I am the Professional Development Officer in our squadron and am not sure on how to handle the following scenario:
My squadron commander has been working with the Cadet Program for years - even before he became the Squadron Commander. He recently approached me and asked what he needs to get done to get his Senior Rating. I pulled up the checklist and we went over it. He has done everything on there. My dilemma is that for any other member, I would initial the various lines and have the Squadron Commander sign off on them and it would go into the member's personnel file to document his achievement. I would also put it in e-services where the Squadron Commander would approve it.
Pretty straightforward, but I feel awkward doing the same when the member being discussed is the Squadron Commander. So, in these cases, who signs off on the Commander's achievements?
Thanks,
Group commander might be a good start. That's who I had sign mine when I was a commander and that's who signed them when I was in a similar situation as a squadron staffer.
My suggestion:
1. Enter the Specialty track completion in eServices.
2. Prepare an email for the commander to send to the next higher commander - group or wing - requesting approval of the specialty track rating and include the completed checklist.
3. Have your commander send the email.
4. Prepare an appropriate public recognition of the commander's achievement. Consider asking the approving commander to come by to present the new badge.
You would then send it to wing/ group
I just had to go through this with my own Squadron Commander since I am the PDO. You submit it in eServices and it gets sent to the group commander for approval and validation instead of the Squadron Commander.
Anything you put in for your squadron commander: ratings, awards, etc all have to go to the next higher command for approval. The commander can not approve them and no one under the commander can either.