Promotion and PRF Information

[Wing Sweep]

My Sq/CC is aking for our PRF drafts NLT the 3rd week of Sep. If the dates above are correct, 15 months lead time (to the board convening) doesn't seem right.

[Champ Kind]

15 months lead time

Gotta have time to make those edits...

[ChiefSlapahoe]

My Sq/CC is aking for our PRF drafts NLT the 3rd week of Sep. If the dates above are correct, 15 months lead time (to the board convening) doesn't seem right.

I'm just guessing but he/she might be leaning forward and getting them gathered up in case the board is announced at the last minute to make sure there's something ready to go. I haven't heard anybody else in that year group being notified or told to start getting their PRF's together.

[Wing Sweep]

...in case the board is announced at the last minute...

As in the board being announced this year? Could AFPC seriously be thinking about convening a board prior to the end of the CY?

[Wing Sweep]

and if you PCS inside the 150 days from Base A to Base B, you will compete against the dudes from Base A?

[NotADude]

So I was bored on AF Portal waiting for them to post the Oct 13 increments when I decided to scroll down and read the comments. Then I saw this gem:

"You can view officer manning by grade (authorized and assigned) and then break out manning by AFSC on this site: https://www.thrmistest.hq.af.mil/scripts/thrmis_report_loader.asp?ReportID=826"

"Mr. McCarthy, Thank you for posting that link. Can you explain it a little bit? It looks like the AF is about ~1300 Majors under authorized end strength for FY14. Am I reading that correctly?"

I'm assuming you need a CAC to access the report, but maybe not. The kicker is this: if the AF is under authorized end strength by ~1300 Majors, and there are still 1220 Capts that need to pin on just from LAF, what are the chances the remaining will pin on in Oct after a new FY has started? Or will it just be 113 again like every month since forever?

It'll prolly be the latter, but still-what the eff is going on?

[Liquid]

Unless AFPC changes something, they should announce the board for next year between now and December. They can't have a board this year because you need to have at least 150 days remaining in the year. That 150 days is for the PRF accounting date.

I've been trying to work on my PRF but I have not gotten very far.

Work on your PRF? Why would your commander allow you to do that?

[C17Driver]

Work on your PRF? Why would your commander allow you to do that?

You're being facetious right?

While I've had Commanders comment they would take care of it (PRF), I also realized how busy they were and that the junior exec would end up doing the initial hack....I would rather write my own...I know my record better than the Lt that broke his leg and ended up being an Exec because he couldn't go anywhere anyways.

[ChiefSlapahoe]

Work on your PRF? Why would your commander allow you to do that?

And we're not supposed to write our own OPRs even though every CRO form you sign says you're not allowed to do it...you still do.

[C17Driver]

And we're not supposed to write our own OPRs even though every CRO form you sign says you're not allowed to do it...you still do.

I was just providing information in bullet format...that happened to fit perfectly on the OPR.

[Champ Kind]

Work on your PRF? Why would your commander allow you to do that?

Glad you do/did this for the officers under your command, but if you think that all of your peers write their officers' PRFs, you are out of touch.

[LockheedFix]

Glad you do/did this for the officers under your command, but if you think that all of your peers write their officers' PRFs, you are out of touch.

I actually never saw my PRF until it had been signed...and it sucked. I can barely understand the thing and I did all the stuff that was on it. I can't imagine what the board thought.

[Champ Kind]

I actually never saw my PRF until it had been signed...and it sucked. I can barely understand the thing and I did all the stuff that was on it. I can't imagine what the board thought.

So you made no initial inputs? No first "draft"?

[LockheedFix]

So you made no initial inputs? No first "draft"?

None. And there were over 40 people meeting the board in my wing.

[Champ Kind]

None. And there were over 40 people meeting the board in my wing.

Didn't you guys have a promotion rate lower than the AF average your year?

[HossHarris]

My prf for lt col ITZ, that I had zero input on, had a strong push for ACSC on the final line. It was also identical to 2 other prf's from dudes in my squadron

Strong, inspiring attention to detail and a shining example of personal leadership from all involved.

[Muscle2002]

My prf for lt col ITZ, that I had zero input on, had a strong push for ACSC on the final line. It was also identical to 2 other prf's from dudes in my squadron

Strong, inspiring attention to detail and a shining example of personal leadership from all involved.

This was the version that went to the board or simply what the squadron drafted?

[Fifty-six & Two]

My prf for lt col ITZ, that I had zero input on, had a strong push for ACSC on the final line. It was also identical to 2 other prf's from dudes in my squadron

Strong, inspiring attention to detail and a shining example of personal leadership from all involved.

Maybe they just thought you are a late bloomer?

[USAF Pilot]

My prf for lt col ITZ, that I had zero input on, had a strong push for ACSC on the final line. It was also identical to 2 other prf's from dudes in my squadron

Strong, inspiring attention to detail and a shining example of personal leadership from all involved.

I find this a little hard to believe. There are so many people that look at these stupid things that surely someone in the 'process' would have noticed multiple PRFs that were literally the same. From the person writing it (hopefully the member) to the Sq exec & CC to the Gp exec & (possible CD) CC to the Wing exec and CC. Even someone task saturated with other crap to do should get that little feeling that...hey, I vaguely recall reading this before. Let me pull out this other PRF and..WAIT A MIN!

Wg/CCE should have caught the ACSC push for a Lt Col if not the Wg/CC

If true: I hope you grabbed your buddy and made an appointment to chat with your Senior Rater (sounds like WG/CC in this case as you were in a Sq) and plopped the two identical PRFs down and asked "WTF, Sir"

[USAF Pilot]

Work on your PRF? Why would your commander allow you to do that?

Time. To actually comb through someone's record and build the strongest PRF possible from the data available should take hours. To find that hidden theme, highlight it in a readable/digestible/effective manner is hard and possibly not worth it for all but your best (however the CC decides to define that) people. If you're writing at the Sq level there is a 99.69 chance that the PRF will look nothing like it did when the Senior Rater signes so the motivation is probably lost at the bottom and intermediate levels as it 'doesn't matter anyway, the Wing will just change it'. Everyone has an opinion on how these things should read but the only opinion that matters is the SR.

If you don't write you're own...how will you ever learn to write or what's valuable in your record? Practicing on others? I sent out email to a bunch of folks letting them know their PRFs were available for pickup. Got a reply a couple days later from one gentleman stating, "Thank you for your help with this matter. Can you please tell me where the Gp/CCE office is and what is a PRF?" Is that level of hands off what we're looking for? Someone so disconnected from the promotion process that they don't even know what a PRF is?

BTW: That email was immediately passed around, printed, framed, and is now hanging on the wall

[USAF Pilot]

Hmmm... is being DG at UPT the same as being DG of Finance, Com, LRS school? Is the #1 CGO strat of the MSG the same as the #1 strat of the OG of a flying Wing? Is the #1 CGO strat of the OG at Charleston where they have 4 flying Sqs the same as McGuire where they have 2 or maybe Andrews where they have 2 Sqs, but only a half dozen CGOs in the whole OG? When the AF sends Lt Snuffy to MIT to get his Aero Masters so he can work in a Research Lab at Hanscom is that the same as Lt Jenkins getting his Aviation Management masters from Embry Riddle Online while turning left for 8 hours a day in Sandcamp? Sorry... these things aren't even close to being comparable for all AFSCs unless all you are comparing is whether the box was checked or not. For some reason that part was left out of "The Big Picture" and Big Blue hasn't figured that out yet! I've talked to way too many O-6 types who think all of those are the same... a #1 strat is a #1 strat... a Masters is a Masters... a DG is a DG!

Couple things I've noticed

1) MSG vs OG strat - MSG will probable not have anywhere near the number of officers that the OG has. #1 CGO strat out of MSG (even a big one) probably is sub 50 as in MSG/CC's #1/40 CGOs. Most Ops squadrons have more CGOs than an entire MSG so a #1 out of OG would probably look like OG/CC's #1/220. Even if you knew nothing about a MSG or OG, the #1/220 looks better than a #1/40.

2) In the case of CHS vs WRI (I have no idea how many CGOs each has but I'll assume CHS has approx 2x as many based on above) when a PRF from each base gets to the MLR or CSB, the CHS #1/220 is stronger than WRI's #1/110. They are both #1's but the #1/220 will get the stronger push (possibly select vs candidate) .

3) Strats matter ALOT...more than I think they should. Why? Because on everyone's OPR they've personally saved POTUS, carried the golden pallet, and tanked 300 fighters that killed Gaddafi. We all seem amazing and one of the only true ways left to dishtinguish your awesomeness from my awesomeness is to put a number against it. You get #1/30 and I get #2/30.

[Dupe]

They are both #1's but the #1/220 will get the stronger push (possibly select vs candidate)

I am of the opinion that, at the top, strats don't matter. The 1/40 CGO and the 1/200 CGO will both get schools slots and be on their happy way. The challenge comes in two areas: the 80th percentile and roughly the 10th percentile. How we compare dudes for that very last school slot and how we determine the lowest guy on the promote list are extremely grey in our system. How the 8/40 CGO compares to the 40/200 guy is where a PRF-writer should be making maximum effort... I don't think that's happening.

Liquid, GC, or some other lurker GO: WG/CCs already have a DNP option for their lowest folks. I think they should also have a "Promote w/ DE in residence" container as well. If that were available for the top 10%, then their PRFs could go up blank... The top 10% stamp says all that needs to be said (a MLR scrub could confrim that a WG/CC isn't trying to sneak a guy through). Additionally, there should be an easy option for the middle of the road guys. Folks who are in the 25th - 75th percentiles (perhaps determined at MLR) should be promoted with little fanfare and maybe a one-liner or blank PRF. Commanders should be enabled to focus their efforts where it really matters. Under this scheme, PRFs should only be written for the 90th-75th percentile (those with clear future potential, but not obvious shiny pennies), and the bottom 25% (those with an unclear future in the AF). It bothers me greatly that we spend so much time writing PRFs on folks clearly far from the seams of the system.

[HossHarris]

This was the version that went to the board or simply what the squadron drafted?

Signed by the o-7 and delivered to the board.

(We got it corrected before the board convened)

[Liquid]

I figured I should learn how to write a PRF just in case I make my way up the chain of command. If I can do a great job learning how to write one then I can vector the officers that I supervise in the right direction when their PRF comes due.

I completely understand why you asked your question. My Flt/CC at SOS said a full bird wrote his PRF for major. The Col told him it was his job as his rater to write it. And he said people shouldn't be writing their own PRF's.

Your commander should draft your PRF. The best way to help is to highlight key accomplishments like combat, upgrades, participation in major world events, breadth, depth, distinction, etc. At the wing level, the record is reviewed to make sure sq and grp CC's put it the right highlights and modify the PRF style to senior rater preferences. Some board members read the whole PRF, some skim the top and bottom lines and the left side. The least interesting/useful info should be at the end of the middle to bottom bullets since they get read less frequently. Strong top and bottom bullets are keys. Scanning the records themselves is better since too many senior raters speed/lie on the PRF. That is dangerous as senior rater credibility is very important to board members. For instance, if you were the copilot of the month and the OPR say #1/30 as the copilot of the month and the PRF says "#1/30...great guy..." you will get hammered on your score due to senior rater speeding. Stratified DPs and Ps in the push line carry a lot of weight. Be very careful about writing your own ticket. It is easy to see in a record, since the style is the same on different reports with different raters. If the same senior rater has drastically different styles on his PRFs, it shows he didn't write the PRFs and does really care about his guys. Most senior raters get this and protect their credibility.

Bottom line, you should not write your own ticket, in oprs, prfs or decs. Provide good info about what you did, but let your rater write it in their style. Monitor and assist for mistakes, omissions and timeliness. Sq and group CCs that allow it are lazy, not taking care of their troops and should get a boot up their ass. And I get it. It happens because there are shitty commanders who only planned Christmas parties, got useless degrees and avoided deployments. Doesn't mean we should tolerate it.

I am of the opinion that, at the top, strats don't matter. The 1/40 CGO and the 1/200 CGO will both get schools slots and be on their happy way. The challenge comes in two areas: the 80th percentile and roughly the 10th percentile. How we compare dudes for that very last school slot and how we determine the lowest guy on the promote list are extremely grey in our system. How the 8/40 CGO compares to the 40/200 guy is where a PRF-writer should be making maximum effort... I don't think that's happening.

Liquid, GC, or some other lurker GO: WG/CCs already have a DNP option for their lowest folks. I think they should also have a "Promote w/ DE in residence" container as well. If that were available for the top 10%, then their PRFs could go up blank... The top 10% stamp says all that needs to be said (a MLR scrub could confrim that a WG/CC isn't trying to sneak a guy through). Additionally, there should be an easy option for the middle of the road guys. Folks who are in the 25th - 75th percentiles (perhaps determined at MLR) should be promoted with little fanfare and maybe a one-liner or blank PRF. Commanders should be enabled to focus their efforts where it really matters. Under this scheme, PRFs should only be written for the 90th-75th percentile (those with clear future potential, but not obvious shiny pennies), and the bottom 25% (those with an unclear future in the AF). It bothers me greatly that we spend so much time writing PRFs on folks clearly far from the seams of the system.

Yep. The tough part is getting your top people into the school selects. Strats matter there.

[17D_guy]

Work on your PRF? Why would your commander allow you to do that?

Not only did I write my own PRF (for Capt, no less), it got kicked back multiple times to me from the O5 exec for word-smithing corrections. My Navy supervisor was amused since once they hand-off to an upper level all corrections take place their.

Then I got to fill out the stupid f#cking paperwork for the SR to rack and stack. You know, the excel spreadsheet with PT score, Master's progress, awards, etc. Plus the other excel spreadsheet where I listed each line of the PRF, and which OPR they came from...then highlighted the lines on the hard copy OPR's that got routed up.

I'd like to say this was because I'm joint right now. But the O5 is an AF pilot who had to do this for exactly 2 officers.