Pers-801 Active & Reserve Officer Career Progression

Officer Career Progression (PERS-801) sponsors and monitors the conduct of all statutory promotion selection boards, including spot, special, and continuation selection boards for active duty and reserve officers per applicable laws, regulations, and policies.  PERS-801 acts as the SECNAV's liaison and CNP technical advisor for selection boards and officers as releated to promotion and selection matters.

Selection Board Overview

Title 10 U.S.C. authorizes the convening of selection boards to recommend officers for promotion to the next higher grade from O3 to O8, as well as selection boards to recommend officers for continuation on active-duty.  DODI 1320.14 and SECNAVINST 1420.1 describe the requirements for the conduct of selection boards; the overarching intent to provide each officer a fair and equitable opportunity for promotion.  

Promotion Eligibility Summary

Each year in December, the CNO publishes NAVADMINs that announce the convening of upcoming promotion and continuation selection boards for active-duty officers, and promotion selection boards for reserve officers.  The junior in-zone eligible and those officers senior to the junior in-zone officer are eligible for promotion in each competitive category.  The active-duty NAVADMIN also specifies below-zone eligible officers, who are the junior eligible officer and those officers senior to the junior eligible, but junior to the junior in-zone eligible officer. 

Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)

A promotion selection board evaluates the professional qualifications of each eligible officer as contained in an officer’s OMPF.  Per SECNAVINST 1420.1B, officers have a duty to review their records periodically to ensure their records are complete and accurate.  Therefore, It is strongly recommended that Officers review their OMPF at least 6 months prior to a promotion selection board to ensure the record is accurate and up-to-date; especially critical items such as: Regular FITREP continuity (no gaps greater than 90 days), awards, education, training, and qualifications.  OMPF’s are accessible via BUPERS ON-LINE.   

 Communication with a Selection Board

Title 10 U.S.C. authorizes an eligible officer to communicate information to a statutory selection board. MILPERSMAN 1420-010 provides specific details and procedures for officers desiring to communicate information to a statutory selection board.  

Additional Selection Board information is available here- Selection Board INFO.