Changes in the FY25 O6 Staff Corps Promotion Board Convening Order
Promotion board precepts and convening orders guide board members when they are deciding who to promote, so it is a useful exercise to look for changes from year to year. This will allow you to better prepare for the boards and adjust to the changing seas Navy Medicine is navigating.
The full convening order is at the bottom of this post, and here are the changes from FY24 to FY25:
Page 2
This is the page most people are interested in because it provides the promotion opportunities. Here are how they changed in FY25:
- Medical Corps – remained 90%
- Dental Corps – increased from 91% to 92%
- Medical Service Corps – increased from 60% to 70%
- Nurse Corps – increased from 60% to 71%
Why did these changes occur? The short answer is that the promotion opportunity is planned using the most current manning data available. If more people get out or we need more people, opportunities will likely rise. If less people get out or we need less people, they will fall.
Pages 6-7
Paragraph d.(1)(c) is completely new. The short version of what changed is that the language was changed to emphasize the value of “graduate-level education that develops naval warfare competencies…” On page 7 in paragraph d.(1)(c)1. they also added that graduate education should be “relevant to naval warfighting”, which also seems to sing the same tune.
Overall, it just seems to be one more step in a string of changes emphasizing naval education like JPME I/II, War College, Naval Postgraduate School, etc.
Page 9
They reworded paragraph d.(1)(e) to emphasize creativity and innovation. There’s probably not a lot that is actionable due to this change.
Page 10
In (c), let’s get rid of “perform to plan” and Get Real, Get Better (GRGB)! In (d), they changed language about “connectedness and inclusion.” In (3), they added language about leaders who “build great people, leaders and teams, achieving outcomes through a deep investment in their people.”
To me, the takeaway is that you need to make sure you understand GRGB because although it was rolled out by the last SG and CNO, it is still alive and well.
Page 11
In section (4), they replaced the portion about COVID-related PCS issues and how that should not adversely affect anyone’s record with language that talks about how COVID vaccine refusals should not adversely affect records/boards.
Also, under the INDOPACOM expertise area, they added that knowledge about “operational contingency planning for Indo-Pacific war plans” should be given special consideration.
Pages 14-16 – The “Medical Community Considerations”
This section is where most of the medically specific meat is. We have a new SG, so as you could expect it has been completely modified. I’d read the whole thing. My actionable takeaways are:
- Have a variety of commands/jobs throughout your career.
- Navy relevant education (JPME) and subspecialty/DUINS training is valued.
- You need be both operationally and clinically relevant.
- Get board certified.
- Sustained superior performance in a variety of leadership positions is highly valued.
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