Award questions

[TheSkyHornet]

Perhaps in the above cases it's an SOP in that wing that the squadron submits the recommendation for promotion to group who reviews it to provide their own recommendation to wing based off the squadron report. This is just an assumption of course.

Conducting the promotion board at echelon is the reg under 35-5. The Wing Commander approving it is the reg under 35-5. NHQ may be okay with a further review by group before it goes to wing, but the group doesn't have the authority to halt it, just make their comments on the matter.

That's incorrect.  If the Group Commander feels that the promotion is inappropriate, he most certainly can halt it right there.  Disapproval can come at any level, but final approval may only be granted by the promoting authority.

You are right. I stand corrected there.

According to CAPR 35-5:

1-8e. If any commander in the chain of command disapproves a recommendation for promotion
or request for waiver, he or she will so indicate, providing a reason for the denial, over his or
her signature on the CAPF 2 and will return the CAPF 2 to the initiator through channels. If the
National Awards and Promotion Team denies a request for waiver, it will provide a reason for
the denial and return the request to the initiator through channels. In neither case does such
disapproval preclude the individual from being recommended for promotion at some future date.

If the group commander disapproves, it can be sent back to the initiating official (i.e., Squadron CC).

However, for online promotions, the CAPF 2 goes to the approving authority (i.e., Wing Commander):

1-8b. Duty performance promotions may be processed on-line or by submitting a CAPF 2,
Request for Promotion Action. On-line promotions may be initiated by the personnel officer or
any member designated by the unit commander and provided permission by the web security
administrator. Once initiated online, the promotion request will be automatically forwarded to
the unit commander for approval. Upon approval of the unit commander, the promotion will be
automatically forwarded through the chain of command to the approving authority for final
action.

The board comes from the echelon of the person being promoted, not the echelon of the promoting authority. A Captain-to-Major promotion for a squadron member undergoes review at the squadron level, not at the wing level. Wing only makes the sign-off for promotion.

1-10a. Officer. The commander at each echelon will appoint a promotion board to consider
all promotion and demotion actions and make recommendations to the promoting authority.

I guess CAP left this was somewhat open to interpretation as it isn't spelled out 100%, but going solely off the text, I would say the commander at the echelon would be the commander of the person undergoing promotion review, not the next-higher echelon commander. This does not say higher echelon or echelon of the promoting authority. If that were the case, this should say something along the lines of "The promoting authority at each echelon will appoint a promotion board to consider all promotion and demotion actions and make recommendations to the promoting authority."

[JeffDG]

If the group commander disapproves, it can be sent back to the initiating official (i.e., Squadron CC).

However, for online promotions, the CAPF 2 goes to the approving authority (i.e., Wing Commander):

No.  For a promotion to Major, it goes from the squadron commander to the Group Commander, to the Wing Commander for approval, even in the online system.  The Group Commander is still entirely free to disapprove, and when doing so, the Group Commander's comments will be sent back to the squadron.  In such case, the Wing Commander will not see it.

I guess CAP left this was somewhat open to interpretation as it isn't spelled out 100%, but going solely off the text, I would say the commander at the echelon would be the commander of the person undergoing promotion review, not the next-higher echelon commander. This does not say higher echelon or echelon of the promoting authority. If that were the case, this should say something along the lines of "The promoting authority at each echelon will appoint a promotion board to consider all promotion and demotion actions and make recommendations to the promoting authority."

Commanders appoint boards to advise themselves, not to advise higher-echelon commanders.  The Promoting Authority is the Wing Commander for major, so the Wing Commander appoints the promotion board for final approval.

That does not prohibit the Squadron or Group Commanders from using their own promotion boards to review and advise them on their approvals on the same promotion.

[TheSkyHornet]

If the group commander disapproves, it can be sent back to the initiating official (i.e., Squadron CC).

However, for online promotions, the CAPF 2 goes to the approving authority (i.e., Wing Commander):

No.  For a promotion to Major, it goes from the squadron commander to the Group Commander, to the Wing Commander for approval, even in the online system.  The Group Commander is still entirely free to disapprove, and when doing so, the Group Commander's comments will be sent back to the squadron.  In such case, the Wing Commander will not see it.

I guess CAP left this was somewhat open to interpretation as it isn't spelled out 100%, but going solely off the text, I would say the commander at the echelon would be the commander of the person undergoing promotion review, not the next-higher echelon commander. This does not say higher echelon or echelon of the promoting authority. If that were the case, this should say something along the lines of "The promoting authority at each echelon will appoint a promotion board to consider all promotion and demotion actions and make recommendations to the promoting authority."

Commanders appoint boards to advise themselves, not to advise higher-echelon commanders.  The Promoting Authority is the Wing Commander for major, so the Wing Commander appoints the promotion board for final approval.

That does not prohibit the Squadron or Group Commanders from using their own promotion boards to review and advise them on their approvals on the same promotion.

Ah. Clears that up then. If this is the case, perhaps CAPR 35-5 should be revised to accurately reflect the process verbatim. It seems that once again there are opposing ideas of how the system works or is intended to work because the regulation is not so crystal.

But thanks for the clarification.  Not that I'll have to worry about that promotion review for some time