AFI 36-2502: ENLISTED AIRMAN PROMOTION AND DEMOTION PROGRAMS

AFI 36-2502 — index record

Number	AFI 36-2502
Title	ENLISTED AIRMAN PROMOTION AND DEMOTION PROGRAMS
Published	July 2, 2026
Certified current	July 2, 2026
Office of primary responsibility	AF/A1
Issued by	Headquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the index	Current
Last index action	UpdateContact, August 11, 2026
Source index	Air Force e-Publishing
Index last read	October 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (134 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

This instruction implements Department of Air Force Policy Directive (DAFPD) 36-25, Military Promotion and Demotion. This instruction applies to the Regular Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard. This instruction does not apply to the United States Space Force, This instruction requires the collection and/or maintenance of information protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 authorized by Department of Defense Instruction 5400.11, DoD Privacy and Civil Liberties Programs. The applicable System of Record Notice DoD-0020, Military Human Resource Records, F036 AFPC J, Promotions Documents and Records Tracking (PRODART) and F036 AFPC K, Enlisted Promotion Testing Record are available at: https://dpcld.defense.gov/Privacy/SORNs/. Any requests for records or documents contained in these System of Records Notices will be processed under the Freedom of Information Act guidelines outlined in DoD Manual 5400.07_AF Manual 33-302, Freedom of Information Act

Summary of changes, as printed

This document has been revised and should be completely reviewed. Changes include Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) requirements, authorizes EPME promotion waivers by exception only, directs commanders to retain promotion lists for five years and updates to board membership. This publication is applicable to the AF including uniformed members of the Regular Air Force (RegAF), the Air Force Reserve (AFR), and the Air National Guard (ANG).

Chapter 1—AIRMAN PROMOTION PROGRAM ELEMENTSp. 9
Chapter 4—REGULAR AIR FORCE (REGAF) AIRMAN PROMOTION ACTIONSp. 53
Chapter 7—TOTAL FORCE SPECIAL PROMOTION PROGRAMSp. 71
Chapter 8—AIR FORCE RESERVE (AFR) PROMOTION PROGRAMp. 77
Chapter 9—AIR FORCE RESERVE (AFR) AIRMEN DEMOTIONSp. 91
Chapter 10—AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG) PROMOTION PROGRAMp. 99
Chapter 11—AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG) ENLISTED DEMOTIONSp. 118
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 125
Attachment 2—STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING – PREMIER BANDp. 133
Attachment 3—EPME ATTENDANCE WAIVER FOR PROMOTIONp. 134
Attachment 7—ANG – SAMPLE BIOGRAPHYp. 138

All 120 contents entries

Chapter 1—AIRMAN PROMOTION PROGRAM ELEMENTSp. 9
1.1. Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 9
1.2. Promotion Authorityp. 10
1.3. Announcement of Promotion Dates and Quotas (RegAF only)p. 10
1.4. Establishing Dates of Rank and Promotion Sequence Numbersp. 10
1.5. Determining Promotion Ineligibilityp. 10
1.6. Accepting Promotionp. 11
1.7. Promotion Ceremoniesp. 11
1.8. Declining Promotionp. 11
1.9. Enlisted Professional Military Education (EPME) Requirementsp. 12
1.10. Degree Requirementsp. 13
1.11. Correcting Enlistment Gradesp. 13
1.12. Correcting Promotion Effective Dates and Dates of Rankp. 13
2.1. Airman and A1C Promotions (see Table 1.4)p. 21
2.2. SrA Promotions (see Table 1.4)p. 21
2.3. SrA Below-The-Zone Promotion Programp. 21
2.4. Central Base Board Processp. 24
2.5. Supplemental Below-The-Zone Considerationp. 25
2.6. SSgt and TSgt Promotions (see Table 2.4)p. 26
2.7. MSgt,p. 28
2.8. Supplemental Promotions for SSgt through CMSgtp. 30
2.9. Promoting Under Stripes for Exceptional Performers (STEP)p. 32
3.1. Generalp. 46
3.2. Responsibilitiesp. 46
3.3. Rules Governing All Boardsp. 46
3.4. Board Membershipp. 46
3.5. Board Member Preparationp. 47
3.6. Scoring Recordsp. 47
3.7. Defining “Splits.”p. 48
3.8. Resolving “Splits.”p. 48
3.9. New Documentsp. 48
3.10. Promotion Quota Computationp. 48
3.11. Establishing “Cut Linesp. 48
3.12. Establishing the “Gray Areap. 48
3.13. Board President Quality Reviewp. 49
3.14. Gray Area Resolutionp. 49
3.15. Out-brief Board Membersp. 49
3.16. Board Reportp. 49
3.17. Board Anomaliesp. 50
3.18. Benchmark Recordsp. 50
3.19. Supplemental Boardsp. 50
3.20. Disclosure of Board Proceedingsp. 52
3.21. Summaryp. 52
Chapter 4—REGULAR AIR FORCE (REGAF) AIRMAN PROMOTION ACTIONSp. 53
4.1. Officer Training Candidatesp. 53
4.2. Non-recommending, Deferring, and Withholding Promotionsp. 55
4.3. Promotion Reinstatementp. 57
4.4. Applying for Correction of Recordsp. 58
5.1. Premier Bandp. 59
5.2. Backgroundp. 59
5.3. Promotion Authorityp. 59
5.4. Promotion Objectivep. 59
5.5. Premier Band Promotion Cyclep. 59
5.6. Promotion Quotasp. 59
5.7. Eligibility Requirementsp. 60
5.8. Non-recommending, Deferring, and Withholding Promotionsp. 60
5.10. Supplemental Promotionsp. 60
5.11. Grade Propriety Review (GPR)p. 60
5.12. Reasons to Demotep. 62
6.1. Demotionsp. 63
6.2. Who Can Demotep. 64
6.3. Reasons to Demotep. 64
6.4. How to Process a Demotionp. 66
6.5. How to Process an Appealp. 68
6.6. How to Apply for Retirementp. 68
6.7. Grades to Demote Airmenp. 68
6.8. How to Determine the Date of Rankp. 68
6.9. When to Announce and Revoke Demotionsp. 68
6.10. How to Publish Demotion Ordersp. 69
6.11. The Demotion Authorityp. 70
6.12. Documenting Demotion Actionsp. 70
Chapter 7—TOTAL FORCE SPECIAL PROMOTION PROGRAMSp. 71
7.1. Promoting RegAF Airmen in Missing Statusp. 71
7.2. Promoting Enlisted RegAF Medal of Honor Recipientsp. 71
7.3. Promoting RegAF Prior-Service Airmen and Former Officersp. 71
7.4. Promoting RegAF Airmen During Declared National Emergency or Warp. 71
7.5. RegAF Wounded Warrior Programp. 72
7.6. Posthumous Promotionsp. 73
7.8. Promoting AFR and ANG Medal of Honor Recipientsp. 75
7.9. AFR and ANG Wounded Warrior Programp. 75
7.10. Frocking to the Rank of Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt)p. 75
Chapter 8—AIR FORCE RESERVE (AFR) PROMOTION PROGRAMp. 77
8.1. Program Objectivesp. 77
8.2. Responsibilitiesp. 77
8.3. Eligibility Requirementsp. 77
8.4. Ineligibility for Promotionp. 77
8.5. Unit Vacancy Promotionp. 78
8.6. AFR STEP Ip. 79
8.7. Processing Vacancy and STEP I Promotionsp. 79
8.8. Title 10 United States Code Section 12310, Active Guard Reserve (AGR)p. 81
8.9. HQ AFRC STRIPES FOR EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMERS (STEP II)p. 83
8.10. Mobilized Airmenp. 84
8.11. Reserve Service Commitmentp. 85
8.12. Publishing Promotion Ordersp. 85
8.13. Missing Datap. 85
8.14. Revoking Promotionsp. 85
8.15. Administrative Proceduresp. 86
Chapter 9—AIR FORCE RESERVE (AFR) AIRMEN DEMOTIONSp. 91
9.1. Demotionp. 91
9.2. Demotion Authorityp. 91
9.3. Reasons for Voluntary Demotionp. 92
9.4. Reasons for Involuntary Demotionp. 93
9.5. Who Notifies the Airman of Demotion Actionp. 95
9.6. Processing Demotionsp. 95
9.7. How to Appealp. 96
9.8. How to Apply for Retirementp. 97
9.9. Determining Date of Rankp. 97
9.10. Grades to Demote Airmenp. 97
9.11. Announcing and Revoking Demotionsp. 97
9.12. Documenting Demotion Actions. The MPF or ARPC:p. 98
Chapter 10—AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG) PROMOTION PROGRAMp. 99
10.1. General Promotion Information and Eligibility Criteriap. 99
10.2. ANG Promotion Ineligibility Factors. Table 10.2p. 106
10.3. ANG Position Vacancyp. 109
10.5. ANG STEP I Promotions Program (TSgt – MSgt)p. 109
Chapter 11—AIR NATIONAL GUARD (ANG) ENLISTED DEMOTIONSp. 118
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 125
Attachment 2—STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING – PREMIER BANDp. 133
Attachment 3—EPME ATTENDANCE WAIVER FOR PROMOTIONp. 134
Attachment 7—ANG – SAMPLE BIOGRAPHYp. 138

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AFI 36-2502

AFI 36-2502 — index record

From the publication itself

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Summary of changes, as printed

Contents

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