Promotion and PRF Information

[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.

[theat6bisasham]

Is any other command out there doing this wacky new PRF process where you have to go in sequential order??...I don't remember this for couple years ago, but now it's the norm?

The individual lines in the PRF have to be grouped together logically by year group:

#1/400 copilots[2005]; Lead IP for RF [2010];lauded by [2012] - this would be kicked back

Also, reading top to bottom, it has to go in order now they say? It looks retarded - I was always taught to put the best info at the top and bottom line, but now they have that line filled up with UPT awards and crap as a LT.....?

[TarHeelPilot]

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

I was in the middle of a 210 day deployment to Afghanistan when I was given 3 days notice from my home-unit SQ/CC to write my own PRF for O-4. The next two days I flew combat missions. The third and final day I was able to devote completely to the PRF.

[Karl Hungus]

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.

How many CCs get fired for being lazy on OPRs/PRFs? Serious question. Seems we tolerate it almost to the point of encouraging it.

[USAF Pilot]

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.

Hmmm...By allowing a Wg/CC (Senior Rater) to check a block saying this kid's my top 10% and then sending the PRF up blank, I think, would result in pushing the "who gets to go to school" down to the Wg/CC level. Maybe the top 10% folks from Hickam are more like the 20-30% range from Travis? Isn't the purpose of DPs to create a different pile of folks that are more apt to end up selects? I haven't tried to work the math on the # of DPs for say LAF Capt to Maj board vs # of school selects but I wonder if more DPs are giving out than school slots?

[Champ Kind]

Liquid,

Serious question. What is one to do when their supervisor (or even CC) tells them something to the effect of "have me a draft of your PRF by such and such date" or, even better, you are asked how your PRF is "coming along"?

As the eligible, I can't imagine you are putting yourself in a good place by telling any of the above people "naa, you write it..."

I get the impression that this isn't the way you roll, and you find it infathomable that your peers would engage in this practice. But they do. This isn't hyperbole. I have seen it.

Thoughts?

[USAF Pilot]

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.

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

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.

I've heard varying themes on what 'parts' of a PRF are important and they are similar to what Liquid has said. I've also heard the push line (bottom line on a PRF) is probably the most important just like an OPR. I also think he is correct on strat'd DPs. I'll never know for sure but for my PRF I got a DP w/o a strat (i.e. My #3/20 I/APZ O-3s--Definitely Promote!) and maybe that was where I missed school.

I did an unscientific poll at my Wing and discovered we spend about 20 man hours per PRF before it leaves the Wing. I find it completely soul crushing to hear that board members don't even bother to read the whole thing (also heard from others that they don't actually read the whole thing). If the PRF document isn't trusted or read completely, why do we (as an AF) even write one? What if the SR just strat'd each person meeting the board and we let AFPC pull the ROP for the member for the promotion board to review? No middle man (PRF), still have SR input via strat which could be added to the MEL in place of DP or P, board gets to see the source documents for the member (OPRs, TRs, Decs, etc).

[Fifty-six & Two]

I haven't tried to work the math on the # of DPs for say LAF Capt to Maj board vs # of school selects but I wonder if more DPs are giving out than school slots?

For the O-4 board, the DP allocation was around 75% if I remember correctly. "DE select" out of the promotion board goes to approximately 20% of the folks.

[backseatdriver]

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.

This is bullshit. Why is the member punished for their SR's speeding? Why doesn't the board member identify that the SR is one that is speeding, and look in the guys record themselves to score the record honestly? If we're not supposed to write the PRF ourselves, then why does a board punish us based on the SR not writing correctly? If you're sitting a board you should be ensuring the promotion of the best qualified officers for the AF - not immediately writing someone off because their boss is an idiot.

[pawnman]

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

Are you serious right now? I've never had an OPR or award where I didn't write the first draft...do you really think my commander is going to sift through a dozen OPRs, 1206s, and training reports for each of the dozen folks going to the board every year?

[Liquid]

This is bullshit. Why is the member punished for their SR's speeding? Why doesn't the board member identify that the SR is one that is speeding, and look in the guys record themselves to score the record honestly? If we're not supposed to write the PRF ourselves, then why does a board punish us based on the SR not writing correctly? If you're sitting a board you should be ensuring the promotion of the best qualified officers for the AF - not immediately writing someone off because their boss is an idiot.

When the senior rater exaggerates the record on the PRF (or flat out lies), those scoring the record may take that into account. Multiple #1s for example. If the credibility of the senior rater is questioned, how would you like them to account for it? Some may hammer the record score, some may not notice, some may disregard andnhonestlynscore. Look, I can't possibly speak for every board member or tell you what is going to happen. All I can tell you is what I learned during my experience and give advice. My advice is don't write your own ticket and don't allow misleading bullets on your PRF. I give advice to officers, commanders and board members. Sometimes it is useful, sometimes not. I don't really care if you agree with it or not. Gather as much info and advice as you can and make your own decisions about what to do and how to mentor.

[backseatdriver]

When the senior rater exaggerates the record on the PRF (or flat out lies), those scoring the record may take that into account. Multiple #1s for example. If the credibility of the senior rater is questioned, how would you like them to account for it? Some may hammer the record score, some may not notice, some may disregard andnhonestlynscore. Look, I can't possibly speak for every board member or tell you what is going to happen. All I can tell you is what I learned during my experience and give advice. My advice is don't write your own ticket and don't allow misleading bullets on your PRF. I give advice to officers, commanders and board members. Sometimes it is useful, sometimes not. I don't really care if you agree with it or not. Gather as much info and advice as you can and make your own decisions about what to do and how to mentor.

Copy all, and understand. My comment wasn't a spear at you, just at the idea that someone's record would be scored lower (and therefore possibly not get promoted) because the SR was speeding on their PRF. While I understand the importance of SR credibility to the board, my point is a board member should not penalize that individual by scoring lower based on PRF speeding IF the record otherwise supports a higher score. If there's an issue with the SR's credibility, that shouldn't automatically reflect negatively on the member.

As far as keeping misleading bullets off your PRF - that could be easier said than done. The conversation might go something like (although we all hope it wouldn't), "Sir/Ma'am, I think we should change this bullet because it (gives the wrong impression/isn't accurate/speeding)." "I disagree, we're leaving it in there." And while SR credibility is the issue, this is probably a discussion that happens at the Sq/CC level versus the SR level. And this probably happens because the Sq/CC has never been properly mentored on how to write a good PRF before they were put in charge.

Now, is that shitty leadership? Yes. Does it happen? Yes. At least the attempt was made by the member to correct it, but if board members are scoring things this way, then even if they tried to correct it, they're screwed because the board member is going to write them off because the SR is speeding.

Don't get me wrong, I truly believe that complete disregard for the OPR/PRF process isn't happening all over the place (at least I hope not) but it definitely happens. And the maddening thing about it is that someone's career/life is dependent upon whether their boss at the time has their shit together when it comes to writing reports.

Totally separate but related - isn't this one of the exact things the MLR is meant to catch?

Edited August 24, 2013 by backseatdriver

[Liquid]

Are you serious right now? I've never had an OPR or award where I didn't write the first draft...do you really think my commander is going to sift through a dozen OPRs, 1206s, and training reports for each of the dozen folks going to the board every year?

Squadron commanders should review the record and write the draft PRF with input from the member, supervisors and staff. Group commanders should edit and recommend stratifications and style. Senior raters, usually wing commanders, and their staffs should verify content, adjust style and content, stratify. and give DPs. Nowhere in this process should the member be writing and editing the bullets. I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I am saying squadron commanders that aren't deeply involved in the process are f*ing lazy and not doing their jobs.

Totally separate but related - isn't this one of the exact things the MLR is meant to catch?

Yep. The MLRs I've done did just that and provided direct feedback to the senior raters.

[Dupe]

Hmmm...By allowing a Wg/CC (Senior Rater) to check a block saying this kid's my top 10% and then sending the PRF up blank, I think, would result in pushing the "who gets to go to school" down to the Wg/CC level. Maybe the top 10% folks from Hickam are more like the 20-30% range from Travis? Isn't the purpose of DPs to create a different pile of folks that are more apt to end up selects? I haven't tried to work the math on the # of DPs for say LAF Capt to Maj board vs # of school selects but I wonder if more DPs are giving out than school slots?

So maybe the top 10% determination should be made at MLR to avoid the wing differences issue. Or maybe it should be top 5%... I'm just spit-balling here. The point is that we spend a retarded amount of time differentiating where differentiation doesn't need to be made (eg.. the very top and the fat middle). This PRF business is madness, and I'm deeply saddened that our senior leaders haven't managed to come up with anything better. Some say "our system works!" Well, the typewriter in my grandma's basement still works, too.

[Liquid]

Liquid,

Serious question. What is one to do when their supervisor (or even CC) tells them something to the effect of "have me a draft of your PRF by such and such date" or, even better, you are asked how your PRF is "coming along"?

As the eligible, I can't imagine you are putting yourself in a good place by telling any of the above people "naa, you write it..."

I get the impression that this isn't the way you roll, and you find it infathomable that your peers would engage in this practice. But they do. This isn't hyperbole. I have seen it.

Thoughts?

If you give him a draft PRF (or OPR) that has content but not style or strats. Highlight the top 20 or so things in your record that should be highlighted on the PRF. Source everything (2009 OPR, block IV line 2). Turn in more data than they need so they can choose which ones to use. Never write your own push line (last line). In July my bosses' exec asked me for a draft push line and I told him absolutely not.

I like seeing a draft filled out with nothing in the main blocks, but all the of the admin queep done, then a paragraph for each potential bullet in a word document or email. Plain language what you did and what the impact was. When someone provides only the no-vowel, chopped sentences with bullshit adjectives and fake impact (100% mission success), they are focusing too much on style. Most drafts I edit I eliminate the bullshit impact and add vowels back in. I also change the AFSC specific jargon into plain language. Nobody reads the acronym list on the back and it does no good to say something nobody understands. I've been given plenty of inputs in "bullet format" but I always changed them significantly.

I know people write their own OPRs and PRFs. I remind them to not be a self serving careerists, but to assist in the process by providing the details that only you know best. You can also simply say to your boss, "be careful sir, the AFI specifically prohibits people from writing their own performance reports". You can also make sure that you and your peers don't do it and teach people to not do it.