Promotion opportunity refers to the percentage of all officers selected for promotion, and includes officers selected from above, in and below the zone. Planners develop annual promotion plans and use selection percentage guidelines, along with the number of vacancies, to determine the number of officers in the zone for selection.
Federal Law
10 U.S. Code § 619: The minimum time-in-grade (TIG) requirements for promotion of officers on the active-duty list (ADL) are as follows:
- O1: 18 months
- O2: 2 years
- O3 through O5: 3 years
- O6 through O7: 1 year
Service Secretaries may prescribe longer TIG or may waive TIG requirements. SECDEF may authorize Service Secretaries to preclude from promotion consideration O6s who have previously failed of selection for promotion and who are not exceptionally well-qualified for promotion.
Whenever a promotion board is convened, each officer within or above a promotion zone will be considered for promotion.
Exceptions:
Service Secretaries may
- limit the number of officers considered below the zone
- exclude officers placed on the ADL within one year
- exclude officers with an established separation date within 90 days of the convening of the board
- exclude O6s who have been passed over by at least two selection boards and are determined to not be exceptionally well qualified for promotion
Selection boards may not consider
- an officer whose name is on a promotion list as a result of an earlier selection board
- an officer who is recommended for promotion by an earlier board if the report has not yet been approved
- a limited duty officer in the USMC above the grade of O4
- an O2 who is on an approved all-fully-qualified-officers list
- an O3 who is not a U.S. citizen
10 U.S. Code § 14303: Except for state adjutants general or Assistant adjutants general or positions or appointments based on a specific provision of law, the minimum TIG requirement for officers on the reserve active-status list (RASL) are:
- O1: 18 months
- O2: 2 years
- O3 through O5: 3 years
- O6 through O7: 1 year
Service Secretaries may adjust minimum TIG as needed.
10 U.S. Code § 14301: Reserve officers are eligible for promotion if the following conditions are met:
The officer
- is currently on the RASL
- has continuous service on the RASL or ADL for at least one year, AND
- is within or above their promotion zone OR is below the promotion zone and is determined to be exceptionally well-qualified for promotion based on criteria set by the Service Secretaries.
Selection boards may not consider
- an officer whose name is on a promotion list as a result of an earlier selection board
- an officer who is recommended for promotion by an earlier board if the report has not yet been approved
- an officer who has been approved for Federal recognition by a Title 32 board if the nomination is pending
- an officer who has been nominated for promotion under any other provision of law if the nomination is pending
- an O2 who is on an approved all-fully-qualified-officers list
- RASL officers on educational delay
Even if they do not meet the above criteria, Reserve component O7s in the Army and Air Force may be considered for promotion if they have been on inactive status less than one year and were on the RASL or ADL for a full year or more before that.
Air National Guard officers in grades O5 through O7 and Air Force Reserve officers in grades O6 and O7 are not automatically eligible for consideration by mandatory promotion boards and can only be recommended for promoted by special promotion boards.
10 U.S. Code § 14304: Officers on the RASL should be considered for promotion far enough in advance so that, if selected, they will be promoted within the following windows:
- Current grade of O-2: 5 years
- Current grade of O-3 or O-4: 7 years
If not promoted sooner, officers selected for promotion shall be promoted upon completion of the maximum years of service, without regard to the existence of a vacancy. The Secretary of the Navy may waive this requirement in accordance with the running mate system.
10 U.S. Code § 14306: The Secretary of the Navy may apply the "running mate" system to regulate promotion for Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve officers.
Under this system, each Reserve officer will be assigned a "running mate" of the same grade on the ADL of the same service. The Reserve officer becomes eligible for promotion when the "running mate" is in or above a promotion zone. If below-zone promotions are authorized for officers on the RASL, the number considered may be based on the running mate system or some other means.
10 U.S. Code § 619a: Before being promoted to O7, an officer on the ADL is required to be designated as a joint qualified officer. SECDEF may waive this requirement in certain cases.
10 U.S. Code § 623: Service Secretaries establish promotion zones for each grade and competitive category and should balance promotion opportunities within categories over the next five years.
10 U.S. Code § 14305: Service Secretaries establish promotion zones for each grade and competitive category for officers on the RASL and should provide relatively similar promotion opportunities over the next five years.
10 U.S. Code § 622: Service Secretaries will prescribe to promotion boards the maximum number of officers in each grade and competitive category to be recommended for promotion. This determination shall be based on military needs and projected vacancies.
10 U.S. Code § 616: The number of below-zone promotions cannot exceed 10 percent of the number of officers authorized for promotion by a statutory board selecting officers on the ADL. However, the SECDEF is allowed to authorize up to 15 percent.
10 U.S. Code § 14307: Service Secretaries determine the maximum number of officers on the RASL to be recommended for promotion within each competitive category. When below-the-zone promotions are authorized, Service Secretaries shall establish the number of officers to be so recommended; the number of below-zone promotions cannot exceed 10 percent of the number of officers that the board is authorized to recommend for promotion, unless authorized by SECDEF, in which case the number of below-the-zone promotions may be of up to 15 percent of the total.
10 U.S. Code § 624: Officers on the ADL who are selected for promotion are placed on a promotion list within their competitive category in order of seniority and are promoted as vacancies occur. Service Secretaries establish requirements for promotion to O2. All fully qualified officers will be promoted to the grade of O3.
10 U.S. Code § 14308: Officers on the RASL who are selected for promotion are placed on a promotion list within their competitive category in order of seniority and are promoted as vacancies occur. Service Secretaries establish requirements for promotion to O2. All fully-qualified officers will be promoted to the grade of O3. The effective date of promotion for an officer on the RASL with a running mate is the same as that of the officer's running mate. Army and Air Force Reserve officers selected by a mandatory promotion board may be promoted at any time to fill a vacancy to which the officer is assigned, and those selected by a vacancy promotion board may be promoted at any time to fill the vacancy for which the officer was selected. For officers in the National Guard, the date of rank is the date on which Federal recognition in the higher grade is granted.
10 U.S. Code § 625: The President has the authority to nullify the promotion to grade O7 of any ADL officer who has held that grade for less than 18 months. That officer will revert to the grade of O6.
10 U.S. Code § 14313: The President has the authority to nullify the promotion to grade O7 of any reserve officer who has held that grade for less than 18 months. That officer will revert to the grade of O6, or the previous grade held if serving as adjutant general or assistant adjutant general.
10 U.S. Code § 14315: Officers in the Army Reserve or Air Force Reserve on the RASL may be considered for promotion to the next grade if:
- the officer is fully qualified and meets minimum time-in-grade requirements AND
- the officer is occupying or has been recommended to occupy a position in the same competitive category and a higher grade.
Consideration for promotion shall be by a vacancy promotion board, and officers not selected by the board shall not be considered to have failed of selection.
10 U.S. Code § 14317: Reserve officers who have been recommended for promotion and are then transferred to an inactive retired status shall be treated as if they had not been considered for promotion and may not be placed on the promotion list upon return to active status unless they are again recommended by a selection board.
Reserve officers who have been recommended for promotion and are then placed on the ADL will be placed on the appropriate promotion list for the relevant service branch.
Officers who have been recommended for promotion and are removed from the ADL to be placed on the RASL of the same service branch in the same competitive category will be placed on an appropriate promotion list.
10 U.S. Code § 629: Officers may be removed from a promotion list by the President at any time before the date of promotion. They are removed if the Senate does not give its advice and consent, or they may be removed if not appointed to a higher grade within 18 months of being on the promotion list. The President may extend the period for an additional 12 months, and officers so removed remain eligible for consideration for promotion but are considered to have failed of selection for promotion. If subsequently promoted, the officer may be granted the same date of rank, effective date for pay and allowances, and position on the ADL as if their name had not been removed.
10 U.S. Code § 14310: Officers may be removed from a promotion list by the President at any time before the date of promotion. They are removed if the Senate does not give its advice and consent, or they may be removed if not appointed to a higher grade within 18 months of being on the promotion list. The President may extend the period for an additional 12 months, and officers so removed remain eligible for consideration for promotion. If subsequently promoted, the officer may be granted the same date of rank, effective date for pay and allowances, and position on the RASL as if their name had not been removed.
10 U.S. Code § 14312: Officers selected by a mandatory selection board may request delay of promotion by up to three years. Requests must be approved by the Service Secretaries. Officers declining promotion are considered to have failed of selection.
10 U.S. Code § 662: The SECDEF shall ensure that the qualifications of officers assigned to joint duty assignments are such that officers who are serving on, or have served on, the Joint Staff are expected to be promoted to the next higher grade at a rate not less than the rate for officers of the same armed force in the same grade and competitive category who are serving on, or have served on, the headquarters staff of their armed force. Officers in the grade of O4 or above who have been designated as a joint qualified officer are expected, as a group, to be promoted to the next higher grade at a rate not less than the rate for all officers of the same armed force in the same grade and competitive category.
10 U.S. Code § 14311: Promotion of an officer on the RASL who is serving on active-duty or full-time National Guard duty can be delayed for up to six months while the officer is undergoing investigation to determine whether disciplinary action should be taken against the officer, or if the officer has not met the requirement for exemplary conduct. Promotion may also be delayed in order to comply with grade strength limitations, or while the authorized grade for that duty is lower than the grade to which the officer is selected.
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DoD Policy
DODI 1320.13 and DODI 1320.14: The process of promoting to fill requirements in the grades identified in the table below by competitive category may result in different promotion timing and opportunity for certain competitive categories, promotion opportunity in a category will be relatively similar over any 5-year period.
The desired ADL promotion timing and opportunities for grades of O6 and below are as follows:
| Promotion to | Timing* | TIG Req.** | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| O4 | 9-11 years | 3 years | 80% |
| O5 | 15-17 years | 3 years | 70% |
| O6 | 21-23 years | 3 years | 50% |
*Promotion timing includes years of commissioned military service plus all entry grade credit.
** Time-in-grade requirements are established in 10 U.S. Code § 619.
Promotion opportunity and timing, as determined by Service Secretaries, may vary from these targets based on needs. For Reserve Component officers, promotions are based on force requirements; the relevant Service Secretary will determine timing and opportunity variables for promotion.
DODI 1320.14: Under alternative promotion authorities, Military Departments may accelerate or delay promotion opportunities for officers within certain competitive categories. Time-in-grade requirements do not apply under these optional promotion authorities. Service Secretaries provide estimates of the number of opportunities and sizes of the promotion zones within competitive categories under these authorities.
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Air Force Policy
AFI 36-2501: Second lieutenants on the ADL are eligible for promotion as soon as they have 24-months time-in-grade computed from their company grade date of rank as a second lieutenant First lieutenants on the ADL are promoted to captain after completing 24-months time-in-grade computed from their company grade date of rank as a first lieutenant, or upon the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (PDUSD(P&R)) approval of the captain selection board report, whichever is later. Captain selections for all competitive categories are made quarterly by the officer's respective Management Level on a fully qualified basis. Medical and Dental Corps officers selected the first time considered (IPZ) are promoted on the sixth anniversary of the company grade date of rank, or on Senate confirmation of the promotion, whichever is later
AFI 36-2504: Reserve of the Air Force (includes both Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve officers) O-2s are eligible for promotion and are normally promoted after completing two years of service from their date of rank. A mandatory promotion board considers reserve officers for promotion to O-3 and above soon enough so that, if selected, IPZ promotions can occur when officers complete the time in grade listed below. The Reserve of the Air Force will not consider officers for below-zone promotion.
| Promotion to | Mandatory Promotion Years in Grade | Vacancy Promotion Years in Grade |
|---|---|---|
| O2 | 2 years | n/a |
| O3 | 2 yrs (USAFR) 5 yrs (ANG) | n/a |
| O4 | 7 years | 4 years |
| O5 | 7 years | 4 years |
| O6 | 3 years | n/a |
The AFR Promotion Vacancy (PV) program is used to fill vacancies in grades O3 through O5 in the Air Force Reserve. Officers are not entitled to a PV nomination simply because they occupy a higher graded position or because of their seniority to any other officer. PV boards convene in conjunction with annual promotion boards. O2s through O4s in the Selective Reserves (SelRes) are eligible for PV promotion if they have at least 50 credit points for a year of satisfactory federal service during the last full retention/retirement years and complete the retired time in grade listed below. Officers must be assigned to the position for which they are nominated. For PV promotion nomination to the grade of captain through lieutenant colonel, the officer must occupy a position with an authorized grade higher than the officer's current grade.
ANGI 36-2504. ANG position vacancy promotions are managed by the States, subject to vacancy and timing considerations similar to AFR promotions. Federal recognition is required.
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Army Policy
AR 600-8-29: All qualified O1s and O2s will be promoted to the next highest grade. Targeted promotion zones and selection rates are listed below.
| Promotion to | TIG Req. |
|---|---|
| O2 | 18 months |
| O3 | 2 years |
| O4 | 3 years |
| O5 | 3 years |
| O6 | 3 years |
| O7 | 1 years |
BPZ percentages may be up to 10 percent of the total recommended number of promotions, or 15 percent with SECDEF approval.
Promotion zones for medical and dental officers shall ensure that those selected for promotion shall be promoted on the 6th anniversary of the active date-of-rank (ADOR).
Officers with less than one year of continuous time on the ADL will be excluded from consideration unless requested through Army Human Resources Command. Exceptions are made for certain officers, mainly in the professional corps.
AR 135-155: Mandatory selection boards will convene each year and will consider officers on the RASL for promotion to O3 through O5 without regard to vacancies in the next-higher grade. Mandatory boards may consider officers for BPZ promotion, subject to a limit of 10 percent of the total number recommended, or 15 percent with SECDEF approval. Selection boards for O7 will convene at the discretion of the Secretary of the Army, who will prescribe the minimum TIG for an officer in each competitive category.
Position vacancy boards will normally be held twice a year to fill vacancies in Troop Program Units, and AGR position vacancy boards will be held as needed when requested by the Office of the Chief of the Army Reserve. USAR officers who are on a promotion list from another mandatory or position vacancy board are not eligible for consideration by subsequent position vacancy boards, nor are O2s through O4s who have previously failed of selection by a mandatory board to the grade of the vacancy. O5s who have previously failed of selection may be considered if the Secretary of the Army determines they are the only qualified officer available to fill the position.
To be eligible for promotion, Army Reserve and Army National Guard officers must have one year of continuous service prior to the convening of the promotion board and meet the following TIG requirements:
| Promotion to | Minimum TIG | Maximum TIG |
|---|---|---|
| O2 | 2 years | 42 months |
| O3 | 2 years | 5 years |
| O4 | 4 years | 7 years |
| O5 | 4 years | 7 years |
| O6 | 3 years | Normally 5 years, subject to needs of the Army |
To qualify for selection for promotion, officers must, with some exceptions, complete the military educational requirements listed in the table below before the selection board convenes.
| Promotion to | Requirement |
|---|---|
| O2 | Resident Officer Basic Course |
| O3 | Resident Officer Basic Course |
| O4 | Any officer advanced course |
| O5 | 50% of the CGSOC |
| O6 | 100% of the CGSOC |
AR 135-156: A USAR General Officer Assignment Advisory Board (GOAAB) will be convened annually to consider USAR officers for assignment to GO positions. Immediately following, promotion selection boards will be convened to consider officers for promotion based on the recommendations of the GOAAB. These promotion boards are convened as vacancy promotion boards. The Commander, National Guard Bureau and the Commander, Army Reserves are responsible for setting guidelines to determine eligibility for promotion to General officer (grades O7 and O8) of officers in the Army National Guard and Army Reserves, respectively. Promotions to O7 and O8 require the confirmation of the U.S. Senate.
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Navy Policy
SECNAVINST 1420.1B: Navy officers who would be eligible for consideration by a promotion board as an in-zone or above-zone officer with less than one year of placement on the ADL will be deferred unless they specifically request consideration.
Navy and Marine Corps precepts specify the maximum number or percentage (as applicable) of officers in each grade and competitive category that could be recommended by their respective promotion boards.
| Promotion to | Flow Point | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| O4 | 9-11 years | 70-90% |
| O5 | 15-17 years | 60-80% |
| O6 | 21-23 years | 40-60% |
The promotion flow point for the Medical Corps and Dental Corps will normally be six years service in grade based on date of rank.
Years of active commissioned service and entry grade credits count towards flow point. Promotion opportunity may be set temporarily outside above guidelines when necessary to meet or maintain authorized grade strength.
Zones for promotion to O6 and below for RASL officers shall be established with a running mate system.
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Marine Corps Policy
SECNAVINST 1420.1B (2006):
Navy and Marine Corps officers on the ADL who meet prescribed service-in-grade requirements are eligible for consideration by ADL promotion selection boards. An officer on
the RASL for whom the running mate system applies is eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade when that officer's running mate is in or above the promotion zone and only if the officer has served continuously on the RASL or ADL (or a combination of both lists) for a period of one year immediately preceding the convening date of the board.
The Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) may, with the officer's consent or at their request, defer a Marine Corps officer's consideration by a promotion board as an in-zone or above-zone officer if the officer has less than one year of placement on the ADL.
Navy and Marine Corps precepts specify the maximum number or percentage (as applicable) of officers in each grade and competitive category that could be recommended by their respective promotion boards.
| Promotion to | Flow Point | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| O4 | 9-11 years | 70-90% |
| O5 | 15-17 years | 60-80% |
| O6 | 21-23 years | 40-60% |
For promotion to the grades of CWO3 through CWO5 and captain through colonel, three primary promotion zones may exist: above-zone, in-zone, and below-zone. Above-zone officers have been previously considered in the in-zone population, and failed selection for promotion by a regularly scheduled board. In-zone officers have neither failed selection for promotion nor been removed from a promotion list. In-zone officers comprise the primary eligible population for consideration by the board. If not selected, the officer will incur a failure of selection. Below-zone officers are junior to the junior officer in the zone. These officers are eligible for consideration, but if not selected, will not incur a failure of selection.
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