Where to Find Promotion Board Information:
Air Reserve Personnel Center Memorandums (ARPCMs), which include Air Reserve Component (ARC) promotion board information such as Convening Notices and Promotion Releases, are posted on myFSS (CAC required for login).
Promotion-related details are located on myPers under the “Air Reserve” or “Air National Guard” tab, as applicable (select “OFFICER”, then select “Promotion” on the left-page side). Information is updated regularly; please review before submitting a myPers inquiry. Notable items available on myPers include:
- All recent ARPCMs (e.g. CY Board Schedules, Convening Notices, Promotion Releases [aka Public Release], etc.) for the grades of 1st Lt through Colonel
- Recent Board Statuses and Information by Rank (current status of promotion results routing and announcements)
- Knowledge regarding Promotion Orders, Pre and Post Board guidance, Resources (AFIs), and more
Promotion eligible officers and servicing Military Personnel Flights (MPFs) should thoroughly review the ARPCMs prior to when the board convenes.
Milestones:
Specific dates are included in the Convening Notices for awareness and/or action. If followed, this will keep you and your unit on track for officer promotion boards. Pay particular attention to PRF due dates, MilPDS updates cutoff, and when letters to the board are due as these suspenses involve potentially significant effects if missed.
Board Types:
HQ ARPC/PB administers selection boards as convened and directed by the SecAF. There are three primary methods for ARC officer promotion:
Promotion Process – Officers eligible for promotion to the ranks of 1st Lt and Capt do not actually meet a board; instead, they are promoted via a promotion process IAW Title 10 U.S.C. 14308, SecAF, and AFI guidance. Eligible ARC officers are identified for records review and, barring any disqualifying factors, are submitted for promotion selection twice per calendar year IAW ARPCM guidance.
Mandatory Boards – Officers eligible for promotion to the ranks of Maj through Col will meet the mandatory board; in-the-promotion zone (IPZ) members will meet the board at six (6) years time-in-grade (TIG) and, if selected/approved for promotion, these members will pin-on at seven (7) years TIG. (NOTE 1: The ANG does not have a mandatory board for Colonel promotions) (NOTE 2: Eligible Non-participating USAFR members will also meet mandatory boards)
Position Vacancy (PV) Boards – Officers eligible for promotion to the ranks of Maj through Lt Col may be recommended for a PV promotion by their Senior Rater. Specific requirements for PV promotion are outlined in AFI 36-2504, Chapter 2, and ANGI 36-2504, Chapter 3 (ANG members only). (NOTE: The ANG promotes its officers to Colonel first via Federal Recognition Examination Boards conducted by each state/territory and then via Federal Recognition Review Boards, held twice per calendar year IAW ARPCM guidance)
Time-in-Grade (TIG) Requirements:
TIG refers to the number of years required in-grade before you are eligible for promotion consideration to the next higher grade. IPZ members meet the mandatory board prior to TIG requirements so that, if promoted, their pin-on date follows once TIG requirements are met. However, a caveat to this is if a Senior Rater elects to accelerate a promotion.
Competitive Categories (Comp Cats):
Officers compete within their Comp Cats for all promotion boards. ARC officer Comp Cats are as follows:
Eligible officers, especially those who have cross-trained, should diligently review their records to ensure that their Core Flag reflects their correct AFSC in order to compete within the most appropriate/applicable Comp Cat.
Timeline:
The entire promotion process for each board starts at the coordination of the eligibility criteria period, which typically begins about -225 days before the board convenes.
In the Post Board phase of the process (+7 days through +120 days) there are some differences in who approves the board results. The President has delegated approval authority down to the SecDef level for promotions to Lt Col and below. POTUS approval and U.S. Senate nomination, followed by Senate confirmation, however, must be accomplished before selected members can be promoted to Colonel.
Accelerated Promotion:
Officers on a mandatory board promotion release may be promoted at any time to fill a vacant position based upon Senior Rater request and endorsement IAW the ARPCM promotion release. Review the specific requirements in AFI 36-2504, paragraph 6.5., and ANGI 36-2504 (ANG members only).
USAFR member requests must arrive at HQ ARPC/PBE two (2) business days before the requested Date of Rank (DOR). If this timeframe is not met, the officer’s DOR will be processed for five (5) business days after request receipt. For ANG members, Senior Raters should work through their servicing MPF and state/territory Military Personnel Management Officer (MPMO) for accelerated promotions of their members while ANG Statutory Tour members should work through their NGB-assigned chain-of-command.