OCTOBER 15, 2021 – Air Force officials recently announced changes to the Enlisted Evaluation System’s promotion recommendation point matrix.
The changes introduce a new Promotion Recommendation Score, which places value on the experience of Airmen and sustained performance when it comes to promotions. The new score continues the practice of placing greater value on recent over past performance.
“Our Air Force values the experience that our Airmen bring with them,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass. “The Promotion Recommendation Score is a step in the right direction to ensuring we recognize that experience, along with sustained superior performance.”
The current promotion system varied the available points each year based on the number of years an Airman was eligible for promotion. That approach meant Airmen with the same level of performance in a current year, and with more experience, ended up with less overall points. The new score removes this outcome and allows sustained performance and experience to be valued.
The central tenet of the new Promotion Recommendation Score is to award enlisted performance report points based on the documented performance earned by each Airman in that year. The higher the earned performance value, the more points an Airman receives. All Airmen earning the same rating receive the same point value in that year regardless of how many years they’ve been promotion eligible.
“The transition to the new Promotion Recommendation Score is another integral step in shifting our culture and accelerating change to ensure we can develop and assess the enlisted force we need to win in the future. We value our Airmen’s experience, and we must show them that.” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.
Also under the new system, experience points are awarded for a maximum of two previous EPRs in the current grade, based on the ratings earned in those particular years. All Airmen having the same level of performance and same years of eligibility receive the same experience points. Just like the point structure for current year performance, experience points increase with increased levels of performance.
Similar to the current system, the PRS continues to utilize a maximum of three EPRs in the current grade and point values are constructed to favor an Airman’s most recent performance. Unlike the current system, scores do not change the value of an earned rating based on the number of times an Airman has been eligible. It awards full point values for each rating in any given year. This ensures Airmen with the same level of performance in any particular year earn the same point and experience values.
The new table and some examples are provided below:
Example: Scoring under the new Promotion Recommendation Score:
First-time eligible, received a Must Promote in 2021 a PRS will be 220
Second-time eligible, received a Must Promote in 2021 and a P in 2020 a PRS will be 220+10 = 230
Third-time eligible, received a Must Promote in 2021, a P in 2020 and a P in 2019 a PRS will be 220+10+5 = 235
Example: Impact of experience points under new Promotion Recommendation Score:
Second-time eligible, received a Promote Now in 2021 and a P in 2020 a PRS will be 250+10=260
First-time eligible, also received a Promote Now in 2021 but has less experience a PRS will be 250+0=250
These changes will impact senior airmen and staff sergeants who are promotion eligible beginning with the 22E6 promotion cycle. Additionally, the “Not Ready Now” recommendation will no longer receive promotion points and the “Do Not Promote” recommendation will be eliminated under PRS. Commanders retain existing administrative actions to designate an Airman as ineligible for promotion should conduct or poor performance dictate.
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs