Air Force simplifies promotion recommendation forms for officers

The Air Force announced today it will make adjustments to the way the Air Force Form 709, Promotion Recommendation Form, will be filled out and used for Total Force officer promotion boards beginning in September 2019.

The new policy will reduce the promotion recommendation narrative from nine lines to two and provide guidance for stratification and comments.

“Centralized boards have the critical task of selecting the next generation of leaders,” said Shon Manasco, assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs. “To assist in that effort, senior raters need a simple and effective mechanism to communicate their observations about an officer’s potential. These enhancements to the PRF and new stratification guidance allow us to better achieve that goal.”

Endorsements for promotion are based upon an officer’s demonstrated character and competence as detailed in the secretary of the Air Force’s Memorandum of Instruction for promotion boards. Comments or recommendations for items that are decided through other processes (e.g. developmental education, jobs, assignments, etc.), will no longer be authorized on the PRF.

“This is about building the officer bench we need to fight and win as we accomplish our missions in support of the National Defense Strategy. Over time the PRF has become a summary of an officer’s record with significant focus on style and format,” said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “This adjustment restores the PRF to its original intent of providing a way for senior raters to communicate an officer’s potential to serve in the next higher grade directly with promotion boards and is another key step in our officer talent management transformation.”

Additionally, senior raters will follow new guidance regarding stratification on the PRF. The guidance allows the promotion board to receive pertinent information that directly speaks to an officer’s promotion potential.

For more information, log into MyPers or contact the Air Force Personnel Center.