awaiting assignment to scroll

National Guard Officer Vacancy Promotions: What You Should Know

Today, I’d like to discuss National Guard Officer Vacancy Promotions. I will explain the process and share 10 of my best vacancy promotion tips for Army National Guard Officers.

One of the biggest advantages of serving in the Army National Guard in comparison to Active Duty or the Army Reserve is the ability to get vacancy promotions. In essence, this process is similar to getting promoted below the zone on Active Duty. A vacancy promotion is when an officer gets promoted to fill a unit vacancy. This Army officer might have already appeared before a DA Promotion Board (and was selected), or it might be a junior officer who has not appeared before the DA Board yet.

The major benefit of pursuing vacancy promotions in the Army National Guard is that you can avoid the DA Promotion Board Process entirely. If you’ve ever been through this DA Promotion Board process before, you understand why you want to avoid it.

The DA Promotion Board process is long and cumbersome. It can take months, sometimes close to a year, before the results are published and the promotion actually happens. Even if you get selected for a promotion, there’s no guarantee you will actually get promoted (not in the ARNG anyway, unless you have an open slot for that rank). Therefore, I believe you should focus on getting vacancy promotions whenever possible. It’s faster and much easier.

My Vacancy Promotion Story

Let me give you a real life example by sharing my personal story. When I was a Captain, you had to be a Captain for minimum 48-months before you were eligible for promotion to Major. When I had about 42-months time in grade as a Captain , I started looking for vacant Major slots within our state.

I was just finishing a successful Company Command and had already completed my military education requirements ( Captain’s Career Course ). I found a unit vacancy for a branch immaterial Major position with our state’s Regional Training Institute .

I applied for the job and got selected (I was the only candidate). When I was transferred to my new slot, I still had about six weeks before I met my 48-months time in grade requirements. During this six weeks, I prepared my state promotion packet, updated my DA Photo , updated my personnel records, and waited for the date to arrive.

On the last day of my 48th month I submitted my promotion packet to my Regimental S1. It took about 3-months to go before the state board and filter its way down to the National Guard Bureau Personnel Office.

Within about 90-days after I submitted my packet, I received my FED REC orders. That means I only spent 4 years, 3 months as a Captain. When you compare that to most of my Active Duty and Army Reserve counterparts, you will notice that I got promoted 2-3 years ahead of my fellow peers. That’s the beauty of Vacancy Promotions in the Army National Guard. You can move up through the ranks quickly, especially as a traditional M-Day Officer.

Most officers do not follow this approach. I’m not saying I’m better than anyone. I’m not. I just managed my career better than most people do.

Tips for National Guard Officer Vacancy Promotions 

The truth of the matter is anyone can get promoted quicker via vacancy promotions, if they have a game-plan. Here is what I recommend you do if you want to advance your Army Officer Career following this method.

# 1: Finish your military schools for your next pay-grade ASAP.

Take time and figure out what military schools you must complete for your next promotion. Complete these schools as quickly as possible and do not procrastinate. I’ve watched many officers fail to get promoted simply because they didn’t complete their military education requirements. That’s unacceptable.

# 2: Stay in shape and always pass the APFT and HT/WT.

This should be common sense, but some officers mess this up. Stay in shape. Work out every day, eat right, drink lots of water, and get plenty of sleep . Maintain your physical readiness and do whatever you need to do to stay trim and healthy.

# 3: About six months before you are eligible for promotion, start looking at unit vacancies in your state.

No one is going to tell you about unit vacancies in your state. It’s your job to seek them out. Sit down with your S1, or search the relevant websites in your state to see which positions are currently open. Network with other people in positions you want, and find out when they are expected to move to their next job.

# 4: Update your DA Photo, personnel records, and start working on your promotion packet.

Always keep your “I Love Me” book updated. Get a new DA Photo whenever you get a new award. Make sure your DA Photo is updated within at least 3-months prior to your packet being submitted. Make sure your photo is accurate and looks good. In addition, keep a close eye on your 2-1 and important paperwork.

# 5: About 90 days before you are eligible for promotion, start applying for unit vacancies.

Start applying for open positions. Even if the position isn’t your dream job, seek it out. It’s your job to get promoted. Even if you have to temporarily take a job you will not enjoy, it will still be worth it. Make sure you read the job posting for each position you apply for to make sure you are qualified for it. Have one of your peers, or someone you trust, review your packet and give you feedback prior to submitting it.

# 6: Interview well and get hired.

Prepare for the interview. Learn about the people on the board who will be interviewing you. Research the unit. Make sure your uniform is squared away and you show up on time. In addition, talk with the person currently in the job, or someone who had the job in the past, and learn everything you can about it. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

# 7: If you get the job, finish your promotion packet about 1-2 weeks before you are eligible for promotion.

Once you are selected for the job, coordinate with your S1 for a blank promotion packet. Complete the required information as quickly as possible, and double check everything to ensure it is accurate.

# 8: Submit your packet on your eligibility date.

Once you hit your minimum time in grade , submit your packet through the S1 office.

# 9: Wait 3-12 months for the state board and FED REC process (keep following up and stay persistent).

Although this step is out of your control for the most part, stay proactive and check in with the S1 once a month to get the current status of your promotion. Mine only took a few months to go through, but you will see below with my website visitors, some people waited nearly a year for their packet to go through.

# 10: Get promoted.

Once your day arrives, enjoy your promotion. You’ve worked hard for it and deserve it.

As a bonus tip, teach this process to your subordinate officers as well, so they know what to do. Many officers don’t even know this process exists.

Final Thoughts

In summary, National Guard Officer Vacancy Promotions are a wonderful way to advance your military career quickly.  If you develop a game-plan, identify what you must do, and stay persistent, there’s no reason you can’t get one or two vacancy promotions in your career, especially if you are a M-Day Officer.

Now, I understand this isn’t as easy to do if you are AGR Officer, but it is still possible. I personally know several Army AGR officers who were promoted via vacancy promotions. Getting promoted quicker means a better career, more promotions, more pay, and a larger pension.

On a side note, if you have experience with National Guard Officer Vacancy Promotions, I want to hear from you. Just leave a comment to this post to tell us what you did to get promoted ahead of your peers. If you have any questions about this process, feel free to ask me, and I will do my best to answer it. Thank you.

Suggested Resources:

• Drop the Belly Fat Today! Decrease cravings. Lose weight and feel great. Learn how .
• The # 1 Health Product you need, but haven't heard of before! Get the info .
• My Favorite Cup of Coffee. You've got to try this SMART COFFEE. Learn more .
• The # 1 Home Business for 2024 & Beyond! Daily Pay. Take the free tour .
• Get Paid to Shop Online. It's 100% free forever. Earn $30 per referral. Learn more .

224 thoughts on “National Guard Officer Vacancy Promotions: What You Should Know”

P11-17 covered in mold at 242 days today. Hoping they can scrape some off and finalize orders soon. It’s sitting at DPMS at the moment. These delays are unacceptable.

I was told by my BDE S1 that if ANY packet in the scroll is chewed up, they ALL get kicked down, and the process starts over again. Anyone hear of this happening? I plan on writing someone about the wait; particularly for RC officers. It would seem that the Fed Rec process is cumbersome and unnecessarily extensive. They could certainly do away with some of the procedural aspects that tie up the cycle. One thing that I don’t understand, is why the security screen occurs in addition to everything else. You would think that this could be eliminated since we’re all required to have a security clearance to begin with.

From what I have heard, the security screen now happens at the beginning and the end of the process now, adding to the delays.

P11-17 has been published, approximately 333 days since the scroll entered the mess that is the fedrec process.

Does anyone know how DOR will be calculated? My state orders (1LT->CPT) finally came through back in September (still day 0 on DOD approval cycle), and because of many delays in the state boarding process, my DOR for CPT was backdated to 2015. Does anyone have experience if this date will be recognized, or will my new DOR correspond with the official FedRec date? Thanks for any input.

National Guardsman are being asked to participate in a brief survey regarding the Federal Recognition process (FEDREC) for officer promotions. Take the survey today! surveymonkey.com/r/VH9N78N

I’m filling it out, this process is ridiculous.

Your DOR will correspond with the official FedRec date, sorry to say. That would have been a nice chunk of back pay.

I did everything exactly as you described above. I was moved into a primary 04 slot. I submitted my packet in June, 2017. I received state orders for promotion with effective DOR in Sept. So, on the orders, it clearly states that I won’t get paid for MAJ until I receive Fed Rec. orders. I’m not even on the scroll yet, so it’s just sitting there. My question is: What is the point of state orders, if you are “promoted” by the state but can be pinned or be recognized as a MAJ until Fed Rec? What is the advantage of a UVP, if your packet just languishes along with everyone else’s? One of my peers is in the same boat, except he has been waiting 8 months for Fed Rec since being promoted by the state. This seems just as long and arduous as the DA board.

I’m not sure why your packet is taking so long. My went through quickly.

Well Sir, It’s looking like it’s going to take at least 12 month’s for the Fed rec Process for my promotion to Major. I guess it may have been longer with the DA board. Doesn’t hurt to be ready though- Thank you for the advice

It’s completely unacceptable, I’m writing my Congressman, it’s wrong that you meet all the criteria and there is zero movement even after a couple months of submission. There’s no procedure to contact for a status update. It’s just a wait and see.

Just landed on scroll P01-18: “Scroll ready to begin approval cycle; P01-18; 0 Days in DoD Approval cycle” It is 27OCT … just by looking at everyone’s timelines … I’m guessing nothing earlier than APR of next year. This is crazy … I’m on orders and everyday I don’t get promoted from CPT to MAJ it is money out my pocket.

Sorry to hear about the long delay. I hope things work out smoothly for you.

I am in the exact same situation….on CO-ADOS orders since Oct 2016. Been in an O-4 (and an O-5 slot briefly) since I was eligible in April 2016, but it took my state over a year to even push my packet forward bc someone ‘didn’t believe in vacancy promotions’ even though I was already doing an O-4 job… No self-imposed barriers to promotion for me, just a ridiculously slow process…. which is why I will probably decide to get out after I make MAJ. Don’t think I want to stick around for another 7 years or so to ensure I retire as an LTC at 57. MAJ ain’t that bad with 5000 points:)

Yep- Just got posted to P03-18: “Scroll created with packets and List_ID; P03-18; 0 Days in DoD Approval cycle.” The last officers I know that got promoted took almost a year just in FedRec cycle…..

Looks like D08-17 made some progress. 211 days, Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense approval

We’re on the same scroll, 231 days now…

I’m estimating it should be published around the 250-260 day mark.

Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense approval; D08-17; 252 Days in DoD Approval cycle…

Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense approval; D08-17; 259 Days in DoD Approval cycle……Well I guess I was being optimistic with my prediction. Hopefully we’ll get a Christmas Miracle.

309 days as of today, hasn’t moved since around the 211 day mark. Does anyone know what would cause that to happen? It’s just sitting, awaiting signature, all checks have been completed.

323 Days!!!!! 14 months Submitted! I’m excited to set new records…..jk….is this real life.

Is it just me or is this process taking longer and longer. My scroll is now at “Awaiting Dir Ch of Staff Pers approval; U06-17; 194 Days in DoD Approval cycle”. I received my state orders in Dec 16. Any ideas?

None-Awaiting Off of Judge Advocate General; P11-17; 84 Days in DoD Approval cycle. I received my state orders in Feb. Majors at the BDE all got theirs in about 75 days year before last. I don’t get it

Also waiting on P11-17. There are no checks/balances to ensure the process keeps moving so they sit on someone’s desk for weeks. That’s the new standard since no one has ever taken ownership of the process and put their foot down. It shows you how much Guard officers are thought of on Capitol Hill.

Awaiting Asst Sec Army, Man, Res Affairs appr; U06-17; 201 Days in DoD Approval cycle Number of Days 201 … guess still a long ways to go

That’s incredible, I am on 09-17 on the same step and at 154, talking to everyone else that recently got promoted in my state they had never seed the Asst Sec Army portion so it seems like we got an extra step to take us another 30-40 days. Most in my state have been getting promoted around the 160 mark.

Awaiting Asst Sec Army, Man, Res Affairs appr; D08-17; 179 Days in DoD Approval cycle- wow, it’s moved from DCS since day 147.

HI Brandon, I got my state orders December 14th. Not sure what the issue is sir.

Awaiting Asst Sec Army, Man, Res Affairs appr; U06-17; 225 Days in DoD Approval cycle

Congratulations P09-16. 176 days or there abouts.

Published SO# 262; 2016-12-14

Looks like P9-16 is getting published, 166 days.

Scroll # 12-16 was just published on 5 December

13-16 published on 5 December, as well. (Not sure what the difference was. I was on 12-16 until about a month ago when it switched to 13-16, but published same day…).

How many days did you scroll? I was on 14-16 and it got renamed to 02-17 when we switched FY. My packet was state boarded in June ’16, transferred to NGB July ’16, assigned to scroll 14-16 in September ’16, reassigned to scroll 02-17 in October, start scroll in November ’16. Currently sitting at Dep Chief of Staff office 34 days.

I’m on 02-17 with you. My friend is ahead of me on 13-16/01-17 and is currently at ~67 days. I wouldn’t hold my breath for any of our scrolls to be published before February 2017.

I’m on U02-17 at Dep CoS G1 since 10 Nov, (39 days today) if this goes any where close to my last time on the scrolls I would guess it will be closer to Apr 2017.

Sitting on day 102 @ CoS on scroll #D10-16. In the yellow. Joy…

#D10-16 Changed to Awaiting Dir of Mil Pers Mgmt, 108 Days, today. Still yellow. At least it moved.

Does anyone know when they conduct these background checks that hold this whole process up? I’m curious to know where the bottle neck in this is….. I heard that they do the standard check of CID, IG, SHARP, EO ect…at the beginning of the Scroll process…Anyone have any insight?

D10-16 is growing mold at Awaiting Dir of Mil Pers Mgmt, 140 Days, today. Been in the red for awhile.

I’m with you on D10-16. Good and moldy at 155 days and still no change.

Awaiting selection for publication of order; D10-16. One-step closer.

D10-16 scroll took 172 days for promo orders to be published. Congrats!

I see that the status of P02-17 recently changed from “Awaiting Off Ch of Staff” to “Awaiting Off of Judge Advocate General”. Most people say that after the CoS it moves to “Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense” I haven’t seen anyone mention this JAG step before. Anyone have any info about this?

From what I gather on a similar blog in Rally Point, 01-17 is also at OTJAG. Hopefully it’ll be a quick stop…

Any word on 01-17? Im just trying to get a handle on whether 01-17 completed scrolling so that there could be a glimpse of hope for 02-17 sitting stale at 189 Days in the RED.

Any updates would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

How many days was it before yours published. I am sitting at “Awaiting Dir Ch of Staff Pers approval; U06-17; 197 Days in DoD Approval cycle Number of Days 197 “. Getting a little impatient.

I am in scroll U06-17 and still not close from what I see. Any ideas?

Anyone heard of any updates for U09-16? Still at COS. I see on here that P09-16 is moving… Are they different scrolls?

I believe they are different. P09-16 is for Officers. U09-16 is for Warrant Officers.. I am on U09-16 and no updates still at the same office: Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personel; U09-16; 91 Days in DoD Approval cycle. I was state promoted in March 2016.

Anyone heard anything or seen movement for U09-16? Still at Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personel 119 days in G1 counter still yellow.

It moved this week to Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense approval; U09-16; 127 Days in DoD Approval cycle.

This should be the last step for us.

Thanks Chadd

I’m on 09-16. Number of days reset to 0. It now says “Published. SO#262, 2016-12-14” Does anyone elses say this?

Some good news and a quick update for anyone who is on Scroll #11-16. FedRec Promotion UV to CPT/MAJ/LT

Scroll #11-16 published yesterday, November 30, 2016. 127 days in the DoD approval cycle.

Congratulations to all newly promoted officers!

After all the horror stories, I’m pretty pleased with the speed of this scroll. (If I can be pleased with a 7 month process…but compared to others I guess!)

Check fedrec status every day, scroll P03-17 now on 1 day in the approval cycle. Packet submitted in December ’15, State Promotion in July ’16. Now the waiting game begins… again…

Don’t anticipate anything soon. My Packet was submitted April ’15, State Promotion January ’16, and 163 Days on scroll P09-16. From what it looks like, other scrolls have had A LOT more luck, but not here.

Talked to a CW5 at my state level, and his FEDREC too over 200 days. Worst part is no one (S1, Command, State level G1) can explain to me what the hold up is. I’m going other routes to find out why. We’ll see.

Nick, our timeline is the same and I think we know the same CW5 that took 200 days. I’m reaching out too. Will let you know if I hear anything.

Not setting any records with P9-016! 152 days and still at CoS personnel. My G1OPM said to give it until December and then they would submit an inquiry. I just think we just had bad luck with this scroll.

P11-16 published yesterday at 127 days.

I am a national guard O2 in an O3 slot at brigade. Currently deployed CENTCOM till summer 2017. I hit 24 months time in grade February 2017. The CDR has already told me to put in my packet immediately when eligible. Does anyone know if the process moves faster when you’re deployed?

Unfortunately, it does not move faster if you are deployed.

Anyone know what is going on with Scroll 14-16 (renamed 02-17)?

I’m on that scroll. It got renamed to 02-17 with the fiscal year changing over. As of today my status reads: Awaiting NGB-HRP approval; P02-17; 0 Days in DoD Approval cycle

It got renamed because it hadn’t started the DoD Approval Cycle prior to the start of the new fiscal year. I’m on the scroll before yours and I have 19 days in the cycle but the same thing happened to mine (renamed from 13-16 to 01-17). I would think you would see your cycle counter start within the next month. Our BN S4 is on your scroll as well and is also frustrated with the lack of both movement and transparency on this thing. Hang in there.

I’m was on 14-16 and am now on 2-17…..spoke with my S1 this morning and was told scrolls are created/submitted quarterly. Since 14-16 would cross FYs, they re-numbered. 1-17 is 2LT to 1LT and 2-17 is 1LT-CPT and CPT-MAJ. So now we are at about 8 days….do you have any updates?

What’s the average time a scroll sits at Sec Def Approval before it publishes? 33 days seems long to me.

Idk. Scroll I0-16 124 days in the cycle and been at sec def desk forever it feels like. I have another drill Next weekend. That would have been the 3rd drill its still on that desk -if that’s where it still is then. Even my Joe’s feel sorry for me lol.

My S1 told me his took 56 days in scroll to publish. 90 days was the longest he had seen up until this year. He’s perplexed as anyone. The last CPT I know that promoted was 187 days in scroll…. However I read one of the guys on here 8-16 just got promotion orders cut at 156 days. So it seems to have improved just a hair. which would put us in 10-16 maybe in December ? Maybe lol.

Scroll published today. I was at Sec Def from 92 to127 days. My order was published today with a total of 128 days.

Congrats. Glad to hear it went through fine.

What scroll were you on? This question may crush my motivation.

I was on P10-16.

I see comments that 08-16 is published and now 10-16. I’m 9-16 and still waiting at 132 days. Anyone with an idea how 09-16 was skipped?

I’m on that scroll as well. Someone said if one person on the scroll has an issue (referred OER, GOMOR, etc.) in their restircted file, it will delay the entire scroll from being published. Is your’s color coded red?

Yes, has been for a while now.

145 days today. Any news, gossip?

Nope, nothing

P12-16 now reads P13-16… Anyone have their packets changes scroll numbers?? Any other news?

Yup, same here. Went from P12-16 to P13-16, but finally at Sec Army. 127 days…

09-16: Day 161 (at DCSPER for the 70th day). Is this a new record? I’ve been gut checked before, but this is grueling. Is back-pay to FEDREC publication, scroll creation date, or State promotion (or none)? Cheers to 09-16 comrades!

Backpay is to Fedrec date unless you are O2 or W2 which is backpay to automatic promotion due date. You lose the money AND the time in grade you would have had every day they delay. Broken system.

It must be. I just checked with the BDE 1 shop. Nothing they can do, just be patient they say, yeah,easy for them to say. It is someone reassuring to know I’m not the only one in this predicament.

Called the state OPM. They say 192 days was the last long one they had seen recently. I know of 200+ days. It’s frustrating to say the least. I’m not getting any younger and the time/reward factor for my military service gets smaller and smaller even this close to retirement.

Good news, I hope, my status changed to Awaiting Selection for publication of order P09-16. Wonder how many days this step in the process takes. Number of days 166.

Perhaps someone here can answer this. My packet for promotion from 1LT-CPT went before the DA Board in May 16. Since that time I have transfered into an O3 slot in another unit and my state orders for promotion were published on 15 Sept. I am on the DA promotion list that was released on 29 Sept.

Will I still have to go through the entire fedrec status to be promoted or will I bypass that because I went before the DA board?

If I had to guess, you would be ok and grandfathered in, since your promotion was already submitted earlier. Maybe someone else can chime in here and validate.

I am a 1LT who received a vacancy promotion to CPT. My packet was just submitted last month during IDT. Does anyone know where I can go to check the status as it progresses through the required approvals?

Go to AKO Under “Army Links” bottom right; Click on “ORB: Officer Record Brief” (it links you to the G1 site) Click on My Soldier Data Scroll down to the bottom and click on Fed Rec Status

Be prepared to wait. I’m the exact same, with my state promotion order published in May. Here it is November and I’m at 99 Days in DOD Approval Cycle with a “Not completed” status. Scroll 12-16.

I am also on P12-16; this is the response I received after I sent some emails out to people NGB… “UVP scroll P12-16 is processing normally with HQDA G-1. The issue is with the eTracker system here at NGB…nothing for you to worry about. Program managers for the system are aware of the issue and trying to come up with a fix. UVP scroll P12-16 is with OSD and an approval can come in at any moment. Please keep in mind that there will be a delay in the publishing of orders. FedRec no longer publish orders without having the approved signed SecDef scroll. The signed scrolled is normally received within 2 to 3 weeks of approval. “

So if P12-16 is with OSD and an approval can come in at any moment, do they have any idea about the others? I’m on P09-16 (140 days) and I have seen no movement for my promotion. Also my State promotion was 15JAN 2016, I talked with someone at NGB and they said after the FedRec:

“Your next step is to have your S1 submit an Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) appeal to challenge the status of your promotion. The POC I spoke with up here at Guard Bureau was very specific that any further action has to be initiated by your state. Once that happens, the ARNG G1 Appeals Board will be able to action it.”

I’ve been told there’s light at the end of the tunnel, but I feel like that light is the size of a pin hole right now.

Probably a good idea since your state promotion date doesn’t matter as far as your DOR. Other than O2/W2, your date of rank will be the fed rec publish date. So if you are sitting at 11 months since state, it got stuck somewhere, and I believe the state can appeal what your DOR should be based on a normal process time.

Excuse my lack of knowledge. Are you all counting the days from your State promotion order to the days at FedRec? or are you counting the number of days when it turned fom 0 days to _days on the counter at FedRec? I’m trying to figure the approximate time I should be promoted depending on the correct days awaiting for FedRec orders.

I think most people on here are counting their days on the ticker. Currently my days on the ticker states 91, but in reality it has been 213 days since my packet started the fedrec process and 269 days since my packet was submitted to my state for my promotion. I would say overall, I’m looking at about a 10 month wait total…. yeah…

Just curious who you emailed about this, as I’d like to find out the status of my packet as well!

Just an FYI for everybody on the site, I was on scroll 08-16 as an O2 –> O3 and my scroll says it published yesterday after 156 days in the scroll cycle and State Orders that were published in November 2015. My scroll cycle looked a little different than what I have seen on this forum. My scroll cycle went like this:

1) Awaiting to be assigned to Scroll (Jan 16) 2) Assigned Scroll number 08-16 (Feb 16) 3) Awaiting DMPM (started around 60-70 days on the counter) 4) Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personnel (around 130 days) 5) Awaiting Publication of Orders (Day 154) 6) Orders Published (Day 156)

Not sure if my scroll was an anomaly or the process has been changed, but hopefully the they are trying to make the promotion process more efficient by reducing the number of stops the scrolls have to go through. Good luck to all who are currently scrolling!

Chuck, thank you for putting together this awesome resource! It has been most helpful in providing insight about the entire FEDREC process.

Does anyone know what the color coding represents? Mine went from “Days in DOD approval cycle: 61” (box was green) to 62 (yellow box)… Any ideas?

*Scroll 12-16

It’s just another status indicator. Mine went red @120 if I remember. Probably indicating that it had exceeded their target completion time. Unfortunately turning amber didn’t seem to speed things up.

I am assuming this is the last step before orders publish?

Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense approval; P10-16; 96 Days in DoD Approval cycle

I’m 9-16 at 97 days still at CoS personnel!

Now at 115 days Awaiting Sec of Defense Approval. Almost a month at this step now.

10-16 Same – Same It’s been there a while.

10-16 as well only mine says 118 days. 27 days at Sec Def.

Once the order publish on the scroll how long are people waiting to get the fed rec orders sent to them?

Are you on U09-16 or P09-16? I am on U09-16 and waiting to here of progress form someone on this site.

Thanks, Chadd

I’m on P09-16. I have been trouble getting to the self service site to check on progress. Sent a couple emails about it. They say they fixed it. Even Gov’t computer and server has issues. I got my State orders in February.. I guess it will happen one day.

Is anyone else on scroll U09-16? I am curious to see what your tracker reads and how many days in progress you are.

I am on scroll P09-16. Still awaiting Off Dep Ch of staff Personel. 131 days in the approval cycle. The color code is now red. Is yours? Just checking to see if everyone’s went from green to yellow around 100 days and yellow to red around 130 days.

I am a unit vacancy promotion from O3 to O4.

Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personel; U09-16; 50 Days in DoD Approval cycle

What is the difference between “U” and “P”? I have seen it listed both ways here.

I received my state Promotion Order in May but only recently popped up on the RED REC Tracker.

I am on the same list U09-16. I am at 51 Days and the description is Awaiting OFF DEP Ch of Staff Personnel. I am not sure the difference between U and P. I think U maybe Warrants and P maybe Officers.

I received my state Promotion Order in May but only recently popped up on the FED REC Tracker.

I am on U09-16 and sitting at 51 days Awaiting Off Dep Chief of Staff Personnel. Color coded green.

I am on U09-16 as a Warrant. 83 days today. Yellow.

How did 10-16 publish. I submitted my packet in Sep15, and sitting on 09-16, any year now would be amazing.

I called my S1 after everyone was posting P10-16 had published promotion orders. He told me 10-16 was still sitting at sec def.

I don’t see how 10-16 would publish before 9-16. So if something published it would likely be 9-16.

That being said it seems like all these scrolls are picking up some steam and although they’ve been sitting forever, they’re finally getting finished up. End of the year, someone probably looked at how many promotions were hanging out and got on to the right people about it. I only saw my states promotions, but there were a ton just sitting there.

So I think 9-16 and 10-16 if they haven’t published will soon. Hopefully like this week. I have drill this coming weekend, be nice to get my promotion before Christmas haha If I hear anybting I’ll update. I’ll check up on it on Tuesday

P10-16 definitely published. Apparently, if one packets gets held up at an office the whole scroll gets held up.

10-16 definitely published as mentioned before. It didn’t show up in our computer on Thursday or Friday like it did for some of the guys here. My RNCO checked it today while in the office and emailed me that the order had been published. So for the 09-16 guys I’m certain it has published. Unless they can jump around. I would call your S1 or RNCO to check it if you’re unable.

The last office I saw on my scroll was DMPM for about two months. And around 132 it published without showing the intermediate offices. Unless something is horrifically wrong on your scroll, 130s seems to be average lately. And my packet had a send back for state correction.

I’m on 9-16 and it says today: Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personel; P09-16; 132 Days in DoD Approval cycle. Did 9-16 get skipped?

145 days as of today on the tracker at CH PER. Anyone know anything about P09-16?

I’m on P11-16, and it is at Sec Army at 112 days.

Rolled published today and yesterday was 132 days on the counter and 6 months past due date. One of our W2 to 3 guys rolled a couple days ago at 180ish.

For the warrants on the forum –

Latest update from NGB CCWO….

Fed Rec – We are making progress and have cut the number of packets waiting to be accepted down by half. Ms. ***** (protecting names on open web) has really taken on a lot of review work which is allowing the processors to focus on getting the packets completed and to the review process. If you note on the attachment there are 66 Packets at the states awaiting action, they are compiling a list for me which I will send to you for your SA.

Warrant Officer Promotion Scrolls

WO1 to CW2 – (Number of Personnel) – Approved D01-16 – (60) – 2 March 2016 D07-16 – (121) – OSD D10-16 (86) FEDREC being scrubbed Pending packets: 28 WO1 awaiting initial packet review

CW3 to CW5 Number of Personnel Approved U02-16 (67) 22 March 2016 U03-16 (65) 27 April 2016 U04-16 (81) 18 July 2016 U05-16 (78) 17 Aug 2016 (pending SECDEF signed scroll) U06-16 (65) 17 Aug 2016 (pending SECDEF signed scroll) U08-16 (78) OTJAG & Awaiting Screening U09-16 (98) pending signature (FEDREC) U11-19 (139) FEDREC being scrubbed Pending packets: 42 packets awaiting corrections by the state 28 packets awaiting scrolling 25 awaiting packet acceptance 3 MOS changes awaiting packet acceptance 10 Trans from USAR awaiting packet acceptance 23 Awaiting Initial packet review Initial Appointment Packets T07-16 17 T08-16 07 T09-16 126 Pending packets: 25 WO1 initial appointment packets awaiting acceptance 21 WO1 initial appointment packets awaiting corrections by the state 03 WO1 initial appointment packets needing documents uploaded 147 WO1 initial appointment packets awaiting scrolling 01 Awaiting approval by accessions

Thanks for the update. Good deal!

What is P06-16 in reference of? I am on the 1LT-CPT scroll for 127 days and it has been at the DMPM for a month.

P06-16 would refer to the scroll number he is on. Once you are placed on a Fed Rec scroll, the number will show up in your packet status on the Guard G1 self service site. Basically everyone on the scroll has to make it through each station before the scroll gets pushed up from my understanding. DMPM is the long stop, supposedly lasting from somewhere inside days 30-120 on the counter. I’m at 124 and still at DMPM as well. 120-150 is supposedly the timeline for SecDef which is where everyone below COL stops. Don’t expect to get done in that time with current times.

I’m on Scroll 14-16… as of late last week. Any ideas when that will become recognized? Also, is my DOR when the scroll is signed-off or when my state promoted me?

I’m also on 14-16, have you heard anything? I’m worried because one of my buddies has been waiting over 8 months for his rec to go through…

Sorry, I haven’t heard anything

Here is my description:

Scroll created with packets and List_ID; P14-16; 0 Days in DoD Approval cycle

My status is the same as you guys’.

Scroll created with packets and List_ID; P14-16; 0 Days in DoD Approval cycle.

Does anyone know when we should expect the FedRec order to publish?

Hopefully, someone else can chime in here and give you an update.

I’m a warrant, so it might be different, but mine published at 132 on the counter.

I have the exact same status as you. I am a 1LT taking a vacancy promotion to CPT. P14-16; 0 days in the DOD cycle and the number of days is 0 with an orange box. It has been that way since about 9/9/2016. I feel more comfortable knowing a couple of you are in the same boat. Not a very streamline process that is for sure. Just keep waiting it out.

Does anyone know when the clock actually starts? Is that the next stage that some are calling the DMPM stage?

I am also on promotion scroll 14-16 and have been checking on updates to the status of ‘assigned to scroll/0 days’. If anyone here receives any updates and could share, that would be greatly appreciated.

I was on 13-16 for 1LT to CPT and, as of last week, they changed the scroll name to indicate the new FY. 13-16 became 01-17. The S4 from my BN was on your scroll, 14-16. As of this morning, that scroll name was changed to 02-17. Check yours, that’s what it should show.

Until this point, I hadn’t even been in the DoD Cycle. I’m now on day 1 and the description says “Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personnel; P01-17; 1 Days in DoD Approval Cycle”. Never even saw DMPM on there so maybe there isn’t a specific order of desks the scrolls pass over but, rather, a round robin

Interesting; I’m on 12-16 and still just says “not completed; p12-16; 77 days in DOD approval cycle”… I give up! Lol

I’m in 10-16 for CPT and it’s been sitting on the same desk for a month or two. Say cycle 110’ish I remember when I got “promoted” by the state in March “absolute worst case you’ll be pinned by October”

Well, heading to the range tonight and guess what ? No orders. So like you, I give up. Dismal.

Thanks for the update. I was able to get in this morning and review the status, here’s where I stand: Scroll ready to begin approval cycle; P02-17; 0 Days in DoD Approval cycle As stated, I was on 14-16 and now realigned to 02-17. Hopefully they will get back on track soon…but with all the comments showing the frustration, it’s not looking too promising.

From what I understand it depends on rank. W2 and O2 are the only ranks backdated to actual eligible date with back pay. Otherwise your promotion is effective on the order publish date after fed rec without back pay. So in other words, you lose all the time and grade and pay you would have had being promoted on time without fed rec process. For example my training officer’s W4 fed rec took 9 months….and that’s when his effective date was….no back date and no back pay.

Kyle, I believe you’re right. I’m on P11-16 scroll, (which is yellow) at DCSP, and I’ve been told my DOR will be the day the orders publish.

W1 in Fed Rec since MAR16 and currently at DMPM…

Our state CCWO forwarded us an email today (16Aug16) from CW5 Peter Panos, CCWO ARNG. Figured I’d share since not all states share info well.

“All I meet with COL Strong (CofS, ARNG), COL Vancort (G-1, ARNG) and reps from Fed Rec. We again discussed Warrant Officer concerns regarding the Fed Rec process and the unacceptable time it is taking to accept a packet and to then properly process it to be placed on a scroll. COL Strong was in agreement with our concerns and required the G-1 to establish a get well plan. The G-1 acknowledged the process times and multiple returns of packets were unacceptable. They have transferred 3 additional people into the Fed Rec section and stated they will have the back log of packets (over 30 days at AHS) cleared by November a be able to maintain the goal of approx. 30 day goal of getting packets on scrolls. I will be given a weekly update of scrolls and packets beginning this Friday and will push this information out to you. I will also monitor with the CofS the back log progress. New guidance was released in the last few days from the Sec Army regarding Officer promotions, G-1 is reviewing and will send me any topics that will affect Warrant Officers. Last the discussion is again starting of shifting our promotion process to match that of our O-Grade counter parts. I will research this to determine what impact it could have both positive or negative and share my thoughts with all of you.”

Thank you very much for sharing this with all who read this blog. We appreciate it.

Thanks for the update. This process seems to take awhile. I am currently going through this process as well and this is current time frames for the scroll I am listed on (P10-16): State promotion orders published mid-April. Scroll created end of April. Sat at zero (0) days pending until June 22. Current status is “Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personel” pending 68 days. I went through the same UV promotion process in 2011 but it started in April with Fed Rec in end of June. Process has definitely slowed.

I had state orders published May 19th. I’m on 12-16, 34 days pending with status of “Not completed.” Wondering if it’ll get done this year…

I highly doubt it, but I hope so for your sake.

Does anyone know what “not completed” means? Thanks

Just so I’m clear; I am asking if “not completed” means it has not started through the signing process yet? Thanks

Yes, I believe that is correct.

I’m also on P10-16. Same office- it hasn’t moved yet, but we’re at 79 days now. Not sure what the hold up is, but hoping it moves to the next office soon.

I’m in P10-16 According to below 12-14 step process Inthink that’s #9 if I’m not mistaken which seems like it’s moving along. That being said – I’m with everyone else here, I truly don’t understand why it takes so long. And or with 50 states, you have to think there are a lot of people in the same boat and probably pretty unhappy. Hopefully some brass are putting boot to a**

Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personnel

Was the last I saw. Not sure if that’s good or bad

We have moved! 91 days in the DoD process, and we are waiting on Secretary of Defense. This is MUCH sooner than others on this thread, so I’m wondering if you’re right, and its getting closer to the standard time frames.

newest update moved from my previous to status on scroll P10-16 from Awaiting Off Dep Ch of Staff Personnel__ to Awaiting Off of Sec of Defense approval; P10-16; 91 Days in DoD Approval cycle as ofo 21SEP2016

Yeah same. We just got our first set of fed rec orders cut in our squadron in almost a year. Orders published in 191 days after his scroll started. His packet was sent to NGB a year ago….

Same here. My state date was 3/23/16 Picked up by Fed Rec board the same time obviously, and it hasn’t moved in a few weeks. I wonder what step in the 12 step process that is ? Anyone know ?

I’ve been in command for 16 months so far, as a 1LT. All the stress and nonsense without the pay. As a single parent with full time sole custody – every penny helps. Our active duty counterparts don’t have to deal with this nonsense. They’re astonished when I explain this process. But as I’ve learned, admin types in the Guard don’t care about taking care of Soldiers typically – let alone Officers. Put a man on the moon – telling me it takes half a year to a year to process a promotion packet ? My S1 who’s a solid guy, squared away said he’s never seen it so bad. Took 51 days to have orders published when he promoted. Said on average it took about 2 to 3 months worst case – historically speaking for Captain. One of my LT’s is sixty days in and it’s on the 2nd desk. His packet was submitted forever ago. Like I told him – at least he’ll get back pay and his promotion date will be back dated to the state date. My 1LT packet took 3 months from state to my late wife pinning me. Big change. Not sure what the issue is, but it’s not real encouraging.

Like I get told “It is what it is”

Well, just read below “waiting for Sec Def” is the final step. So maybe our promotion orders will get cut soon after all. From what I read it seems to have rapidly skipped a few steps haha. Idk. I give up trying to understand it. I’m combat arms, 11 years in line units so comprehending admin related stuff is my biggest flaw. Maybe light at the end of the tunnel after all.

I’m on 10-16 as well. I was shocked when I saw the status change to SEC DEF level. Maybe we’ll luck out and get the FED REC soon.

Yeah. I’ll take it. Seems to be picking up a little. I bet with the FY17 approaching someone important wanted some packets cleared. I don’t have access right now. And my S1 is on leave. I’ll bug him next week. Haha. Ready to see orders processed. We don’t even need a formation. Just hand me a piece of paper and, make sure it’s showing 03E in the system, give me the green light and I’ll start wearing my “pause button” and get on with life.

Looks like the order was just published for 10-16

Congratulations. Here’s to your future success.

what happened to 09-16 :|

An update to this article… our G1 has suggested that DA Board might be a faster way to be promoted now because FEDREC is taking so long on vacancy promotions. How long you ask?

As of 2/25/16: 217 days in DoD Approval Cycle 270 days since State Promotion Orders

…and from the G1, these numbers are getting worse – not better. Focus on your job, and doing your best work. No sense in stressing this issue because there just isn’t much you can do.

Thanks for sharing that Luke. I have always believed that focusing on our jobs and doing the best work is the key to promotion.

Do you have any idea who to talk to in DoD about this? I agree with the group that rank should have no bearing on job performance but come on! 270+ days in some desk jockey’s junk pile?! It is embarrassing. Mine is 150 days old now and it has been in the same spot the whole time, OTJAG. If the promotion of one of my enlisted members was being held up for ANY reason I would be raising hell about it. I understand that officers have to look after themselves, but this is ridiculous. I guess I’m just venting, but you would think they’d LEAN their processes a bit huh? Guess not

Tim, You and I are on the same batch. It’s supposed to be 155 days today but it has not changed from 154 days yet (stuck at OTJAG). Hoping that it does not take a year or so. Some people that I know say that they have waited over 300 something days. That is insane!!! I am wondering if some people are going to contact their congressman/woman about that…

I am also in the same boat as you and Joe. My packet is at 156 days, not including the sixty days it sat there until picked up. It just cleared the OTJAG, and is now waiting on SecDef approval.

I was told that part of the extended process is due to the investigation they conduct on the individuals at the JAG level. Supposedly, if someone has derogatory issues that come up, they will be pulled from that scroll so it doesn’t hold up the process and added to another scroll. Even so, it seems to be bogging down the promotion process significantly.

I am wondering how many more offices it has to go through before publishing the orders, do you know? Seems like it stuck at the SecDef approval for a few days.

To advise everyone on the current backlog for unit vacancy promotions… my T10 AGR promotion to O4 was put into the FEDREC process 1 June 2015. It sat for 55 days before even starting to count, and now I’m at day 188 with a status of “Awaiting Asst Sec Army, Man, Res Affairs appr.” Nobody at NGB knows anything on the process except for what they are told by DoD, and that information is non-existent. Still waiting 243 days later on a promotion that should, by all accounts, have happened over 18 months ago is very frustrating to say the least.

This kind of thing can be very frustrating I am sure. Hang in there and hopefully it will come through quickly.

I was eligible for O3 Dec 2014, followed the same vacancy fill process and thought I was ahead of the curve. I am currently sitting at day 194 in the Fed Rec process. I check in the G1 portal regularly and watch as my packet slowly creeps from one backlogged desk to another. That said, I try not to focus too much on the rank on my chest but the job I am doing.

Frustrating is a great word to use.

Tim, I predict good things will come your way. Yes, waiting for backlog can be frustrating, but your wisdom lies in one sentence you said: “That said, I try not to focus too much on the rank on my chest but the job I am doing.” I believe you will be a great leader. Hang tuff my friend.

Quick question Chuck,

My promotion packet has been up at NGB DOD promotion cycle since 14May2015. As of Wednesday, my status was awaiting Dir Pers Mang. Do you know the stages of approval for promotion packets?

I don’t know the current stages. Mine took two to three months for everything. Maybe someone else can chime in here.

Thank you, Sir. Hopefully someone can give more insight on my imposed question. I was slightly confused since I received my state promotion orders on May 8, but FedRec DOD approval cycle didnt start counting until 55 Days from today. It seems like my packet was held somewhere for May and part of June.

I’m in a similar situation, I got promoted by my state on 5 June and as of today my packet is been sitting with Per MGMT for the past 57 days with 71 days and counting in the que. I do know other whom received their FEDREC in 100-120 days.

Hello Jimmy and Jazzy,

Has any of your packet status moved from Awaiting Dir of Mil Pers Mgmt to the next stop? If so how many days did you have to wait for?

Mine went from there to “Awaiting Asst Sec Army, Man, Res Affairs appr” at about day 120. I’m now at day 188. This is absurd.

An OCS classmate of mine just got his FedRec on Friday. 230 days in the queue. Today is 157 for me, so I’ve still got a couple of months, it seems.

Patience is a virtue. Good luck Kyle.

I gave up checking the tracker, I’m sure I’ll get something in my email when it publishes.

Checked in ORB today and it finally moved up to Sec of Defense Approval – total 180 days in the DoD Approval Cycle. I was told this is the last stop before Fed Rec is processed. Hope this will help others who are in the same boat.

Thanks for sharing.

Fed Rec is processed – total 182 days in DoD Cycle + ~45 days waiting to get picked up by a scroll. This is actually better than what I had anticipated.

Yeah, I was pretty excited when I saw “Published” on the tracker the other day.

Mine took about the same, maybe a bit less, to get put on a scroll after the state orders were published.

Considering a buddy had his DoD Approval take 230 days, I’ll take 182.

Mikey, My packet is at the SecDef approval (per DPRO), what scroll list were you on? Mine is 01-16… curious if I am anywhere close to completion yet.

You should get it very soon if it’s sitting at SEC DEF Approval.

Where is the tracker on the G1 Portal?

My State promotion went through last summer after having submitted my packet 3 months before my eligibility date, went into the FEDREC process in August and I am still waiting. I have been harassing people at NGB for weeks trying to get an update on where my scroll is and I am finally getting some feedback. Although I must say I was stuck at the DMPM for two months it has now moved onto the VCS (Vice Chief of staff) and I was told that I should be promoted by the end of the month. I do not understand why this takes so long. I have received a PowerPoint on how the scrolls roll through the process but just don’t get the delays. Here is the order for those who would like it: 1. State 2. ARNG-HRP-R 3. Liaison, DMPM 4. OTJAG 5. DMPM ORB 6. DCS G1 7. ASA M&RA 8. OGC 9. DMPM 10. VCS 11. CoS 12. Sec ARMY 13. White House 14. SEC DEF – 1LT – LTC stops here 15. Senate – For COL Scrolls

I was delayed 8 months on my last promotion because of this horrible process and it looks like another 8 can be tacked onto this one. If anyone can explain why it takes so long to get through these departments I would LOVE to hear it!

Thanks for sharing that, and I do hope someone can chime in and give an answer, because I know I can’t give an answer to this major issue.

Not sure why this process takes so long. Government bureaucracy at its finest.

Just an FYI, my promotion finally came 22MAR, exactly 10 months after I entered my packet to the state

Glad to hear it finally came through for you.

Excellent resource website. Verify your PQR and ORB data is correct. Sit down with a senior officer to go over this. Make sure your security clearance is up to date.

All good points, Roger.

My situation is some what similar to Eds. I am currently a 1LT and I have been eligible for O-3 for a year this month but I was serving in a XO position and by the time the change of command happened the guard was over strength in logistics officers. So I just transferred into an immaterial slot which is an O-3 slot, will I have to wait until I am DA Selected to promote or can I submit my packet and promote into this slot? I am not aware if I have been DA Selected already. I guess my question is if you are DA Selected before you find a O-3 Slot is it too late to promote into the slot, do you have to wait on the board's decision to determine your fate.

If you haven’t received a notification letter that your packet is going before a DA Board yet, all I believe you need to do is submit your promotion packet through your state for a vacancy promotion. Check with your S1. If you have already received a letter that your packet will go before the next upcoming DA Board, you will have to wait for the board results to be published. That was my experience. Check with your S1.

6 months before I met my 2 year mark as 1LT, I obtained an O-3 staff position. Once I hit my mark, I obtained a letter of recommendation from the BC and satisfied all the requirements for a UVP promotion. However, I was subsequently denied by state due to “inconsistent OERs” as I didn’t have really good SR marks. My last two OERs have been SR. center of mass. I Am now a 1LT about to hit my 3 year mark in a few months with no idea how to approach the promotion.

Any thoughts? Thanks

Submit your packet again. If you are in an O-3 billet, it shouldn’t be an issue. All Captains and below get center of mass. Above center of mass is reserved for Majors and above.

“Above center of mass is reserved for Majors and above.”

Not entirely accurate (at least not in my state). I received ACOMs on my last two OERs as a CPT when I was a company commander. It’s what helped me get to that UVP and beat out my peers. If you’re not getting ACOMs in command positions, it will hold you back, especially if the size of the Guard in your state is small like mine. The competition is fierce these days.

We never even hand the option during my time in. It was masked and it wasn’t filled out for any officer below the rank of Major.

This might seem like an odd question, Chuck.

Say you are a 1LT, holding an O-3 slot, and the “DA Select” process has already been engaged (the board met, and the results are just pending being released).

(I know alot of RC/ARNG 1LTs are in this position, awaiting results of the December board to come out in March 2015)

What if you are “passed over” for promotion to CPT?

Does being considered for a DA select board essentially commit you to having to have a 2nd look, a year later?

I mean, after the board results are posted and you were “passed over”, can your packet still be pushed forward for a vacancy promotion, before having to be boarded for a 2nd look?

(I know, logically, it would stand to reason that the state wouldn’t want to give you a vacancy promotion if you were non-select by a promotion board, however, even with stellar OERs, there still could be a ton of nuances behind whether a candidate wasn’t selected–a material error beyond what could have been reasonably caught when reviewing My Board File, or, some fluke administrative error.)

If you are passed over, but already in a slot above your grade, and you are in the ARNG, I don’t know why you couldn’t just submit a promotion packet through your state. I know several officers who were passed over by a DA Board, but they found a vacancy in their state, resubmitted the packet through their state and got promoted that way. So that might be an option.

Maybe someone else can chime in here and share their thoughts?

The unit vacancy process to go from 1LT to CPT did not work out for me so I just went through the DA Board. I am currently deployed with an active duty unit but back in my home unit I occupy an O-3 slot. Assuming I am selected for promotion through the DA Board, will my promotion essentially become automatic since I am in an O-3 slot in my home unit? Or will it still be pending some action/verification by my home unit?

Also once my promotion orders come through, will it automatically update in AKO, my rank in the Outlook Global, etc? I know of course I will need to get an updated CAC card. Thanks.

From what I understand, you can’t get promoted on the forward books. You have to be occupying a slow on the actual MTOE…which it sounds like you do, so you should be good to go there. As long as they haven’t shuffled you around, you should be fine. This is something I am currently having to work with for myself.

I think vacancy promotions are a good idea, but I also think it’s important not to forget about people who have already been selected by a DA Board, but are having difficulty finding a position.

If someone has the initiative and guts to go for positions for a vacancy promotion, but the DA board select isn’t, who would you rather have at that rank? I just think there’s a lot to be said for that. Why is this person having so much difficulty, when others are going for the same slots they are looking for?

Vacancy promotions are a lot like getting promoted below the zone on Active Duty. For most officers, this will never happen. But for a select few, getting promoted below the zone/vacancy promotions can really excel your career.

Very true, Alex.

What percentage of officers get picked up for vacancy promotions in the National Guard, Chuck? Is it 20% or more?

I would guess that less than 10% get picked up for promotion via vacancy promotions. Most officers don’t know much about it or don’t pursue it too hard.

Vacancy promotions are definitely the way to go. You can save 2-3 years by getting a vacancy promotion compared to waiting around for your DA Board.

Good point, Joe.

Joe, you hit the nail on the head. Why anybody would want to ‘wait’ for a DA board is beyond me. There are a lot of people who do that, though. I understand the ones who truly don’t care about advancing as far as possible before retirement (I know some peers who want to stay operational and have no urge to make a certain rank). Otherwise…why wait around?

Do ARNG officers earn promotions and retirement at the same calender time (Rate) frame as Active Duty Officers.

Meaning if a person serves from Jan. 1 2013 to Dec. 31st 2013 in the ARNG that person actually only worked for 12 weekends plus 2 weeks. Is that the same as someone serving Active duty for the entire 365 days in 2013.

I guess one would also want to know what is retirement based on. ARNG yearly compensation is 12 weekends plus 2 weeks. That accounts for 1/12th of a year. So would the retirement benefit after 20 years of service come to 1 month of benefits per year after age 65?

Active Duty retirement is much different than the USAR and ARNG retirement. As a part-time Soldier you get 15 membership points each year. For a typical drill weekend you get 4 points, plus one point for each day of annual training. Most Soldiers get between 50 and 75 points per year in the ARNG and USAR. For it to be a good year toward retirement, you must do MINIMUM 50 points.

For the average Soldier, you would get 4 points per drill weekend x 12, which is 48 points. Plus you get your 15 membership points, plus another 14 points for your two week annual training. That would be 77 points.

An Active Duty Soldier gets 1 point per day and must have 365 points in the year for it to be a good year toward retirement.

Active Duty gets their retirement check starting the month after they retire. The Guard and Reserve Soldiers get it when they are 60.

I hope that answers your questions, Dan.

Mr. Holmes, thank you for your guidance on this and future topics. According to the retirement point systems as you explained it, part time soldiers (enlisted, officers) get between 50-77 points; in contrast with AD (365 points). So my question resides in the possibility of acquiring 300+ points per year (hypothetical scenario), would i be able to obtain my retirement similar to my AD counterparts, if i work yearly to gain those points until my retirement?

The two retirement systems are completely different.

If you were to do a full year in the ARNG or USAR as AGOR or ADOS, you would get 365 retirement points. If you did 20 years of doing that, you would have an Active Duty retirement.

However, as a TPU or M-Day Soldier, getting 300+ points per year, ever year, is next to impossible. Shooting for 100+ is a good and realistic goal.

Even if you averaged 300 points for 20 years, you would still not get your pension until 60. However, the amount you got would be very similar to what an Active Duty person gets.

I hope that helps.

I am commissioning in May and my LOA for the ARNG has me filling an O-3 slot as a 0-1. Will filling a 0-3 position as an 0-1 help me make CPT faster? If it matters I’m branching MI and will be the BN’s only MI officer and filling the role of BN S-2

Promotions to CPT are pretty much automatic, based upon time in grade. I don’t think the experience will help you get promoted to Captain faster, but it will give you some valuable experience. Good luck! And thanks for your service.

Actively managing one’s career and thinking ahead to the next step is critical in all careers, but particularly the military. Your advice of staying up to date with military education and physical fitness is critical. Even if you have everything lined up politically, you don’t want to miss advancement on some technicality.

I see so many officers fail to do this. It’s as if they expect everyone else to get them promoted or manage their career for them. Being proactive with your career means staying on top of the details, keeping your records current, completing the schools you need, and making sure you’ve done everything in your ability to position yourself for success.

Just my two cents. Chuck

I’ve been selected for CPT via the even more tedious process of a Special Selection Board (SSB) due to a material error found to be no fault of my own. All in all, thus far the entire process has been going for over 21 months and I have yet to have been promoted (waiting on Army G1).

I’ve been Co Cdr for the past 6 months and it looks like my company will be deploying in the next 6 months. I was surprised to hear today that I am being requested to put in for a vacancy promotion to ensure I have my bars for the deployment. I was misinformed that I was ineligible once part of DA selection process.

From what I was told, once G1 gets the paperwork back to HRC, my DOR will be adjusted without holding up my promotion further.

Thanks for sharing your story with our readers. I’ve never dealt with the Special Selection Board Process, so I’m not sure what it entails. Hopefully, you will get your Captain’s bars before you get deployed with your company.

I was a little confused where you said “I was misinformed that I was ineligible once part of DA selection process.”

Are you saying that “Officers can get a vacancy promotion, even when their packet is part of the DA Selection Process?” Let me know because I would like to elaborate on that for my other readers. I was always told that once your packet is before a DA Board, you are NOT eligible for any vacancy promotion.

Thanks for your service and good luck. Chuck

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Overview

• Subscribe Now (Opens in new window)
• Air Force Times (Opens in new window)
• Marine Corps Times (Opens in new window)
• Navy Times (Opens in new window)
• Pentagon & Congress
• Defense News (Opens in new window)
• Flashpoints
• Benefits Guide (Opens in new window)
• Military Pay Center
• Military Retirement
• Military Benefits
• Discount Depot
• Gear Scout (Opens in new window)
• Military Culture
• Military Fitness
• Military Movies & Video Games
• Military Sports
• Transition Guide (Opens in new window)
• Pay It Forward (Opens in new window)
• Black Military History (Opens in new window)
• Congressional Veterans Caucus (Opens in new window)
• Military Appreciation Month (Opens in new window)
• Military History
• Vietnam Vets & Rolling Thunder (Opens in new window)
• Honor the Fallen (Opens in new window)
• Hall of Valor (Opens in new window)
• Service Members of the Year (Opens in new window)
• Create an Obituary (Opens in new window)
• Medals & Misfires
• Installation Guide (Opens in new window)
• Task Force Violent
• Battle Bracket
• CFC Givers Guide
• Photo Galleries
• Early Bird Brief
• Newsletters (Opens in new window)
• Long-Term Care Partners
• Navy Federal
• Digital Edition (Opens in new window)

New law to reform Guard officer promotion process, federal recognition

The defense policy bill signed into law by President Joe Biden Dec. 23 will make a small but significant change to how the National Guard processes officer promotions, and it also directs the Defense Department to study how bureaucratic requirements affect timely promotions in the Guard .

National Guard officers simultaneously hold two distinct entities: a state-level one in their state’s Guard , and one in the reserves of their respective federal military branches. When it’s promotion time, they must be promoted in both organizations.

After being promoted in their states, officers must also have their promotions processed through the Pentagon and Congress, via a process called “federal recognition.”

‘Easy Button’ era: Have federal dollars unlocked a new age of domestic Guard operations?

Some senior national guard leaders are worried about becoming america’s “easy button.”.

In some cases, federal recognition is instantaneous, such as for automatic promotions or when an officer was chosen for promotion by a service-wide promotion board before being promoted in their state. But when officers receive so-called “vacancy promotions” when a state initiates the promotion of an eligible officer to a job authorized for the next higher rank, the federal recognition process can stretch for months or even years.

Such delays leave officers working in new jobs of greater responsibility while wearing their old rank — and they don’t receive retroactive pay or seniority once the promotion later goes through.

The fiscal 2023 defense policy bill targets federal recognition delays in two ways:

• Beginning in January 2024, officers whose federal recognition takes more than 100 days will have their promotion’s effective date (which determines seniority and backpay) retroactively dated to when the state first submitted their federal recognition package to the National Guard Bureau (or the day the officer moved into a higher-ranking billet. The secretaries of the Army and Air Force “may” do the same for officers promoted in 2023.
• The law also requires the Pentagon to launch a private contractor-led study “on the National Guard commissioned officer and warrant officer promotion system.” The report will focus on the federal recognition process and how it can be improved, including the feasibility of introducing a dedicated information technology system for transmitting promotion packets.

The moves couldn’t have come any sooner, argued a spokesperson for the National Guard Association of the U.S., John Goheen.

“We hear about this all the time from our members,” explained Goheen in a telephone interview. “There are people doing jobs without the appropriate rank...how do you command respect when you’re doing the job of a particular rank — when people expect a particular rank — and you’re wearing a rank below that?”

The federal recognition process was originally established to ensure that states weren’t trying to promote or appoint unqualified officers in their respective National Guards, he said.

But the rising use of the National Guard in recent decades has created a force that’s largely in step with its federal requirements, leading some to feel federal recognition is “redundant.”

“These are [separate] state and federal commissions, [so] I doubt we’re going to get to a point where the services are going to say [they] don’t need to check on this,” Goheen said. “[But] how much time do they really need to make sure the state’s done their job?”

The author of this article, Davis Winkie, is a member of the National Guard Association of the United States.

Davis Winkie covers the Army for Military Times. He studied history at Vanderbilt and UNC-Chapel Hill, and served five years in the Army Guard. His investigations earned the Society of Professional Journalists' 2023 Sunshine Award and consecutive Military Reporters and Editors honors, among others. Davis was also a 2022 Livingston Awards finalist.

In Other News

Hip replacements, other orthopedic devices not properly tracked by VA

A watchdog warned that va medical officials may not be able to respond to problems with implantable medical devices because of poor tracking systems..

US leaders promise security for Gaza dock mission amid threat concerns

Gen. cq brown said military leaders are working closely with israeli forces to ensure u.s. troops are kept safe during their humanitarian mission in gaza..

Key Bridge collapse affecting shipments of some troops’ belongings

U.s. transportation command is working with companies to identify service members' shipments that are affected..

Nearly 250,000 veterans to receive payouts in 3M earplug settlement

Veterans involved in the lawsuit will see payouts between now and 2029..

Army to build 500 rooms for privatized junior enlisted barracks

Army times interviewed one of the service's top civilians overseeing housing policy about the service's vision for privatized barracks at fort irwin..

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich has now spent a whole year jailed in Russia

Charles Maynes

U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich looks out from inside a defendants' cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pretrial detention, at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, on Feb. 20. Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

MOSCOW — Friday marks one year since Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russian security forces on spying allegations — the first such detention of an American journalist on espionage charges in Russia since the latter days of the Cold War.

The Journal — which vehemently rejects the charges — observed the somber anniversary with an #IStandWithEvan tribute.

Family, friends and journalists across the media landscape took part in a marathon reading of Gershkovich's articles — penetrating vignettes of contemporary Russia that highlighted his deep knowledge of the country, its politics and its people.

Wall Street Journal's Emma Tucker on Gershkovich detention

Gershkovich, 32, the son of Russian Jewish émigrés who was born and raised in New Jersey, had grown up in a dual-language household absorbing American and Russian cartoons, books and pop culture.

Whether that background, his sharp reporter's eye or something else may have played a role in his arrest remains unclear.

What is certain is that his detention is yet another irritant in U.S.-Russian relations already at Cold War-like lows following the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Biden administration has said securing Gershkovich's freedom is a priority.

His arrest has only further highlighted Western suspicion of a growing pattern of "hostage diplomacy" in Moscow — one in which Russian authorities are accused of ensnaring Americans on spurious legal charges to see what deals emerge.

A journalist detained

Gershkovich was on a reporting assignment in Russia's Ural mountain city of Yekaterinburg in March of last year when he was detained by agents from Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB, at a downtown steakhouse.

The U.S. condemns Russia's arrest of a Wall Street Journal reporter

Witnesses at the Bukowski Grill reportedly had little time to even see who was the target when government agents suddenly stormed the restaurant. Within seconds, they had pulled Gershkovich's sweater over his head and frog-marched him out into an unmarked van.

The next day, Gershkovich reappeared in a Moscow court and was formally charged with trying to obtain state secrets — a penalty for which he faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

A journalist, not a spy

Gershkovich and the Journal immediately rejected the spying allegations, saying Gershkovich was working in Russia with official press accreditation from the Foreign Ministry.

In fact, he'd been reporting on the country since 2017 — initially for The Moscow Times and then the Agence France-Presse (AFP) before taking a job with the Journal in 2022. His credentials had been subject to repeat security reviews by the Russian government.

Yet none of that appeared to matter. The Russian government insisted Gershkovich was guilty of the espionage charges — without providing any evidence. Instead, they saw his journalist status as possible proof of his guilt.

Journalists watch a TV screen broadcasting a hearing on Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's case from a courtroom at the Moscow City Court on April 18, 2023. Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP hide caption

Journalists watch a TV screen broadcasting a hearing on Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's case from a courtroom at the Moscow City Court on April 18, 2023.

"Unfortunately, it's not the first occasion when the status of a 'foreign correspondent,' a journalist visa and accreditation have been used by foreigners in our country to cover up activities that aren't journalism," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova wrote on social media shortly after Gershkovich's arrest.

"It's not the first famous Westerner we've caught red-handed."

The U.S. government moved quickly to label Gershkovich "wrongfully detained" — a designation that makes him a hostage in the eyes of the U.S. government.

Cold War replay

Gershkovich's arrest echoed Moscow's detention of another American reporter — decades prior in what seems like a different era.

In 1986, Nicholas Daniloff, a correspondent with U.S. News & World Report , was arrested in a KGB sting operation in Moscow. Like Gershkovich, Daniloff was of Russian heritage. He and his publication, too, rejected the charges as a sham.

The American spent 14 days in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison before negotiations between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev — then the USSR's new reform-minded leader — cut a deal to set him free.

The Case Of Paul Whelan Draws Parallels To U.S. Journalist's 1986 Arrest In Moscow

"Time in Lefortovo was mental torture," Daniloff wrote in an article later, recalling his repeat sessions with a KGB interrogator.

"He played with my emotions, posing alternatively as a 'good cop' and a 'bad cop.' He controlled all information that reached me. He controlled my food, my exercise, my life. [By] the time I was freed, he had made me feel guilt where there was none."

There are also Daniloff's accounts of conditions in a cell "measured five-paces long, three-paces wide."

U.S. reporter Nicholas Daniloff after his release from being detained in Russia. Cynthia Johnson/Getty Images hide caption

U.S. reporter Nicholas Daniloff after his release from being detained in Russia.

"There were three steel cots painted blue, a small table for each prisoner, a washbowl and primitive toilet with a wooden cover just high enough to be uncomfortable. The place was clean, but there was a distinctive smell," Daniloff wrote.

Nearly four decades later, recent prisoners say little has changed .

Life on hold

The past year has seen a continuous loop of closed-court hearings in which judges have extended Gershkovich's pretrial detention time and again.

The judges have rejected cash bail offers by the Journal's parent company, Dow Jones. They have also denied appeals to move him to house arrest pending a trial, whose date never seems to come.

A Moscow court has rejected 'WSJ' reporter Evan Gershkovich's detention appeal

Yet Gershkovich's family and friends say he remains strong — with his letters full of his trademark optimism and humor.

"We currently have a joke going back and forth about this framed photo of him," his sister, Danielle Gershkovich, said in an interview with NPR's All Things Considered last October.

"And I'm joking about where I should put it in the apartment, and he recently suggested, put it directly in front of the TV so you can see his face," she said.

Journalist Evan Gershkovich tells family he's 'not losing hope' in Russian detention

Evan Gershkovich has also taken advantage of one of Lefortovo's few benefits: a decent library collection of Russian classics by the likes of Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and other literary giants.

"He's read a lot of books. And he told us maybe he will write some good novel at the end of this story, about himself," his Russian lawyer Tatiana Nozhkina told NPR following a hearing last April.

Evan Gershkovich awaits trial in Russia, but his family finds hope in his letters

But there's no denying the slow grind of a year spent awaiting trial with no immediate court date in sight.

This week, a judge extended his detention by another three months — until late June. Again, no indication of when Gershkovich might expect trial.

U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy called the latest ruling "particularly painful" — noting the journalist had spent a year awaiting charges that were "fiction" from the outset.

The Independent Association of Publishers' Employees and Wall Street Journal journalists rally in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 2023, calling for the release of reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been held in Russia since March 29, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The Independent Association of Publishers' Employees and Wall Street Journal journalists rally in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 2023, calling for the release of reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been held in Russia since March 29, 2023.

"Evan's case is not about evidence, due process, or rule of law. It is about using American citizens as pawns to achieve political ends," the ambassador said in a statement Tuesday.

Tracy specifically pointed to the case of Paul Whelan , another American the U.S. has designated "wrongfully detained."

Russia charges Radio Free Europe editor with failing to register as a 'foreign agent'

But there are others languishing in Russian prisons, including Alsu Kurmasheva , a Russian American journalist with the U.S.-government funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty news service, and Marc Fogel , an American schoolteacher.

Marc Fogel's family hopes they are closer to seeing him after Brittney Griner release

Prisoner trade rumors.

If there's an upside amid the current situation, it's that prisoner exchanges between Moscow and Washington remain possible despite current hostilities.

Trevor Reed, a former Marine who says he was wrongly convicted of assaulting a Russian police officer, was released by Russia in April 2022.

Brittney Griner , a WNBA basketball star sentenced to nine years on drug possession, was freed later that same year.

In each case, the price was steep: The Biden administration released Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer, for Griner. Reed was traded for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a pilot convicted of narcotics smuggling.

White House officials defended the moves as difficult — but necessary — decisions.

Detractors argued the trades merely encouraged more detentions. Perhaps even that of a Wall Street Journal reporter.

Either way, few, including the U.S. government, expect much from a Russian justice system in which over 99% of all criminal cases end in conviction.

And so the Biden administration says it continues to make offers aimed at securing the release of Gershkovich and others.

Evan Gershkovich stands inside a defendants' cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pretrial detention at the Moscow City Court on Sept. 19, 2023. Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Evan Gershkovich stands inside a defendants' cage before a hearing to consider an appeal on his extended pretrial detention at the Moscow City Court on Sept. 19, 2023.

In turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated Moscow is open to a swap provided circumstances are right.

Asked about the Gershkovich case in a February interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Putin was even more explicit. The Russian leader strongly suggested he would be willing to trade Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a suspected FSB assassin currently serving a life sentence for murder in Germany.

Further muddying the picture: Multiple news reports allege that German authorities had tied Krasikov's potential release to the Kremlin leader agreeing to free the jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Neither U.S. nor German officials have verified those accounts. And Navalny died under still unexplained circumstances in a remote Arctic prison last month, making any potential deal impossible.

In the meantime, Gershkovich remains in Lefortovo prison, reading, writing, waiting — his story like one he himself would report on in ordinary times.

"Evan has displayed remarkable resilience and strength in the face of this grim situation," said Ambassador Tracy in her statement this week.

"But it is time for the Russian government to let Evan go."

• Evan Gershkovich

Fedrec scroll status saying awaiting scrolling and DOD approvals; D05-23 and it’s red. Does anyone know what that means and why it’s red?

• Does anyone know the FedRec scrolling status for scroll: P18-21? 7 Votes 9 Comments
• Does anyone know the FedRec scrolling status for scroll: P18-21? 10 Votes 8 Comments
• Does anyone know the Status P13-23 scroll? 3 Votes 2 Comments
• Does anyone know the scroll status for L03-23? 1 Votes 0 Comments
• What does the FEDREC process status "Awaiting scrolling and DoD approvals" mean? 10 Votes 5 Comments
• What is the NG FEDREC status for scroll P27-23? 3 Votes 5 Comments

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

• Capabilities
• Explore All Groups
• Business Services
• Privacy Policy

Welcome to RallyPoint!