Promotions a privilege, not a right

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. ROSENE GOODS
  • 756th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron first sergeant
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  You received the good news -- you made the cut-off and you have a line number. You feel relieved and you realize finally your studying has paid off. Many Airmen assume if they study enough and get a line number they automatically get promoted. The Air Force promotion policy is to select individuals (active-duty or Reserve) for promotion based on potential to serve in the next higher grade. 

The Air Force only wants the best to be promoted due to the limited vacancies in higher grades. The Air Force also places the responsibility of maintaining a quality enlisted force with commanders who make recommendations for promotions. 

Nonrecommendation, withholding and deferral are the tools available to commanders when managing enlisted promotions. 

Nonrecommendation is when an enlisted member is considered ineligible for promotion and removed from the promotion list before the effective date of promotion. 

Typical grounds for removal include poor or declining performance trends or recent serious misconduct. Being placed on the control roster or under suspended reduction in grade imposed through nonjudicial punishment under Article 15 are some other reasons Airmen become ineligible for promotion. 

Withholding allows the commander to evaluate unique or unusual events so a sound promotion decision can be made. It is not intended to be used when there is substandard performance or behavioral problems. 

Lastly, promotion authority may defer promotion to E-5 or higher for up to three months. Members awaiting promotion to grades E-1 to E-4 are not subject to promotion deferral. 

A deferral action is begun to determine if the member meets acceptable behavior and performance standards for the higher grade. If there is clear evidence an NCO is not suited to take on the increased responsibilities of the higher grade, then nonrecommendation is the right course of action, not deferral. 

The key point to take away from this is that promotion is not automatic - each servicemember's commander has to approve. Additional or specific information about promotion can be found in AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion Program.