Getting Promoted in the Air Force

When it comes to getting promoted in the United States Air Force, we must consider the commissioned and enlisted sides of the house. This article will briefly cover promotion requirements for commissioned officers but will mainly focus on enlisted advancements.

Officer promotions in the Air Force are very similar to other branches of service. Advancement is normally based on several factors. These factors include time in grade, professional military education, and billets filled. Barring outstanding circumstances, to achieve the next rank an officer must hold his or her current rank for a certain amount of time. The amount of time needed depends on the rank. Next, to be seriously considered for promotion, an officer must complete the required professional military education for that rank. For example, captains must complete Squadron Officer School for any hope to reach the rank of major. Along with having the right education, an officer must also have the right experiences. These generally include a stint as an Executive Officer as a second lieutenant, but will also include joint, supervisory and leadership positions. Remember, officers are groomed to be leaders and must have the experience to back that up. There are other areas to consider in officer promotions, such as the career field and mentoring. Career fields with an excess of personnel may either reassign people to other fields or may entice them to leave the service, sometimes against their wishes. Career fields with shortages may pull volunteers or non-volunteers from other areas to fill their ranks. On an observational note, flying officers tend to be promoted farther and faster than desk jockeys. Also, civilians in professional fields such as medical, clergy or psychology will often receive their first commission at ranks higher than second lieutenant.