Time in Service is total active service from EAD date. Time in Grade is time at current paygrade since last promotion (resets at each promotion). Most promotions require both minimum TIS AND minimum TIG.

Are requirements the same across services?

No — each service has its own regulation: Army AR 600-8-19, AF/SF AFI 36-2502, Marines MCO 1400 series, Navy rate-based NWAE, USCG CIM 1000.2C. Structure is similar but exact numbers and processes differ.

What is BTZ promotion?

Below-the-Zone — accelerated consideration before standard TIS/TIG. AF/SF SrA BTZ at 28 mo TIS / 6 mo TIG. Army E-4 to E-5 BTZ at 18 mo TIS / 8 mo TIG. Highly competitive; failure does not block standard promotion later.

No — eligibility is the minimum. Actual promotion depends on evaluations, board scoring, quota/vacancy, awards, PT scores, and disciplinary history. Talk to your career counselor.

Some are available. Commander 4-mo TIS waivers; critical-skill bonuses; constructive credit. Check with S-1/first sergeant for specific eligibility.

Promotion Timeline — Enlisted TIS/TIG Eligibility

TIS vs TIG — what's the difference?

Time in Service (TIS): Your total active military service time, counted from the date you entered active duty. All service branches use this. TIS continues to accumulate continuously regardless of promotion or assignment changes.

Time in Grade (TIG): The amount of time you've held your CURRENT paygrade since your last promotion. TIG resets to 0 each time you're promoted. Some promotions require both minimum TIS AND minimum TIG simultaneously.

For an E-4 who was promoted 12 months ago and has 24 months total service: TIS = 24 mo, TIG = 12 mo. To make E-5 in the Army (which requires 36 mo TIS and 8 mo TIG), the soldier already has enough TIG but is short on TIS. The earlier constraint controls — they need 12 more months of TIS.

Service-by-service overview

All services share the basic structure of MINIMUM TIS + MINIMUM TIG, but the specific numbers and competitive processes differ:

Army (AR 600-8-19): E-1 to E-3 automatic. E-4 commander recommendation. E-5/E-6 semi-centralized board. E-7/E-8/E-9 HRC centralized board (MILPER messages).
Air Force / Space Force (AFI 36-2502): E-1 to E-3 automatic. E-4 (Senior Airman) needs both TIS and TIG with WAPS test for E-5+. Below-the-Zone for SrA at 28 mo TIS / 6 mo TIG.
Marines (MCO 1400.31D, MCO P1400.32D): Composite Score system for E-3 to E-5 (TIS + TIG + PFT + CFT + rifle + Pros/Cons). E-6+ centralized board. Quarterly cutting scores by MOS.
Navy: Navy-Wide Advancement Exam (NWAE) + rate quota. Highly competitive — advancement varies dramatically by rating. PNA/SOY recognized. Chief board for E-7+.
Coast Guard (CIM 1000.2C): Service-Wide Exam (SWE) + competitive panel. Rating-specific (similar to Navy). Chief Petty Officer rating panel for E-6+.

Below-the-Zone (BTZ) — accelerated promotion

Some services offer BTZ promotion windows for top performers to be considered BEFORE meeting the standard minimum TIS/TIG. The most well-known is the Air Force/Space Force Senior Airman BTZ at 28 months TIS / 6 months TIG (vs the standard 36 mo TIS / 20 mo TIG). The Army has BTZ for E-4 to E-5 at 18 months TIS / 8 months TIG.

BTZ is highly competitive. Selection requires excellent EPRs/NCOERs, strong leadership recommendations, and clean military records. BTZ board failure does NOT block standard promotion later — you just retake the board at standard TIS/TIG.

Waivers and exceptions

Minimum TIS and TIG can sometimes be reduced under special circumstances:

Commander's TIS waiver: Up to 4 months for some early enlisted promotions, by O-6 commander authority.
Reduction with reinstatement: If you were reduced in rank, original TIG may apply if the reduction is reversed.
Constructive credit: Prior enlisted commissioned officers receive constructive credit toward TIS for OBC/specialty pay purposes.
STEP / STEM: Some services use Selectively Trained and Promoted (STEP) or fast-track programs.
Critical-skill bonuses: Some MOS/AFSC/rates have accelerated promotion timing as a retention incentive.

Waivers are not embedded in this calculator. Talk to your career counselor or first sergeant if you believe you qualify for a TIS or TIG waiver.

After eligibility — what determines promotion?

Meeting minimum TIS/TIG just makes you ELIGIBLE for consideration. Actual promotion depends on:

Evaluations (EPRs / NCOERs / FITREP / OER) — most important factor for senior NCO/officer promotions
Board scoring — for centralized boards (Army E-7+, AF E-8+, etc.), members rank-order all eligible candidates
Quota / vacancy — even outstanding records can be passed over if the rate/MOS has no vacancy
Service awards and decorations — count toward composite/cumulative scoring in Marines and Navy
PT scores, weapons quals, professional development — varies by service
Education / PME completion — required for many senior NCO promotions (SNCOA, etc.)
Disciplinary history — Article 15s, LOCs, civilian arrests can disqualify or delay

Promotion vs increased basic pay

Even without promotion, your basic pay automatically increases at TIS milestones built into the DFAS pay table: over 2 years, over 3 years, over 4 years, over 6 years, etc. These "longevity raises" happen within a paygrade.

At the senior NCO / senior officer level, longevity raises within a single paygrade can be substantial — an E-7 over 22 yrs earns 25%+ more than an E-7 over 8 yrs.

Use the /basic-pay calculator to look up the exact rate for your current rank + TIS, and the /promotion-calculatorto see the raise for your next promotion.

Promotion timeline — frequently asked questions

What is the difference between TIS and TIG?

Time in Service (TIS) is your total active military service time from the date you entered active duty. Time in Grade (TIG) is the time you have held your CURRENT paygrade since your last promotion — TIG resets to 0 with each promotion. Most promotions require both minimum TIS AND minimum TIG. The earlier constraint controls when you become eligible.

Are these requirements the same across all services?

No — each service has its own promotion regulation: Army (AR 600-8-19), Air Force/Space Force (AFI 36-2502), Marines (MCO 1400.31D and P1400.32D), Navy (rate-based with NWAE testing), Coast Guard (CIM 1000.2C). The basic TIS/TIG structure exists in all services but the exact numbers and competitive processes (board vs test vs composite score) differ substantially.

What is Below-the-Zone (BTZ) promotion?

BTZ allows top performers to be considered for promotion BEFORE meeting standard minimum TIS/TIG. The Air Force/Space Force Senior Airman BTZ at 28 mo TIS / 6 mo TIG (vs standard 36/20) is the most well-known. Army has BTZ for E-4 to E-5 at 18 mo TIS / 8 mo TIG. BTZ is highly competitive — failing BTZ does NOT block standard promotion later.

I meet the minimum TIS/TIG. Am I promoted?

Not automatically (except for some lower enlisted grades). Meeting the minimum makes you ELIGIBLE. Actual promotion depends on: evaluations (EPRs/NCOERs/FITREP), board scoring (centralized boards), quota/vacancy in your MOS/AFSC/rate, awards, PT scores, PME completion, and disciplinary history. Talk to your career counselor for service-specific guidance.

Can TIS or TIG be waived?

Yes, in some cases. Commander's TIS waivers up to 4 months are authorized for some early enlisted promotions. Reductions can preserve original TIG if reversed. Some critical-skill specialties have accelerated promotion timing. Talk to your S-1/G-1 or first sergeant about specific waiver eligibility.

Do I still get a raise without promotion?

Yes — basic pay automatically increases at TIS milestones built into the DFAS pay table (over 2 yrs, 3 yrs, 4 yrs, 6 yrs, 8 yrs, 10 yrs, etc.). At senior NCO/officer levels, these longevity raises can be substantial. Use /basic-pay to look up your exact rate for current rank + TIS.

Where can I find current promotion data for my MOS/AFSC/rate?

Service-specific: Army HRC website (MILPER messages); Air Force AFPC and BRSO; Navy Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) NWAE quotas; Marines MMEA-1 (Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments); Coast Guard CG-1 (Human Resources). Each service publishes quarterly cutoff/cut-score messages with current rates and quotas.

Promotion Timeline Calculator