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Breaking down the barriers
By WGCDR Brock McKinlay and FLTLT Jade Deveney
Volume 49, No. 16, September 06, 2007 |
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FASTER TRACK: Officers will now be eligible for promotion a year earlier than previously, with only two years seniority required from January 1 of the year of the promotion board.
Photo by LACW Melina Mancuso |
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MOVING ON UP: Once identified for promotion, members who are already in a position at a higher rank will have their promotion effected shortly after the official message is issued.
Photo by LEUT Pete Bounty |
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DGPERS-AF is focusing on promotion and career changes as it works hard to remove major barriers to members’ advancement.
“It is important for Air Force to ensure personnel management strategies and policies are innovative and constantly breaking new ground to deliver optimal results,” DGPERS-AF AIRCDRE John Hewitson said.
Fundamental principles of the promotion system are unchanged but improvements and adjustments continue to ensure it delivers the best outcomes for Air Force’s future leadership.
Officers’ merit promotions
Changes approved by CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd will make officers eligible for promotion board consideration when they have two years’ seniority with effect from January 1 of the year of the promotion board. Officers will now be considered for promotion a year earlier than previously.
Putting up rank
Once identified for promotion, seniority will not be a constraint when a member (officer or aiman) becomes eligible to wear their new rank. Once the member has been identified for promotion, posted to a position at the higher rank and met all promotional pre-requisites, they will be able to wear the new rank. If already in a position at the higher rank, the promotion will take effect shortly after the promotion message is released.
LWOP alterations
The effect of LWOP decreasing seniority for promotion has been reviewed. In some cases, short periods of LWOP have resulted in seniority being reduced to just below the threshold for promotion board consideration. For those officers and airmen now considered for promotion, seniority will be adjusted only for those members taking LWOP who are subject to time-based promotion, such as FLGOFF and airman aircrew.
Beginning with the 2008 promotion boards, seniority adjustments will be reversed for those members who have taken LWOP in their current rank.
LWOP seniority adjustments will be retained for time-based promotion as these promotions are primarily based on the experiential component of time in rank.
Airmen cohorts
Where seniority was once used to determine rankings within the cohort, and this ranking often determined who would and would not be promoted within a cohort purely on seniority and the average score, this placed unnecessary emphasis on seniority. From 2008, once cohorts have been assigned, the promotion board will review those cohort members where the promotion line falls and determine the final ordering based upon performance, potential and promotion board deliberations.
Member promotion statements
AIRCDRE Hewitson said that members would now be able to have a voice at the promotion board from 2008. “While it is not practical to conduct face-to-face interviews as part of the promotion board process, we wanted to give you the opportunity to be heard by the board and to allow you a chance to add any other information you feel is important in determining your
promotability,” he said. “You are directly responsible for the hard copy submission of your statement.
Further instructions are contained in the form itself – see WEBFORM AD718 on the DRN.”
Resignation or transfer
To make the option of returning to active PAF and reserve service following resignation, or transfer to the Standby Reserve (RAAFStR) more attractive, personnel branch has been removing potential impediments to pursuing further service. Air Force will now have greater regard to core skills, experience and performance when determining rank and seniority conditions when people return to the PAF or Active Reserve.
Those promoted provisionally but who do not complete their PMET before separation will be brought back at their provisional rank and granted a reasonable period in which to complete applicable courses. Similarly, those identified for promotion but not promoted before resignation or transfer to the RAAFStR will be considered for transfer back at the higher rank, where possible and appropriate, depending upon Service needs at that time and how the member has been employed in the intervening period.
“This is a key message,” AIRCDRE Hewitson said. “We must welcome the return of experienced personnel without placing unnecessary obstacles in their way but we must also have regard to current serving members.”
Transfer at the higher rank for those not actually promoted is a more likely proposition for those returning to the PAF because of an increased ability to absorb promoted members without undue detriment to the force.
Return of Service Obligations
The Return of Service Obligations (ROSOs) on members who changed specialisation or mustering will no longer be applied to members who transfer to non-aircrew specialisations and musterings where less than six months Initial Employment Training (IET) is necessary.
More information, including a FAQ sheet, is available on Air Force People Central under ‘Hot Topics’.
| Compulsory Retirement Age |
| Contrary to previous advice, there is no requirement to apply for extension to age 60. From July 1, the CRA for all PAF and reserve members up to and including the rank of AIRCDRE was automatically changed to 60 and 65 respectively. Those who prefer to retain their former CRA of 55 (PAF) or 60 (reserves) need only apply before reaching their former CRA. |
| Big progress |
- Officers will be eligible for promotion board consideration when they have two years seniority, with effect from January 1 of the year of the promotion board.
- Once you have been identified for promotion, posted to a position at the higher rank and meet all promotional pre-requisites, you will be able to wear the new rank.
- Seniority now will be adjusted only for those members taking leave without pay (LWOP) who are subject to time-based promotion, such as FLGOFF and airman aircrew.
- Members will be able to make their own statements to all promotion boards from next year.
- Air Force will now have greater regard to core skills, experience and performance when determining rank and seniority conditions when people return to the PAF of RAAFAR.
- Return of Service Obligations (ROSOs) will no longer be applied to members who transfer to non-aircrew specialisations and musterings, where less than six months initial employment training (IET) is necessary. |
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