According to this article, the primary reason for the change in promotion opportunity was to boost LAF FGO manning. It also had the secondary effects of “reinforcing trust and confidence in squadron leadership” and “reducing administrative burdens on squadron commanders.”
So this *was* an attempt to empower commanders. As far as the mess up, I’d say it lies with the authority who decided to scrub the records at the HAF. Unless SRs neglected to submit a PRF for individuals with an “Article 15, court-martial, referral report, or letter of reprimand,” I think the scrub was unnecessary.
Even if they had neglected to submit such PRFs, the scrub was probably unnecessary. I haven’t heard of anyone rescrubbing the records of LTs promoting to Captain. I’m sure some SRs neglect to submit PRFs for them when they have negative indicators. Why don’t they rescrub those records? Is it because a Major has more authority? Maybe.
Maybe the original reason for the change is no longer a problem? If FGO manning is now healthy, maybe the bosses decided they wanted to execute the old way.
In the end, nobody knows the specifics on why the release got delayed. Hopefully leadership steps up and tells everyone why.