How to Be Considered for Promotion if You’ve Been on Active Duty for Less Than 1 Year

Posted on January 4, 2018 Updated on November 28, 2018

The FY19 promotion board NAVADMIN was recently released. If you are in-zone or above-zone for an upcoming promotion board but you’ve been on active duty for less than 1 year, you should read #5 from the NAVADMIN, which says:

5. In-zone and above-zone eligible officers in the grades of lieutenant, lieutenant commander, and commander, whose placement on the Active-Duty List is within one year of the convening dates of these boards, are automatically deferred unless they specifically request to be considered. The officer may waive this deferment and request consideration for promotion in a signed written letter, emailed to: NPC_Officer_SELBD_Elig_Waivers.fct (at) navy.mil or mailed to:

Commander, Navy Personnel Command (PERS-802)
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-0000

The request must be received by PERS-80 not later than 30 days prior to the convening date of the board.

What does this mean and why would it apply to you? Maybe you had prior service, you went to medical school, and now you’re a senior LT who is in-zone for LCDR right away. Maybe you did a civilian NADDS residency and you are in-zone right away for LCDR. There might be other situations that would put you in this position, like getting time-in-grade credit for a PhD.

If you believe you are in this position, here is what I’d do:

1. Confirm you are in-zone or above-zone. How can you do this? The easiest way is to either read the Promo Prep or get the FY19 lineal list. Or you can use this document from PERS.
2. If you wish to be considered for promotion to LCDR, CDR, or CAPT, so what it says above. Send the letter simply requesting this. You can find templates or letters to the board here or here. It can probably be a very short letter. There is no need to be verbose.
3. Finally, contact PERS-802: Selection Board Eligibility Branch because I know people who did only #2 (sent a letter) and were not considered. Here’s what their website says:

If you have questions concerning promotion boards, eligibility for promotion boards, please contact the MyNavy Career Center at (833) 330-MNCC or askmncc@navy.mil.

PERS-802, Branch Head, (901) 874-4537

Officer Active and Reserve Eligibility Section
Section Supervisor (901) 874-3324

Also, here is a great article on this topic from the August 2018 Medical Corps Newsletter:

Do you know about OPT-IN requirements for promotion?

NAVADMIN 297/17 – Notice of Convening of FY-19 Navy Active-Duty Promotion Selection Boards

Posted on December 23, 2017 Updated on December 20, 2017

This NAVADMIN formally announces the promotion boards and sets the zones. My post a few days ago, though, is points you to the lineal list, which is the easiest way to figure out where you are in relation to the zones.

The promotion boards of note are:

• 6 FEB 2018 – Staff Corps Captain
• 27 MAR 2018 – Staff Corps Commander
• 15 MAY 2018 – Staff Corps Lieutenant Commander

It also contains the instructions for communicating with the promotion boards, and all communication is now due 10 days before the boards start.

How to Get Considered for Promotion to LCDR Right Away if You are a LT/Intern With Prior Service

Posted on August 3, 2017

Normally you are not looked at for promotion until you’ve been on active duty for 1 year, but you can ask for this deferment to be waived.  This would be most applicable to any new interns who have prior service and would like to be looked at for promotion to LCDR in the FY19 promotion board that meets in May 2018.

If this is of interest to you, here is how you request a waiver:

• Submit a waiver of deferment to have your record reviewed by the FY­19 O4 Staff selection board that is scheduled to convene 15 May 2018.
• In December 2017, there will be a NAVADMIN published (NOTICE OF CONVENING FY­19 NAVY ACTIVE­DUTY PROMOTION SELECTION BOARDS).  This message will provide the eligible zones for paygrades O3 through O6 by competitive category.  Within the message, normally paragraph 5, states, “In­-zone and above­zone eligible officers in the grades of lieutenant, lieutenant commander, and commander, whose placement on the Active­ Duty List is within one year of the convening dates of these boards, are automatically deferred unless they specifically request to be considered. The officer may waive this deferment and request consideration for promotion, in writing, to: Commander, Navy Personnel Command (PERS­-802), 5720 Integrity Drive, Millington, TN 38055­0000. The request must be received by PERS­-802 not later than 30 days prior to the convening date of the board. All officers are reminded it is their responsibility to ensure their personnel records are substantially accurate and complete.”
• There is no standard format for the letter.  You just need to ensure you clearly identify yourself, state that you wish to waive your deferment for the specific board, and sign the request.
• PERS would prefer not to receive the letter requesting deferment until after the Notice of Convening message is released.