promotion boards
FY25 O4 and O5 Promotion Board Opportunities and Convening Orders
Here are the just released FY25 O4 and O5 promotion opportunities, found on page 2 of the convening orders, which are at the bottom of this post. You’ll see that Congress took away the 95% cap and the cap is now 99.9%:
O4
- Dental Corps – 99.9% (up from 94%)
- Medical Corps – 99.9% (up from 95%)
- Medical Service Corps – 94% (same as last year)
- Nurse Corps – 95% (up from 85%)
O5
- Dental Corps – 93% (down from 95%)
- Medical Corps – 95% (up from 94%)
- Medical Service Corps – 70% (up from 62%)
- Nurse Corps – 85% (up from 80%)
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.
Officer Photos – Latest information from PERS-3B
BLUF – Officer photographs are still required in your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), but are still not reviewed during promotion boards. You can now submit your officer photos via BOL.
Military Personnel Manual (MPM) article 1070-020 is being updated to reflect current policy regarding officer photographs and promotion boards. It is currently being routed through stakeholders (PERS-4, PERS-8) for signature. In addition, PERS mistakenly cancelled MPM 1070-080, and they are routing a new officer photographs MPM article to replace it.
You can find the instructions for how to upload an officer photo on this page.
MC Chief Letter for O4 or O5 Board Requests – Due 1 March 2024
Packages will be submitted to the Medical Corps Chief’s Office from the CMO/TYCOM/Fleet Surgeon with CO endorsement to the MC Career Planner, CAPT Shauna O’Sullivan, with the Deputy Corps Chief, Captain Terri Allen. CC’ed for awareness. The packages will include:
i. Officer Summary Record (OSR)
ii. Performance Summary Record (PSR)
iii. Last two Fitreps
iv. Draft Letter for Admiral Valdes to sign if the officer is selected
·The Corps Chief’s Office will score and rank packages. The top 3 will be presented to RMDL Valdes for consideration.
·The Corps Chief will notify the command of the selected officer and provide the signed letter by RDML Valdes for records maintenance.
Language for Your FITREPs from the FY25 Promotion Board Precept
One of my most popular posts of all time remains a 2016 deconstruction of the promotion board precept and LCDR convening order to find language to use in your fitness reports (FITREPs). As the FY25 promotion boards kick off, here is the language that I think could be useful in the FY25 promotion board precept, which is at the bottom of this post:
Paragraph 3. b.
“a broad spectrum of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives”
“innovative and creative leaders”
“a mindset of continuous self-improvement”
“a desire to ‘Get Real, Get Better’ every day”
“show boldness”
“ability to think creatively, challenge assumptions, and take well-calculated risks to better prepare our Navy to win in combat”
Paragraph 4
“progressed in billet complexity, professional development, and leadership responsibility”
Paragraph 5. b.
“excelled in their knowledge of the politico-military affairs, U.S. strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region, and operational contingency planning for Indo-Pacific was plans”
Appendix B. 1. c. 7.
“a good example of virtue, honor, patriotism, and subordination”
“to promote and safeguard the morale, the physical well-being, and the general welfare of the officers and enlisted persons under their command or charge”
Here is the full precept:
What is a “Don’t Pick Me” Promotion Board Letter? Why Would You Send One?
If you go to the Navy Active Duty Officer Promotions Page, you’ll find this at the bottom:
Sample “Don’t Pick Me” Letter to the Board
Removing the introductory portion, here is what the meat of this letter says:
- Per reference (a), please do not select me for promotion by the FY-[XX] [ActiveDuty Navy/Navy Reserve] [Grade] [Line/Staff Corps] [Competitive Category] Promotion Selection Board.
That’s it. All it says to the promotion board is, “Don’t pick me.”
Why would or should a physician send a letter requesting NOT to be considered by a promotion board? Here are a few reasons:
- You know that you are resigning/separating, not joining the Reserves, and will not be hanging around long enough to accept the promotion.
- You are an O4 or O5 who is retiring but you know that if selected for promotion you won’t accept it – Why would someone not accept a promotion? Because a promotion to O5 or O6 obligates you for 3 more years if you intend to retire. And the Navy still isn’t letting anyone get out early. If you want to get out as fast as possible with a 20 year retirement, taking a promotion to O6 in year 18 means you must stick around until year 21 at least.
So…if #1 or #2 above are applicable, consider sending a “Don’t Pick Me” letter. Make sure, though, that you are 100% POSITIVE that nothing in your situation will change. Lots of people who think they are going to get out, not join the Reserves, or want to retire right at 20 years later change their mind.
And remember, they are now due 10 days before a board convenes (not 24 hours like before).
Officer Photos No Longer Required Anywhere
They stopped displaying officer photos at promotion boards in 2020, but they were still required in your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). Thanks to a reader, though, for pointing out that when you click on the Officer Photo portion of the BOL menu, you now get this:
Officer photos are no longer required anywhere!
All the Posts About Letters to the Board in One Place
It is time to start writing letters to the O6 promotion board, so here are all the posts about letters to the board in one place…
The question most people ask me is answered in these posts:
Should You Send a Letter to the Promotion Board?
Do You Still Need to Send the Above Zone Letter?
The bottom line is:
Pretend that you did not send a letter to the board, the board is over, and you were not selected for promotion. Are you going to be kicking yourself for not sending the letter? If the answer is yes or maybe, then send the letter. As long as you keep it short and sweet, there is no real downside.
Frankly, I think that when officers send letters to promotion boards they are often just making themselves feel better, and there is nothing wrong with that. You want to make sure that when the promotion board results come out, no matter what happened, you feel like you did everything you could to get promoted.
Letters to promotion boards have a new due date. You can’t send them the day before the board anymore:
Letters to Promotion Boards Now Due 10 Calendar Days Before the Board
If you know you are getting out of the Navy and really don’t care about getting promoted, you should read this post:
What is a “Don’t Pick Me” Promotion Board Letter? Why Would You Send One?
Have you been on active duty for less than 1 year? Read this:
How to Be Considered for Promotion if You’ve Been on Active Duty for Less Than 1 Year
You now need to use your DoD ID number and not your Social Security number on letters to the board. Read this:
Use DoD ID Number and Not Your SSN on Letters to the Board
You can now submit letters electronically:
How to Be Considered for Promotion if You’ve Been on Active Duty for Less Than 1 Year
The FY25 promotion board NAVADMIN was 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 paragraph #8:
8. In-zone and above-zone eligible officers in the grades of chief warrant officer 2/3/4, 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, emailed to NPC_Officer_SELBD_Elig_Waivers.fct@navy.mil or mailed to: Commander, Navy Personnel Command (PERS-802) 5720 Integrity Drive Millington, TN 38055-0000 For in-zone and above-zone eligible line officers in the grade of commander, the request must be received by PERS-802 not later than 2359 CST 15 days prior to the convening date of the respective board. For in-zone and above- zone eligible staff corps officers in the grade of commander, in-zone and above-zone eligible line and staff corps officers in the grade of lieutenant commander and lieutenant, and in-zone and above-zone chief warrant officers, the request must be received by PERS-802 not later than 2359 CST 30 days prior to the convening date of the respective board. Specifically: Selection To Convening Date Due Date / Time URL/RL Captain 10 JAN 24 25 DEC 23 / 2359 CST Staff Corps Captain 6 FEB 24 6 JAN 24 / 2359 CST URL/RL Commander 13 FEB 24 13 JAN 24 / 2359 CST Staff Corps Commander 29 APR 24 29 MAR 24 / 2359 CST Staff Corps Lieutenant Commander 29 APR 24 29 MAR 24 / 2359 CST URL/RL Lieutenant Commander 6 MAY 24 6 APR 24 / 2359 CST Chief Warrant Officer 5/4/3/2 3 JUN 24 3 MAY 24 / 2359 CST
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 other experience.
If you believe you are in this position, here is what I’d do:
- Confirm you are in-zone or above-zone. How can you do this? The easiest way if you are MC is to read Chapter 2 of the Promo Prep. Or you can use your date or rank and the zones spelled out in this NAVADMIN. Or you can hunt down your Corps’ lineal list, which are probably floating around as they are usually released in mid-DEC.
- If you wish to be considered for promotion to LCDR, CDR, or CAPT, do what it says above. Send the letter simply requesting this. It can probably be a very short letter. There is no need to be verbose.
- Also, here is a great article on this topic from the August 2018 Medical Corps Newsletter:
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