• Promotion Information

  Frequency Asked Questions-Promotion, Readiness and Compliance

  Below, please find a list of frequently asked questions for the following revisions:

  • CCI 331.01 “Permanent Grade Promotions”
  • CCI 332.01 “Temporary Promotion”
  • POM 821.75 “Readiness Compliance”
  • POM 821.74 “Promotion Precepts and Criteria”

  I. CCI 331.01 “Permanent Grade Promotions”

  What are the major changes in CCI 331.01, “Permanent Grade Promotions”?

  The Commissioned Corps (Corps) streamlined the permanent promotion process by:

  • Modifying eligibility requirements as follows:
    • Effective immediately for Promotion Year 2020 and subsequent promotion years, CCHQ will remove all officers from the eligibility list for the following:
      • Not meeting the Corps’ license requirements;
      • Missing a Commissioned Officers’ Effectiveness Report (COER) in the previous five years;
      • Not meeting basic ready requirements; or
      • Having an active adverse action.
      Note: See POM 821.74, “Promotion Precepts and Criteria,” for further details regarding the new eligibility criteria
  • Authorizing the Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ) Director to refer officers to an appropriate disciplinary process.
  • Redefining the restricted and not restricted grades.
  • Clarifying officers’ responsibilities related to permanent promotion.
  • Merging the failure of promotion policy into the permanent grade promotion policy.

  What changes are in the policy regarding restricted categories and categories that are not restricted?

  • 42 U.S.C. § 211 authorizes two subsets of officers, restricted and not restricted, to be reviewed during the permanent promotion process. The status of restricted or not restricted will depend on an officer’s professional category and grade.
  • Commissioned Corps Directive (CCD) 122.01, “Promotions,” states that “the [Assistant Secretary for Health] or his/her designee may restrict specific categories by limiting permanent promotion to the O-4 grade and O-5 grade only if vacancies exist.” An officer who is in the restricted subset during the permanent promotion process will either be recommended or not recommended for promotion; whereas, an officer who is in the not restricted subset will either promote or fail to promote.
  • The not restricted categories have changed from Medical, Dental, Engineer, Scientist, Veterinary to only the Medical and Dental categories to reflect the mission priorities.
  • The restricted categories are the remaining categories (i.e., Nurse, Engineer, Scientist, Environmental Health, Veterinary, Pharmacy, Dietitian, Therapist, and Health Services categories).

  What is a failure of promotion?

  • A failure of promotion includes an officer who is examined by the promotion board and who is:
    • Recommended, but not promoted because he/she did not score high enough on the rank order list to be promoted (i.e., not above the promotion cut-off line)
      NOTE: Please see the distinctions of this circumstance for restricted grades and not restricted grades just below;
    • Scored in the lowest decile (may include officers who are recommended by the board);
    • “Not recommended” by the promotion board; or
    • Eliminated from the final promotion approval list for the O-3, O-4, O-5, or O-6 grades because of any of the reasons outlined in policy (e.g., non-compliant with readiness, adverse action, poor performance).
  • CCHQ will notify officers who fail to promote and inform them of the consequences of continued failure of promotion and availability of counseling.

  Restricted Grades

  • Officers eligible for promotion to a restricted grade may fail to promote. However, only failures due to 1) a “not recommend,” 2) a score in the lowest decile, or 3) elimination from the promotion list can result in a potential negative consequence (e.g., involuntary separation from active duty).
  • An officer who is recommended for promotion and is not promoted, but does not fall into any of the above three circumstances does not face any potential adverse consequences (other than not being promoted) and will be considered in the next year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria.

  Not Restricted Grades

  • The Corps will separate from active duty officers eligible for promotion to a not restricted grade, who twice fail to promote to the same grade (see FAQs for the consequences of a failure of permanent promotion to the O-4 grade and O-5 grade for further details).

  Do the consequences of a failure of promotion prior to Promotion Year (PY) 2020 count when applying the new policy?

  • Except for “not recommends” by the promotion board, the Corps will not count failures of promotion to the not restricted O-4 and O-5 grades prior to PY2020 as one of the two failures of promotion that can result in an adverse actions (e.g., an officer who failed promotion in PY2019 and who fails promotion in PY2020 is considered by the Corps to have failed promotion one time).

  • Because the policy regarding a “not recommend” by the promotion board was in place prior to PY2020, the receipt of a “not recommend” prior to PY2020 will count toward the rules regarding receipt of two “not recommends” (e.g., an officer received a “not recommend” in PY2019 and who receives a “not recommend” in PY2020 will have his/her temporary grade revoked and will be separated from active duty, provided that the two “not recommends” are for the same grade).

  What permanent grades are restricted for the Nurse, Engineer, Scientist, Environmental Health, Veterinary, Pharmacy, Dietitian, Therapist, and Health Services categories?

  • The Corps restricts promotions to both the permanent O-4 and O-5 grades for the Nurse, Engineer, Scientist, Environmental Health, Veterinary, Pharmacy, Dietitian, Therapist, and Health Services categories.

  How are permanent promotion success rates determined?

  • The permanent promotion success rate to the O-2 grade for all categories is 100% (i.e., the O-2 grade is not restricted for all categories)
  • The permanent promotion success rate to the O-3 grade for all categories is 100% (i.e., the O-3 grade is not restricted for all categories)
  • The permanent promotion success rate to the O-4 grade is:
    • For the not restricted O-4 grade, not less than 90%
    • For the restricted O-4 grade, calculated from the number of available slots based on the number of officers the Secretary has authorized to hold the O-4 grade, after promoting the officers in the not restricted O-4 grade.
  • The permanent promotion success rate to the O-5 grade is:
    • For the not restricted O-5 grade, not less than 80%
    • For the restricted O-5 grade, calculated from the number of available slots in the O-5 grade based on the number of officers the Secretary has authorized to hold the O-5 grade, after promoting the officers in the not restricted O-5 grade.
  • The permanent promotion success rate to the O-6 grade is calculated from the number of available slots in the O-6 grade based on the number of officers the Secretary has authorized to hold the O-6 grade.

  What are the consequences of not receiving a permanent promotion to the permanent O-2 grade?

  • The term “not recommend” is used when a board does not recommend an officer for promotion. If the promotion board gives a “not recommend” to an officer considered for the permanent O-2 grade, the Corps will terminate his/her commission on a date determined by the Director of CCHQ. However, if the officer has at least 18 years of active service, then the Director of CCHQ, will retire the officer after he/she completes 20 years of active service without further review by any other board.
  • If the Corps removes an officer considered for the permanent O-2 grade from the promotion list for reasons outlined in the policy (e.g., readiness noncompliance), then that officer will not be promoted and will be considered by the promotion board in the next year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria.

  What are the consequences of not receiving a permanent promotion to the permanent O-3 grade?

  • If the Corps fails to promote an officer considered for the permanent O-3 grade for the first time, the promotion board will consider the officer in the next year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria.
  • If an officer considered for the permanent O-3 grade twice fails to be promoted, for any reason, the Corps will terminate his/her commission on a date determined by the Director of CCHQ. If the failures of promotion are due to the officer receiving two “not recommends” from the board, the Corps will also revoke his/her temporary grade (note that the two “not recommends” do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards). However, if the officer has at least 18 years of active service, then the Director of CCHQ, will retire the officer, without further review by any other board, after he/she completes 20 years of active service.
  • If the Corps terminates the commission of an officer considered for the permanent O-3 grade, it will provide the officer with six months’ severance pay (pay and allowances).

  What are the consequences of not receiving a permanent promotion to the permanent O-4 grade?

  Not Restricted Categories

  • The promotion board will consider an officer who previously was considered for the not restricted permanent O-4 grade for the first time, but not promoted, will be considered by the promotion board in the next year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria.
  • If an officer considered for the permanent O-4 grade twice fails to be promoted, for any reason, the Corps will terminate his/her commission on a date determined by the Director of CCHQ. If the failures of promotion are due to the officer receiving two “not recommends” from the board, the Corps will also revoke his/her temporary grade (note that the two “not recommends” do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards). However, if the officer has at least 18 years of active service, then the Director of CCHQ, will retire the officer, without further review by any other board, after he/she completes 20 years of active service.
  • If the Corps terminates the commission of an officer considered for the not restricted permanent O-4 grade, it will provide the officer with one year of severance pay (pay and allowances).

  Restricted Categories

  • An officer considered for the restricted permanent O-4 grade who is not promoted will be considered by the promotion board in the next year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria except in the following circumstances:
    • If a promotion board has twice “not recommended” an officer considered for the restricted permanent O-4 grade, the Corps will revoke his/her temporary grade and terminate his/her commission. However, if the officer has at least 18 years of active service, then the Director of CCHQ, will retire the officer after he/she completes 20 years of active service without further review by any other board. The two “not recommends” do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards.
    • An officer considered for the restricted permanent O-4 grade three times and is not promoted because he/she is in the lowest decile, “not recommended” by a promotion board, or removed from the promotion list during the post board administrative checks (or any combination of these) is referred to an appropriate separation board (i.e., Involuntary Termination Board, Involuntary Retirement Board, or Board of Inquiry). Such failures of promotion do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards.
  • The Corps will not provide severance pay to an officer considered for the restricted permanent O-4 grade whose commission is terminated.

  What are the consequences of not receiving a permanent promotion to the permanent O-5 grade?

  Not Restricted Categories

  • An officer considered for the not restricted permanent O-5 grade for the first time, but not promoted, will be considered by the promotion board in the next year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria.
  • The Corps will revoke the temporary grade of and retire, on a date determined by the Surgeon General, an officer considered for the not restricted permanent O-5 grade who twice fails to be promoted, for any reason.

  Restricted Categories

  • An officer considered for the restricted permanent O-5 grade who is not promoted will be considered by the promotion board in the following year that he/she meets the eligibility criteria except in the following circumstances:
    • The Corps will revoke the temporary grade and terminate the commission of an officer considered for the restricted permanent O-5 grade who is twice “not recommended” by a promotion board. However, if the officer has at least 18 years of active service, then the Director of CCHQ, will retire the officer, without further review by any other board, after he/she completes 20 years of active service. The two “not recommends” do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards.
    • An officer considered for the restricted permanent O-5 grade three times and not promoted because he/she is in the lowest decile, “not recommended” by a promotion board, or removed from the promotion list during the post board administrative checks (or any combination of these) will be referred to an appropriate separation board (i.e., Involuntary Termination Board, Involuntary Retirement Board, or Board of Inquiry). Such failures of promotion do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards.
  • An officer considered for the restricted permanent O-5 grade whose commission is terminated does not receive any severance pay.

  Is the permanent O-6 grade not restricted or restricted?

  • Neither. The terms “not restricted” and “restricted” do not apply to the permanent O-6 grade.
  • The Corps considers promotions to the permanent O-6 grade to be “selected promotions;” however, the rules related to promotion to this grade are most closely aligned with the rules for restricted grades.

  What are the consequences of not receiving a permanent promotion to the permanent O-6 grade?

  • An officer considered for the permanent O-6 grade who is not promoted will be considered by the promotion board in the next year in which he/she meets the eligibility criteria except in the following circumstances:
    • If an officer considered for the permanent O-6 grade is twice “not recommended” by a promotion board, the Corps will revoke his/her temporary grade and terminate his/her commission. However, if the officer has at least 18 years of active service, then the Director, CCHQ, will retire the officer, without further review by any other board, after he/she completes 20 years of active service. The two “not recommends” do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards.
    • If an officer is considered for the permanent O-6 grade three times and not promoted because he/she is in the lowest decile, “not recommended” by a promotion board, or removed from promotion list during the post board administrative checks (or any combination of these), the Corps will refer him/her to an appropriate separation board (i.e., Involuntary Termination Board, Involuntary Retirement Board, or Board of Inquiry). Such failures of promotion do not have to be from consecutive promotion boards.
  • The Corps will not provide any severance pay to an officer considered for the permanent O-6 grade whose commission is terminated.

  II. CCI 332.01 “Temporary Promotion”

  What are the major changes in CCI 332.01 “Temporary Promotions”?

  The Corps streamlined the temporary promotion process by:

  • Eliminating officers from consideration for promotion who do not meet the Corps’ license, Commissioned Officers’ Effectiveness Report (COER), readiness, or any other requirements established by the Surgeon General (SG);
  • Eliminating officers from consideration for promotion who have an active adverse action;
  • Eliminating the Retention Review Board (RRB) and authorizing the Commissioned Corps Headquarters (CCHQ) Director to refer officers to an appropriate disciplinary process, effective Promotion Year 2020. Also authorizes the disciplinary board, to which such an officer is referred, to recommend to the Surgeon General that the officer retain his/her eligibility for promotion.
  • Clarifying officers’ responsibilities related to temporary promotion.
  • Beginning in Promotion Year 2020, your packet will not be considered by the promotion board if you do not meet the requirements listed in the policy.

  What happens if an officer is in the bottom decile for 3 consecutive years pursuant to Subsection 6-3.c.(1) or to an officer who receives a “not recommend” by an Annual Temporary Promotion Board (ATPB) pursuant to Subsections 6-3.c.(2) and (3)?

  The officer may be referred by the Director, Commissioned Corps Headquarters to an appropriate separation or disciplinary board/process (e.g., Temporary Promotion Revocation Board, an Involuntary Termination Board, a Board of Inquiry, or an Involuntary Retirement Board). This process has not changed.

  What should officers do to make sure they are compliant?

  Each officer is responsible for adhering to the guidelines established in this Instruction and any operational guidelines established by the Surgeon General and/or the Director, CCHQ, or their designees.

  • It is the officer’s responsibility to be familiar with the published policies that apply to all Corps officers and maintain an ongoing awareness of updates and changes to Corps policies and operational guidelines.
  • An officer must maintain current and updated contact information (e.g., e-mail, phone, address, and supervisors contact information) as established by the Director, CCHQ, or designee, in order to facilitate the Corps’ communication of information to the officer.
  • An officer must adhere to all guidelines and communications provided by the Surgeon General and CCHQ Director.
  • It is the officer’s responsibility to review his/her eOPF on an ongoing basis to ensure that its contents are up to date and accurate. The officer is responsible for reporting any discrepancies and errors in his/her eOPF in accordance with guidelines and communications from the Surgeon General and the Director, Commissioned Corps Headquarters/or CCHQ.

  III. POM 821.74 “Promotion Precepts and Criteria”

  What was revised in POM 821.74 “Promotion Precepts and Criteria?”

  POM 821.74 “Competitive Temporary Promotion” modifies the fourth precept: “Professional contributions and services to the Commissioned Corps” and renames it to” Professional contributions, basic level of force readiness history, and service to the Corps.

  In summary, this update will now provide promotion boards with your readiness history so they can review your history along with other relevant materials. (see Section 2.c (1)-(4)).

  In addition, pursuant to Commissioned Corps Directive 111.03 “Conditions of Service,” published in April 2018, an officer must continuously meet the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps’ basic force readiness standards, the eligibility criteria in order for an officer to be considered for promotion.

  What are the promotion precepts?

  According to POM 821.74, the four promotion precepts with their associated relative weights are:

  1. Performance Rating and Reviewing Official’s Statement 40%
  2. Education, training, and professional development 20%
  3. Career progression and potential 25%
  4. Professional contributions, basic level of force readiness history, and service to the Corps 15%

  These relative weights for the promotion precepts are effective on the date of this POM, beginning with the 2020 annual promotion boards that review officers eligible for promotion year (PY) 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 (PY2020).

  How will the “basic level of force readiness history” addition to promotion precept 4 be determined?

  Regarding officers’ history of compliance with the Corps’ basic level of force readiness requirements, the Surgeon General will determine, up to 5 years of history, the frequency (e.g., monthly, quarterly) of an officer’s history of readiness compliance that will be reviewed by the ATPB..

  Per POM 821.74, Promotion Precepts and Criteria:

  As a condition of service, all officers must maintain continuous compliance with the Corps’ basic level of force readiness requirements. Promotion boards will review the readiness history of officers as follows:

  1. For PY2020, the promotion boards will review the readiness history for the previous 3 years (i.e., 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2019).
  2. For PY2021 the promotion boards will review the readiness history for the previous 4 years (i.e., 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2020).
  3. Career progression and potential 25%
  4. For PY2022 and subsequent years, the promotion boards will review the readiness history for the previous 5 years (i.e., 1 January 2017 through 31 December 2021 for PY2022, 1 January 2018 through 31 December 2023, for PY2023, etc.).

  Are the changes to the benchmarks as a result of this POM?

  No.

  IV. POM 821.75 “Readiness Compliance”

  What are some of the key changes to POM 821.75 “Readiness Compliance?”

  Commissioned Corps Headquarters will perform basic level of force readiness checks for the entirety of the Corps on the first day of each month.

  This POM also specifies the consequence of not meeting readiness for one month or more in Section 3 and 4. The previous language indicating “30-60-90 days” was unclear and not specific.

  It also clarifies language regarding weight compliance and outlines the implementation and enforcement of the Corps’ Retention Weight Standards (see CCI 241.01).

  Please refer to CCMIS website, under “Readiness” section for additional information specific to Retention Weight Standards requirements and associated FAQs.

  What happens if an officer has been identified and marked “Not Qualified” during a monthly readiness check?

  An officer that is marked as “Not Qualified” will have the duration of the month to address the lapse in readiness and submit missing documentation, prior to the subsequent month’s readiness check.

  If an officer does not submit missing readiness items by the next month’s readiness check, they will continue to be marked as “Not Qualified.” A lapse in readiness will remain in the officer’s historic readiness record and will impact an officer’s promotion eligibility.

  What administrative steps are taken if officer is marked as “Not Qualified” for a monthly basic readiness check?

  Any Corps officer who fails to maintain continual compliance with the basic level of force readiness requirements will be subject to adverse action to after lapsing more than 1 month in readiness within a 24-month period.

  Please refer to POM 821.75, “Readiness Compliance” for additional guidance.

  

  What happens to an officer if they have continued or repeat “Not Qualified” readiness status during monthly readiness checks?

  Any Corps officer who fails to maintain basic level of force readiness standards and is marked as “Not Qualified” for 1 or more months in a 24 month period will be subject to receiving a Letter of Counseling (LOC), Letter of Reprimand (LOR), or be forwarded to the appropriate separation process (e.g., an Involuntary Retirement Board, an Involuntary Termination Board or a Board of Inquiry).

  Please refer to POM 821.75, “Readiness Compliance” for additional guidance.
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