Commissioned Corps Management Information System

What changed in the new policy?

What changed in the new policy (published 2023)?

Previous Policy	New Policy
Restricts Nurse, Engineer, Scientist, Environmental Health, Veterinary, Pharmacy, Dietitian, Therapist, and Health Services categories for promotions to O-4 and O-5 (i.e., allows promotion only if vacancies exist).	Restricts the following Regular Corps promotion category groups for promotion to O-4 & O-5 (i.e., allows promotion only if vacancies exist): Applied Public Health, Allied Health, and Medical Services. Medical and Dental categories remain not restricted.
Applies only to Regular Corps officers serving on extended active duty and did not apply to the Ready Reserve Corps.	Applies to Regular and Ready Reserve Corps Selected Reserve (SELRES) officers.
Defines promotion eligibility criteria based on seniority credit and/or promotion credit (for permanent promotions) and Training and Experience Date (for temporary promotions).	Changes the promotion eligibility criteria to be based on a Public Health Service officer’s seniority credit date (i.e., effective date of last promotion), which the USPHS Commissioned Corps will begin using on September 1, 2024, onwards (i.e., Promotion Year 2025). For PY 2024, eligibility is based on training and experience (T&E) date, time in service, and time in grade.
Does not have promotion zones.	Introduces Below the Zone (BTZ), In the Zone (ITZ), and Above the Zone (ATZ).
Does not have promotion zones.	Specifies that the USPHS^® Commissioned Corps will begin implementing the zones (i.e., BTZ, ITZ, and ATZ) for Regular Corps officers effective immediately.
Does not have Special Promotion Examination (SPE).	Adds Special Promotion Examination (SPE).
Does not have any mechanism for deferral/opt-out.	Authorizes the option for eligible Public Health Service officers to request a deferral/opt-out of promotion examination.
Includes four predetermined promotion precepts and benchmarks.	Establishes precepts that vary based on grade effective on 1 September 2024 and subsequent years (i.e., PY 2025 and subsequent years).
Specifies the minimum success rates for promotion.	Specifies that prior to the Permanent Promotions Board (PPB) convening, the ASH will determine the promotion success rates, i.e., anticipated number of Public Health Service officers by promotion category group and grade that will receive a promotion.
Has a Temporary Promotion Revocation Board.	Replaces the former Temporary Promotion Revocation Board with the Permanent Promotion Reduction Board (PPRB) which authorizes the reduction in a Public Health Service officer’s permanent grade through a specially convened PPRB.
Does not discuss conversion from temporary to permanent grade.	Establishes changes to Public Health Service officers’ seniority credit dates when their temporary grades are converted to the permanent grades.
Does not include a transition period.	Adds a new Section that outlines a transition period from the eligibility criteria outlined in CCI 332.01, “Temporary Promotions,” dated October 17, 2019, to the promotion eligibility criteria outlined in this Instruction.
Temporary grade promotions are approved by the Assistant Secretary for Health (Grade that determines Public Health Service officers’ pay). Permanent grade promotions are approved by The President.	Permanent grade promotions are approved by The President (Grade that determines Public Health Service officers’ pay). Promotion effective dates are based on the date of The President’s signature.

When are promotion results effective?

Promotion results are effective on an officer’s eligibility date or the first day of the month following the date the President approves the results, whichever date is later. Permanent promotions are subject to approval by the President, and officers cannot be promoted earlier than the first day of the month following the date on which the President approves the results. Additionally, officers cannot receive backpay if the President signs on a date after their eligibility date has passed. For example, if the President approves promotions results on August 15th and an officer’s eligibility date is July 1st, the officer will be promoted on September 1st and will not receive backpay for July and August.

What is a promotion board?

A promotion board is an evaluation tool used to evaluate officers’ records and determine the best qualified officers for promotion. Depending on the number of officers in a category group, there may be multiple boards for one category group. However, the same board will review all officers in a grade (e.g., one promotion board may review all officers eligible for O-6 in the Allied Health promotion category group, and another board may review all officers eligible for O-5 in the Allied Health promotion category group).

How does the conversion of all Regular Corps officers from their temporary grade to an equivalent permanent grade affect eligibility for promotion?

Starting in Promotion Year (PY) 2025, eligibility will be based on the seniority credit accrued in their current grade, including time in the equivalent temporary grade before the conversion, and active-duty service time. Officers’ time in permanent grades before the conversion will not affect future eligibility.

Which categories will be reviewed together?

Medical: The Medical promotion category group consists of the previous Medical category.
Dental: The Dental promotion category group consists of the previous Dental category.
Applied Public Health: The Applied Public Health promotion category group consists of the previous categories/specialties as follows: Engineer, Scientists (except clinical psychologists), Veterinary, Environmental Health, Information Systems, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, Medical Technology, Medical (Health) Record Administration, and other health professions/specialties required by the USPHS^®Commissioned Corps as determined by the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH).
Allied Health: The Allied Health promotion category group consists of the previous categories/specialties as follows: Pharmacy, Social Worker, Clinical Psychologist , Dietitian, and other health professions/ specialties required by the USPHS^®Commissioned Corps as determined by the ASH.
Medical Services: The Medical Services promotion category group consists of the previous categories/specialties as follows: Nurse, Optometry, Physician Assistant, Podiatry, Therapy, Dental Hygiene, and other health professions/specialties required by the USPHS^®Commissioned Corps as determined by the ASH.

Who are the promotion board members?

Each promotion board is comprised of five officers:

One Rear Admiral (non-promotion category group specific)
Three Captains (promotion category group specific)
One Captain (non-promotion category group specific)

Board members are chosen and appointed by the Surgeon General based on established eligibility criteria, with every effort made to ensure a cross-section reflective of the group they represent. Officers cannot serve on a board in the same category group more frequently than once every two years. Every officer serving on a board must take an oath to hold in confidence everything that is seen, read, or discussed while serving on the board.

How will board members outside of my category understand what I do?

The board members outside of your category may direct category-specific questions to the Chief Professional Officer of the category they are reviewing. Additionally, board members come from a diverse background of categories and agencies. They may have discussions with the other board members to understand category-specific or agency-specific duties and responsibilities. This is also why it’s important to discuss your accomplishments clearly and avoid category or professional terminology.

How often may an officer serve as a promotion board member?

No officer may serve as a member of a promotion board for the same category group more frequently than once every 2 years.

What is OPPVS?

OPPVS is the acronym for Officer Promotion Package Verification System; it’s also known as the “Promotion Folder”. OPPVS gives promotion-eligible officers full visibility and control of their promotion packet. When viewing their OPPVS, officers see the exact documents presented to the promotion board. Once an officer verifies their OPPVS, documents can no longer be added or removed.

Once I verify my OPPVS promotion folder, can it be unverified?

No, it cannot be unverified. Officers should only verify their promotion folder once it is complete and ready for promotion board members to review. Additionally, documents can no longer be added or removed once the promotion folder is verified.

Do promotion board members have access to my eOPF?

Promotion board members do not have access to an officer’s eOPF – they only see the documents within OPPVS. OPPVS pulls documents from the eOPF, and if a document is not in your OPPVS, promotion board members will not see it. Readiness history from the last 5 years is the only information outside of the documents in the promotion folder that promotion board members will have access to. Officers may view their readiness history by clicking the link to “RDB Self-Service” in the Officer Secure Area of Commissioned Corps Management Information System.

Which documents are included in my promotion folder?

Please see the below table with documents visible within the promotion folder along with the time limits for each document.

Documents	Time Limits
Promotion Information Report (PIR)* Curriculum Vitae Officer’s Statement	Most Recent
License, Credential, and Certificate	From January 1 of Previous Year
Commissioned Officers’ Effectiveness Report Reviewing Official’s Statement Agency/Category Award Letter and Certificate of Appreciation Continuing Education Unofficial Transcript	Last 5 Years
Individual and Unit Award Personnel Order**	Last 7 Years
Official Transcript	Entire Career

*The final update to the PIR occurs in mid-January after the final COER deadline. Please see the promotion checklist for the exact date. The PIR will not be updated in your promotion folder if you have already verified your promotion folder.

**Awards will be visible in your PIR from your entire career, but detailed award writeups will only be visible from the last 7 years

I uploaded a document into my eOPF. Why am I unable to see it in OPPVS?

Documents will not instantly appear in your promotion folder once they are in your eOPF. Documents must be pulled from your eOPF into the promotion folder before they are visible. The initial file pull occurs in September.

How often are documents pulled into OPPVS from my eOPF?

New documents uploaded to your eOPF before the deadline will trigger OPPVS to pull the new document within 24 hours, depending on the upload time. If you do not see the new document within your OPPVS within 48 hours of your upload time and date, please email PHSPromotions@hhs.gov with your SERNO, Upload Time & Date, and Document Type. Please make sure that the document is in your eOPF before emailing the Promotion Resource Box.

When is the last day to upload a document to my eOPF?

Please view the promotion checklist. Do not wait until the last minute to upload documents. Officers are encouraged to submit documents weeks ahead of the deadline. The CV and Officer’s Statement can be uploaded repeatedly and OPPVS will only pull the latest upload so long as that upload was before the deadline. Please make sure that your CV and CV Cover Page are in one document. The system will only pull the last document uploaded into the CV section before the deadline.

What happens if I do not verify my promotion folder?

Officers who do not verify their promotion folder will not have the opportunity to ensure their complete promotion package is visible to promotion board members. Additionally, promotion board members will be aware the officer did not verify his or her folder. You will still be reviewed by the promotion board, however, the promotion packet will be flagged as “not verified”. See the visual below:

I do not see a document in my OPPVS, and I cannot upload the document myself (e.g., awards, COERs, personnel orders). How do I ensure it’s uploaded into my promotion folder before I verify?

Contact your liaison as soon as possible to ensure the document is uploaded before the deadline.

Should I verify my OPPVS if a document I cannot upload myself is missing, and the deadline to verify is nearing?

No. Verify your promotion folder only when all documents are visible and your OPPVS promotion folder is ready for board members to view. Contact your liaison as soon as possible and they will reach out to Commissioned Corps Headquarters to check on the status of the missing documents.

What does the promotion board use to score officers?

Promotions boards score officers based on the four precepts below and the benchmarks within those precepts.

Performance rating and Reviewing Official’s Statement (ROS): 40%
Education, Training, and Professional Development: 20%
Career Progression and Potential: 25%
Professional Contributions, basic level of force readiness history, and services to the Corps: 15%

In evaluating an officer for promotion, the board references the benchmarks established by the Chief Professional Officers for the "best qualified" officer.

What if there is a tie in scoring?

If there is a tie between two officers eligible for the same rank in the same category, the tie is broken using the following criteria, in order, until the tie is broken:

The officer with the earlier seniority credit date has relative standing over an officer with a more recent seniority credit date
The Regular Corps officer with more years of active service in the USPHS^®Commissioned Corps has relative standing over a Regular Corps officer with fewer years of such service. The Ready Reserve Corps officer with more years in an active status in the USPHS^® Commissioned Corps has relative standing over a Ready Reserve Corps officer with fewer years of such service
The Regular Corps officer with more years of active service at any rank in any of the Uniformed Services has relative standing over a Regular Corps officer with fewer years of such service. The Ready Reserve Corps officer with more years in an active status at any rank in any of the Uniformed Services has relative standing over a Ready Reserve Corps officer with fewer years of such service

When will promotion results be released?

The President of the United States approves permanent grade promotions. The goal is to release the results in June of each year, but it ultimately depends on when the President signs.

What are promotion scoresheets?

Promotions scoresheets are documents uploaded to officers’ eOPFs shortly after promotions results are released and show scores for each precept, recommend/not recommend, average scores for your grade/category, and feedback.

Why were there no comments on my promotion scoresheet?

Feedback populates on scoresheets only if three or more board members select it. Board members are strongly encouraged to leave feedback; however,

Why can I only see comments if three or board members select it?

Board members have diverse professional backgrounds – different agencies, positions, etc. – and may have varying opinions on officers’ packets. Only showing comments that three or more board members select ensures feedback is representative of the entire board.

What does the scoresheet look like?

How does the conversion of all Regular Corps officers from their temporary grade to an equivalent permanent grade affect eligibility for promotion?

Starting in Promotion Year (PY) 2025, eligibility will be based on the seniority credit accrued in their current grade, including time in the equivalent temporary grade before the conversion, and active-duty service time. Officers’ time in permanent grades before the conversion will not affect future eligibility.

Is there a phase-in for eligibility?

Regular Corps officers become eligible for promotion examination when they meet both the seniority credit and active-duty service requirements.

What is seniority credit?

The total amount of time an officer is in their current permanent grade while in an active status during a continuous tour of duty (i.e., an officer who has a break in their service will have their seniority credit restarted on their next appointment). Any time in the equivalent temporary grade before the grade conversion counts towards seniority credit.

Is eligibility for Promotion Year (PY) 2024 and forward based on my previous temporary grade or previous permanent grade?

Eligibility is based on your previous temporary grade. Previous permanent grade is not utilized for eligibility.

Examples
Eligibility Before Conversion	Eligibility After the Conversion
Officer #1 is eligible for temporary grade promotion in PY 2024 and permanent grade promotion in PY 2026.	Officer #1 is eligible for permanent grade promotion in PY 2024 because eligibility for PY 2024 is based on the previous temporary grade eligibility.
Officer #2 is eligible for temporary grade promotion in PY 2025 and permanent grade promotion in PY 2026.	It depends on the officer’s grade and the required seniority credit/active-duty service time. The seniority credit is based on Officer #2’s last temporary grade promotion.

What are promotion zones?

Promotion zones are groupings of officers in the same grade and promotion category groups who are eligible for promotion. Officers eligible for promotion fall into one of the three promotion zones:

In the Zone (ITZ). Refers to officers in the same grade and category group who meet the promotion eligibility criteria and the Surgeon General designates for promotion examination and who have not had two failures of promotion.

Eligible Grade

(Not restricted are medical and dental categories and restricted are all other categories)

ITZ Promotion Attempts

Before Moving to ATZ

Restricted O-4

Restricted O-5

All O-6

3

All O-2

All O-3

Not Restricted O-4

Not Restricted O-5

1

Above the Zone (ATZ). Refers to a group of officers who are eligible for consideration for promotion to the next higher grade and were not promoted after a promotion board examined them for promotion as an ITZ eligible officer. An officer who is not promoted ATZ for any grade is no longer eligible for an ATZ examination and will remain in their permanent grade until they separate or retire. However, certain officers may be eligible for a Special Promotion Examination.
Below the Zone (BTZ). Refers to a group of officers who are in the same grade as the officers ITZ for that category group and are designated for promotion examination prior to meeting the promotion eligibility criteria. If an officer does not promote during a BTZ examination, it will not count against their ITZ promotion attempts.

When am I eligible for a Below the Zone (BTZ) examination?

Agencies can nominate officers for a BTZ examination up to 1 year before they are eligible for an In the Zone (ITZ) examination.

However, the Surgeon General may designate officers for a BTZ examination up to 2 years before they are eligible for an ITZ examination when there is a particular professional need and/or there are sufficient vacancies in a grade to warrant accepting such nominations in order to meet the Corps’ projected force management requirements.

How can I be nominated for a BTZ examination?

Agency liaisons will receive a list of officers which meet the BTZ criteria. They will inform the officer and officer’s supervisor if he or she is eligible for BTZ nomination. Nominations are submitted by the supervisors in coordination with the officer. Officers should contact their liaison for specifics.

How many times can I be nominated for a BTZ examination?

Officers can be nominated for a BTZ examination one time per grade.

What is Failure of Promotion in the new policy?

Failure of promotion is the result of any of the below after a promotion examination (except a Below the Zone examination):

Recommendation for promotion but ranking in the bottom 10 percent
“Not recommend” by the promotion board.
Elimination from the final promotion approval list for failing administrative checks (e.g., failing readiness, COER, adverse actions requirements).

Is failure of promotion and not being successful in promotion (below the line) the same thing?

No, failure of promotion is not the same as not being successful in promotion.

After being examined for promotion, you were:

Result

Recommended for promotion but ranked in the bottom 10 percent

Not recommended by the promotion board

Eliminated from the final promotion approval list for failing administrative checks (e.g., failing readiness, COER, adverse actions requirements)

Failure of Promotion

Recommended for promotion but did not promote because you were below the promotion success line but were above the bottom 10 percent

Not Promote

How many promotion attempts do I get?

It depends on your category, grade, and if you failed to promote or was not successful in promotion. For some categories and grades, the maximum amount of attempts an officer can have is 5 (In the Zone ×3, Above the Zone ×1, and Special Promotion Examination ×1). For other categories and grades, officers may only have 1 attempt, but the promotion rate is 100%.

If I do not get promoted from a Below the Zone examination, does this count as a failure of promotion.

No, officers not promoting after a BTZ examination does not count as a failure of promotion, regardless of the reason(s) for the failure.

Promotion Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer

Changes

Promotion Board

OPPVS/eOPF

Scoring and Recommendations

Scoresheets

Eligibility

Zones

Failure of Promotion/Not Promoting

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