The Air Force has adjusted the published promotion increment window from 1 to 3 months to provide more planning time for officers and officiating officials. These quarterly increments will be posted 30 days prior to the beginning of the quarter. The increments will not change once published, and every effort will be made to maintain consistent increment levels for future months. However, promotion increments outside the published 3-month window are subject to change, especially the last quarter of the fiscal year as the Air Force must meet mandatory DOPMA and end-strength levels by the end of each fiscal year.
Pin-on plans should not be finalized until increments are officially posted. It is recommended officers hold pin-on ceremonies on the last duty day before the effective date of an officer's promotion. However, pin-on ceremonies may be held earlier than the duty day before the effective date. The officer being promoted may not wear the new rank until the actual promotion effective date or frocking effective date. The promotion is not effective until the date specified on the promotion order, and the early ceremony will not affect the officer's pay, seniority, or entitlements.
Commanders must continually review an officer's suitability for promotion and approve promotions in writing. The Military Personnel Flight (MPF) provide listings to commanders each month for their approval. Commanders initiate propriety actions according to AFI 36-2501, Chapter 5, when it is determined the officer should not be promoted.
Promotions will consummate and flow to the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) files on the promotion effective date, but they will not change in Military Personnel Data System (MilPDS)/vMPF until the day after the promotion.