AFI 36-2504: OFFICER PROMOTION, CONTINUATION, AND SELECTIVE EARLY…

AFI 36-2504 — index record

Number	AFI 36-2504
Title	OFFICER PROMOTION, CONTINUATION, AND SELECTIVE EARLY REMOVAL IN THE RESERVE OF THE AIR FORCE
Published	August 4, 2023
Certified current	August 4, 2023
Guidance memorandum	August 5, 2026
Office of primary responsibility	AF/RE
Issued by	Headquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the index	Current
Last index action	GM, August 5, 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 (148 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 Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 36-21, Utilization and Classification of Military Personnel; DAFPD 36-25, Military Promotion and Demotion; and DAFPD 36-26, Total Force Development and Management. It describes Air Force responsibilities under Title 10, United States Code (USC); Chapter 38, Joint Officer Management; Chapter 43, Rank and Command; and Chapter 77, Posthumous Commissions and Warrants; and Subtitle E, Part III, Promotion and Retention of Officers on the Reserve Active-Status List; Title 32 USC, Chapter 3, Personnel; 37 USC, Section 201; Defense Officer Personnel Management Act; Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act; Executive Order 12396, Defense Officer Personnel Management Act; Executive Order 13358, Assignment of Functions Relating to Certain Appointments, Promotions, and Commissions in the Armed Forces; Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1215.17, Educational Requirements for Appointment to a Grade Above First

Summary of changes, as printed

This interim change modifies board membership requirements in paragraph 5.3.4, removes reporting requirements in paragraphs 5.34, 6.6.2, and 18.2, and updates Attachment 7. It also increases the age limit for promotion to Brigadier General and Major General in the AFR. This instruction applies to AFR and ANG, but change in age limit only applies to AFR promotions. Where it does not apply to both components, the chapter, paragraph and attachment will reflect to which component it does apply. Previous major changes include the addition of Chapter 9, guidance on conducting Special Selection Review Boards (SSRB) for officers to the grades of AFI36-2504 4 AUGUST 2023 3 major through major general and frocking (early pin-on) for general officers (GOs). A margin bar (|) indicates newly revised material. Part 1—GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 12

Part 1—GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURESp. 12
Chapter 1—OVERVIEWp. 12
Chapter 2—ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 14
Part 2—PROMOTIONSp. 21
Chapter 3—PROMOTION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAp. 21
Chapter 4—AIR FORCE RESERVE POSITION VACANCY (PV) PROMOTIONp. 24
Chapter 5—PROMOTION BOARD REQUIREMENTSp. 28
Chapter 6—POST-BOARD INSTRUCTIONSp. 47
Chapter 7—SPECIAL PROMOTION ISSUESp. 56
Chapter 8—PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONS (PPAS)p. 61
Section 8A—Promotion List Delays and Removalsp. 62
Section 8B—Not Qualified for Promotion Actionsp. 68
Section 8C—Other Promotion Propriety Actionsp. 71
Chapter 9—SPECIAL SELECTION REVIEW BOARDS (SSRBS)p. 73
Chapter 11—SPECIAL SELECTION BOARDSp. 83
Chapter 12—SPECIAL BOARDSp. 91
Part 3—SELECTIVE CONTINUATIONp. 94
Chapter 13—AIR RESERVE COMPONENT SELECTIVE CONTINUATION BOARDSp. 94
Chapter 14—AIR FORCE RESERVE SELECTIVE EARLY REMOVAL BOARDSp. 97
Part 4—BRIGADIER AND MAJOR GENERAL SELECTION ANDp. 98
Chapter 15—PROMOTION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAp. 98
Chapter 16—PRE-BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL INSTRUCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIESp. 100
Chapter 17—CONDUCTING THE BOARDp. 101
Chapter 18—POST-BOARD INSTRUCTIONSp. 114
Chapter 19—SPECIAL GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION ACTIONSp. 117
Chapter 20—GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONSp. 119
Chapter 22—GENERAL OFFICER SPECIAL SELECTION REVIEW BOARDS (SSRBS)p. 133
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 134
Attachment 3—PROMOTION CEREMONIESp. 151
Attachment 4—NOT QUALIFIED FOR SELECTIVE CONTINUATION (SAMPLE)p. 152
Attachment 5—REMOVAL FROM SELECTIVE CONTINUATION LIST (SAMPLE)p. 154
Attachment 7—SAMPLE ADVERSE INFORMATION SUMMARY (T-0)p. 157

All 120 contents entries

Part 1—GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURESp. 12
Chapter 1—OVERVIEWp. 12
1.1. Overviewp. 12
1.2. Strategic Level Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 12
1.3. Promotion of Officers to Colonel and Belowp. 12
1.4. Selective Continuationp. 12
1.5. Brigadier and Major General Selection / Federal Recognition Programsp. 12
1.6. Program Objectivesp. 12
Chapter 2—ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 14
2.1. Promotion of Officers to Colonel and Belowp. 14
2.2. Selective Continuation. AF/REP and NGB/A1 Responsibilitiesp. 15
2.4. Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC)p. 18
2.5. Military Personnel Flight (MPF) or equivalent human resource support functionp. 19
2.6. Commanderp. 19
2.7. Senior Raterp. 20
2.8. Eligible Officerp. 20
2.9. U.S. Government Officials, Civilian Personnel, and Service Membersp. 20
Part 2—PROMOTIONSp. 21
Chapter 3—PROMOTION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAp. 21
3.1. Eligibility for Promotion to First Lieutenantp. 21
3.2. Eligibility for Promotion to Captain through Colonelp. 21
3.3. Eligibility for Position Vacancyp. 22
3.4. Promotion Ineligibilityp. 22
Chapter 4—AIR FORCE RESERVE POSITION VACANCY (PV) PROMOTIONp. 24
4.1. Purposep. 24
4.2. Vacancy Determinationp. 24
4.3. Eligibility Criteriap. 24
4.4. Identifying Eligible Officersp. 25
4.5. Ineligible Officersp. 26
4.6. Nominating Officers To Fill Vacanciesp. 26
4.7. War or National Emergencyp. 27
4.8. AFR Position Vacancy Time in Grade (TIG) Eligibility Criteriap. 27
Chapter 5—PROMOTION BOARD REQUIREMENTSp. 28
5.1. Overview. (Does not apply to ANG federal review recognition board (FRRB))p. 28
5.2. Rules Governing All Boardsp. 28
5.3. Selection Board Membershipp. 28
5.4. Board Presidentp. 29
5.5. Board Membersp. 30
5.6. Board Recordersp. 30
5.7. Rules Governing Communications With Boardsp. 31
5.8. Letters to a Boardp. 31
5.9. Adverse Informationp. 32
5.10. Information used by the Board includes:p. 37
5.11. SecAF Instructionsp. 38
5.12. Board Member Preparationp. 39
5.13. Conducting Trial Runsp. 39
5.14. Record Distribution Proceduresp. 39
5.15. Scoring Recordsp. 39
5.16. Scoring Scalesp. 40
5.18. Resolving “Splitsp. 40
5.19. New Documentsp. 41
5.20. Identifying “Show Cause” Recordsp. 41
5.21. Promotion Quota Computationp. 41
5.22. Establishing “Cut Lines.”p. 41
5.23. Objective Quality Reviewp. 41
5.24. Re-establishing the “Cut Lines.”p. 42
5.25. Adverse Information Reviewp. 42
5.26. Board President Quality Reviewp. 42
5.27. Gray Resolutionp. 43
5.28. Skillset Requirements Proceduresp. 43
5.29. Fully Qualified Select Listp. 44
5.30. Merit-Based Reorderingp. 44
5.31. Resolution of “Show Cause” (SC)p. 44
5.32. Selective Continuationp. 44
5.33. Board Reportp. 45
5.34. Additional Reportsp. 45
5.35. Board Anomaliesp. 45
5.36. Out-briefing Board Membersp. 45
5.37. Releasing Board Informationp. 46
Chapter 6—POST-BOARD INSTRUCTIONSp. 47
6.1. Approving Board Reportsp. 47
6.3. AF/REP and NGB/A1p. 47
6.4. Board Recordersp. 47
6.5. Board Presidentp. 47
6.6. ARPC Selection Board Secretariat (PB):p. 47
6.7. NGB/A1Pp. 48
6.8. MPF or equivalent human resource support functionp. 48
6.9. Determining Promotion Sequencep. 49
6.10. Post Board Screenp. 49
6.11. SecAF Promotion Withholdsp. 49
6.12. Notifying Officers Selected for Promotion top. 51
6.13. Notifying Officers Not Selected for Promotionp. 51
6.14. Failure of Selection for Promotionp. 51
6.15. Effect of Twice Failing Promotion to Captain, Major, or Lieutenant Colonelp. 52
6.16. Publishing Promotion Ordersp. 52
6.17. When to Promote the Officerp. 52
6.18. Conducting Promotion Ceremoniesp. 52
6.19. Retirement Restrictions for Promotionp. 53
Chapter 7—SPECIAL PROMOTION ISSUESp. 56
7.1. Posthumous Promotionsp. 56
7.2. Transferring Promotions to a Reserve Active Status Listp. 56
7.4. AGR Promotion Proceduresp. 58
7.5. Exclusion from Promotion Considerationp. 59
7.6. Effect of Transfer From RASL or Dischargep. 60
7.7. Requirement for Bachelor’s Degreep. 60
Chapter 8—PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONS (PPAS)p. 61
8.1. When to Question Promotionsp. 61
8.2. How to Document Reasons for PPAp. 61
Section 8A—Promotion List Delays and Removalsp. 62
Section 8B—Not Qualified for Promotion Actionsp. 68
Section 8C—Other Promotion Propriety Actionsp. 71
Chapter 9—SPECIAL SELECTION REVIEW BOARDS (SSRBS)p. 73
Chapter 11—SPECIAL SELECTION BOARDSp. 83
Chapter 12—SPECIAL BOARDSp. 91
Part 3—SELECTIVE CONTINUATIONp. 94
Chapter 13—AIR RESERVE COMPONENT SELECTIVE CONTINUATION BOARDSp. 94
Chapter 14—AIR FORCE RESERVE SELECTIVE EARLY REMOVAL BOARDSp. 97
Part 4—BRIGADIER AND MAJOR GENERAL SELECTION ANDp. 98
Chapter 15—PROMOTION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAp. 98
Chapter 16—PRE-BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL INSTRUCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIESp. 100
Chapter 17—CONDUCTING THE BOARDp. 101
Chapter 18—POST-BOARD INSTRUCTIONSp. 114
Chapter 19—SPECIAL GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION ACTIONSp. 117
Chapter 20—GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONSp. 119
Chapter 22—GENERAL OFFICER SPECIAL SELECTION REVIEW BOARDS (SSRBS)p. 133
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 134
Attachment 3—PROMOTION CEREMONIESp. 151
Attachment 4—NOT QUALIFIED FOR SELECTIVE CONTINUATION (SAMPLE)p. 152
Attachment 5—REMOVAL FROM SELECTIVE CONTINUATION LIST (SAMPLE)p. 154
Attachment 7—SAMPLE ADVERSE INFORMATION SUMMARY (T-0)p. 157

Other AFI publications nearby in the series

829 AFI records on the Air Force index. Search the full index.

Works of the United States Government are not subject to copyright (17 U.S.C. § 105). This site is not affiliated with the Department of the Air Force or any government agency.

AFI 36-2504

AFI 36-2504 — index record

From the publication itself

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Summary of changes, as printed

Contents

Other AFI publications nearby in the series

Calculators for the subject of this series