DAFI 36-2501: OFFICER PROMOTIONS AND SELECTIVE CONTINUATION

DAFI 36-2501 — index record

Number	DAFI 36-2501
Title	OFFICER PROMOTIONS AND SELECTIVE CONTINUATION
Published	January 12, 2024
Certified current	October 8, 2024
Guidance memorandum	August 5, 2026
Office of primary responsibility	AF/A1
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 (107 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 the Air Force Policy Directive (DAFPD) 36-25, Military Promotions and Demotions; DAFPD 36-21, Utilization and Classification of Military Personnel; and DAFPD 36-26, Total Force Development and Management. The instruction establishes the objectives and procedures for promoting Department of the Air Force Regular Air Force (RegAF) commissioned officers from second lieutenant to colonel (Part 1); outlines how to continue RegAF officers twice non-selected for promotion and provides details on selective continuation boards and special selection review boards (Part 2); and outlines objectives and procedures for promoting officers to the grades of brigadier and major general (Part 3). In collaboration with the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital (SF/S1), the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services (AF/A1) develops personnel policy for officer promotions and selective continuation. This publication applies to Department of the Air

Summary of changes, as printed

This interim change revises DAFI36-2501 by updating the gender ideology as defined in the Presidential Executive Order Defending Women. Changes have also been made by outlining DAF specific processing requirements and criteria for honorary promotions. A margin bar (|) indicates newly revised material. PART 1 - Promotion of ACTIVE-DUTY List (ADL) Officers to Colonel and BeloW

Chapter 1—PRE-BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 10
Chapter 2—CONDUCTING THE BOARDp. 17
Chapter 3—POST-BOARD INSTRUCTIONSp. 34
Chapter 4—SPECIAL PROMOTION ISSUESp. 40
Chapter 5—PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONS (PPAS)p. 50
Section 5A—Promotion List Removals and Delaysp. 51
Section 5B—Not Qualified for Promotion (NQP) Actionsp. 57
Section 5C—Other Promotion Propriety Actionsp. 60
Chapter 6—SPECIAL SELECTION BOARDS (SSBS)p. 62
Chapter 7—SELECTIVE CONTINUATION PROGRAMp. 70
Chapter 9—ORGANIZATIONAL REPONSIBILITIESp. 85
Chapter 12—GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONS (PPA)p. 104
Chapter 13—SPECIAL GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION ACTIONSp. 108
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 111
Attachment 2—PROMOTION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAp. 124
Attachment 4—OATH OF OFFICEp. 128
Attachment 5—PROMOTION NARRATIVEp. 129
Attachment 6—DECLINATION OF PROMOTION STATEMENTp. 130
Attachment 8—REMOVAL FROM SELECTIVE CONTINUATION LIST (SAMPLE)p. 133
Attachment 9—SPECIAL BOARDS INSTRUCTIONSp. 134

All 120 contents entries

Chapter 1—PRE-BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIESp. 10
1.1. Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF)p. 10
1.2. The Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF) / The Chief of Space Operationsp. 11
1.4. Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force (SAF/IG)p. 11
1.6. Developmental Category Leadsp. 12
1.7. Headquartersp. 13
1.8. Military Personnel Flight (MPF)p. 15
1.9. Commanderp. 15
1.10. Senior Raterp. 15
1.11. Eligible Officerp. 15
Chapter 2—CONDUCTING THE BOARDp. 17
2.1. Program Objectivesp. 17
2.2. Rules Governing All Boardsp. 17
2.3. Selection Board Membershipp. 17
2.4. Organizing Boardsp. 19
2.5. Board Presidentp. 19
2.6. Board Membersp. 19
2.7. Board Recordersp. 20
2.8. Administrative Support Staffp. 20
2.9. Rules Governing Communications With Boardsp. 21
2.10. Letters to a Boardp. 21
2.11. What Information Meets the Boardp. 22
2.12. Instructing Boardsp. 24
2.13. Board Member Preparationp. 25
2.14. Conducting Trial Runsp. 25
2.15. Record Distribution Proceduresp. 25
2.16. Scoring Recordsp. 26
2.17. Scoring Scalesp. 26
2.19. Resolvingp. 27
2.20. New Documentsp. 27
2.21. Identifying "Show Cause" Recordsp. 27
2.22. Promotion Quota Computationp. 27
2.23. Establishing "Cut Lines”p. 27
2.24. Establishing the Initial "Gray" Zonep. 28
2.25. Objective Quality Review (OQR)p. 28
2.26. Re-establishing the "Cut Lines”p. 29
2.27. Adverse Information Reviewp. 29
2.28. Board President Quality Reviewp. 29
2.29. Gray Resolutionp. 29
2.30. Scoring BPZ Records (if applicable)p. 30
2.31. BPZ Displacement (if applicable)p. 30
2.32. Fully Qualified Select Listp. 30
2.33. Skillset Requirements Proceduresp. 30
2.34. Merit-Based Reorderingp. 31
2.35. Resolution of "Show Cause”p. 31
2.36. Selective Continuationp. 31
2.37. Board Reportp. 32
2.38. Additional Reportsp. 32
2.39. Outbriefing Board Membersp. 32
2.40. Board Anomaliesp. 32
2.41. Listsp. 33
2.42. Removing an Officer From a Board Reportp. 33
2.43. Releasing Board Informationp. 33
Chapter 3—POST-BOARD INSTRUCTIONSp. 34
3.1. Board Recordersp. 34
3.2. Board Presidentp. 34
3.3. AFPCp. 34
3.4. MPFp. 35
3.5. Determining Promotion Sequencep. 35
3.6. Post Board Screeningp. 36
3.7. SecAF Promotion Withholdsp. 36
3.8. Notifying Officers Selected for Promotionp. 38
3.9. NotifyingOfficers Not Selected for Promotionp. 38
3.10. Effects of Nonselection for Promotionp. 39
3.11. Publishing Promotion Ordersp. 39
3.12. When to Promote the Officerp. 39
3.13. Promotion to Field Grade Officerp. 39
3.14. Conducting Promotion Ceremoniesp. 39
3.15. Retirement Restrictions for Promotionp. 39
3.16. Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC) for Promotionsp. 39
Chapter 4—SPECIAL PROMOTION ISSUESp. 40
4.1. Exclusion from Promotion Considerationp. 40
4.2. Declining a Promotionp. 41
4.3. Frocking (Early Pin-On)p. 42
4.4. Posthumous Promotionsp. 43
4.5. Honorary Promotionsp. 44
4.6. Transferring Promotions to an Active Duty Promotion Listp. 46
4.7. Temporary Promotionsp. 46
Chapter 5—PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONS (PPAS)p. 50
5.1. When to Question Promotionsp. 50
5.2. How to Document Reasons for PPAp. 50
Section 5A—Promotion List Removals and Delaysp. 51
5.3. Initiating Authoritiesp. 51
5.4. Delaying a Promotionp. 51
5.5. Resolving a Promotion Delayp. 53
5.6. Removing First Lieutenants through Lieutenant Colonels from a Promotion Listp. 54
5.7. How to Initiate a Promotion List Removal, Delay, or Resolution of Delay Actionp. 55
5.8. How to Process Promotion List Removal or Delay Actionsp. 55
Section 5B—Not Qualified for Promotion (NQP) Actionsp. 57
5.9. Recommending a Second Lieutenant NQPp. 57
Section 5C—Other Promotion Propriety Actionsp. 60
5.10. Removing an Officer from a Report of a Selection Boardp. 60
5.11. Promotion Deviation from Sequence Number Orderp. 61
Chapter 6—SPECIAL SELECTION BOARDS (SSBS)p. 62
6.1. Generalp. 62
6.2. SSB Approval Authorityp. 62
6.3. Conditions That May Warrant an SSBp. 62
6.4. Submitting Appeals for SSBsp. 62
6.5. SSB Proceduresp. 63
6.6. Presentation of the SSB to the Board Membersp. 63
6.7. Board Compositionp. 63
6.8. Board Member Preparationp. 64
6.9. Scoring Recordsp. 64
6.10. Scoring Scalesp. 64
6.11. Defining "Splits”p. 65
6.12. Resolving "Splits”p. 65
6.13. Identifying "Show Cause" Recordsp. 65
6.14. Promotion Quota for SSBs and Select or Nonselect Statusp. 65
6.15. Board President Quality Reviewp. 66
Chapter 7—SELECTIVE CONTINUATION PROGRAMp. 70
Chapter 9—ORGANIZATIONAL REPONSIBILITIESp. 85
Chapter 12—GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION PROPRIETY ACTIONS (PPA)p. 104
Chapter 13—SPECIAL GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTION ACTIONSp. 108
Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 111
Attachment 2—PROMOTION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIAp. 124
Attachment 4—OATH OF OFFICEp. 128
Attachment 5—PROMOTION NARRATIVEp. 129
Attachment 6—DECLINATION OF PROMOTION STATEMENTp. 130
Attachment 8—REMOVAL FROM SELECTIVE CONTINUATION LIST (SAMPLE)p. 133
Attachment 9—SPECIAL BOARDS INSTRUCTIONSp. 134

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DAFI 36-2501

DAFI 36-2501 — index record

From the publication itself

Purpose, in the publication’s words

Summary of changes, as printed

Contents

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