Enlisted promotion process demystified

Published June 5, 2017
By Alethea Smock
21st Space Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Master Sgt. Gerald Morey, Wing Staff Agency first sergeant, hosted a lunch-n-learn seminar for 21st Space Wing personnel to discuss the enlisted force distribution process May 19 at the Mission Support Group building, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.

The speakers included Col. Eric Dorminey, 21st Space Wing vice commander and Staff Sgt. Catherine Sanchez, 21st Space Wing Force Management NCO in charge, to talk about the process for putting eligible promotees forward for a promotion rating.

A group of roughly 20 Airmen filled the room and ate pizza while Sanchez discussed the Enlisted Force Distribution Panel, identifying eligibility and what to include in the promotion packages.

Although the factors that go into determining eligibility promotion can be found in Air Force Instruction 36-2406, Officer and Enlisted Evaluation Systems, Sanchez broke down the process into more easily understood directions.

She also described how she ensures packages for promotion are eligible. Sanchez will review each one for compliance with the AFI and to assure they do not contain promotion statements. Then each record is reviewed for errors to check that bullets conform to AFI expectations.

From there the record gets passed to Dorminey who sits on the EFDP where the record is reviewed and given a ranking for promotion such as ‘promote now’ or ‘promote’. The EFDP is made up of a group of members to select records to move forward for promotion.

“I want you to understand what goes on in the room and be completely transparent,” said Dorminey in describing the EFDP. “As opposed to smoke and mirrors, you get the dice out, or flip a coin, and ‘good luck’. It’s not that way.”

Before starting he wanted to make sure that everyone heard the message about getting good, pointed feedback. All Airmen should be getting feedback throughout the year. This is critical when going out to perform your job.

“Then go do your job,” Dorminey emphasized.

By the time a record lands at the EFDP the performance must stand on its own against other Airmen who are also promotion eligible.
Another point Dorminey made was described how he views promotions.

“A promotion is not a reward. It is an expectation,” Dorminey said. “Does the member have the proven ability to serve in the next higher grade. That’s what I’m looking for.”

Morey selects topics for discussion by some of the questions he receives from the Airmen he leads.

“The EFDP is a fairly new process and many Airmen are unaware on how it works. So having Col Dorminey explaining to supervisors and rates what his expectations are is valuable to everyone,” said Morey. “If an Airman does the things he [Dorminey] highlighted, they most likely will go to the panel, if they do not, they cannot blame anyone but themselves.”

Morey plans to continue the lunch-n-learn sessions and will have Tech. Sgt. Thomas Echelmeyer, Bioenvironmental Engineering NCO in charge , facilitate a Millenial Leadserhip course.

Millennial Leadership is described as a course designed for all generations to see what makes a millennial tick, what motivates them, and how to capture the natural talents and abilities of this generation to accomplish the mission.

The next session will be June 14th at 11:30 a.m. in building 350, room 1064.