Air Force separates promotion release dates for master sergeant, technical sergeant Published April 6, 2009 By Staff Sgt. Steve Grever Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Air Force officials are initiating a new process to separate the release dates for the master sergeant and technical sergeant promotion lists. After 12 years of being the only ranks to have their release dates combined, the new master sergeant promotion list will now be released on May 14 and the technical sergeant list will be released on June 18. According to Col. Benjamin Ward, Air Force Personnel Center operations division chief for the personnel services directorate, the separation was long overdue and will give individual recognition to promotion selectees from each respective rank. "The need to keep these two ranks together no longer exists. Separating the two lists gives Airmen on both promotion lists their day in the spotlight," said Colonel Ward. In 1997, the Master Sergeant and Technical Sergeant promotion release dates were combined to streamline the release procedure. However, since the inception of the virtual Enlisted Promotion Release Application, Air Force Personnel Center officials have made great strides to improve the promotion release process. AFPC officials stress that even though the promotion release dates are changing, the dates of the promotion cycle will remain the same. Master Sergeant and Technical Sergeant eligible airmen will still test from 1 February through March 31 and the promotion cycle will still begin on July 1 each year. "The promotion month will remain the same," said Senior Master Sgt. Rita Ambrose, enlisted promotions management superintendent. "Everyone will still test at the same time and the promotion cycle will remain the same; we are just changing the day we publicly release the results." Airmen who have questions regarding the new promotion release dates should contact their base force support squadron customer service section or the Total Force Service Center at (800) 525-0102.