavyMentor is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Department of Defense.