Verifying records, personal information ensures best chance for promotions
By
/ Published March 09, 2007
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The one constant among all Airmen is the desire to be promoted.
There are many things Airmen can do to affect their chances for promotion, but perhaps the most important is ensuring their personal information is correct. Missing or inaccurate enlisted or officer performance reports, decorations, awards and citations can affect promotion scores for senior airmen through general officers.
While some decorations may earn points toward scoring for enlisted Airmen, winning quarterly awards or an academic award from a professional military education school can help strengthen records for both officer and enlisted members.
Fortunately, the Air Force makes it easy for Airmen of all ranks to check their records online through the virtual Military Personnel Flight.
"Every Airman is responsible for his or her career and should review his or her record on a routine basis or prior to any board where the record may be reviewed," said Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, Air Force Personnel Center commander. "Each and every one of us takes the time to prepare our vehicle prior to taking a long trip or in preparation for winter temperatures ... that's what we're looking for ... each and every Airman taking the time to be proactive in taking control of his or her career."
Airmen receive e-mail notifications around their birthday each year advising them to review their electronic personnel records maintained within the Military Personnel Data System.
Officials suggest after Airmen log in to vMPF and accomplish a records review; a hard copy should be printed for personal safekeeping. If all record information is correct, no further action is required until the next annual review.
If errors are discovered and individuals can make the needed changes to those parts of the record where update links are provided, they should do so. Other errors should be directed to the commander's support staff or Air Force Contact Center for resolution.
AFPC's Promotion Board Records Branch is responsible for providing Airman a copy of the selection record within 30 duty days of receipt of a valid request. This timeframe actually stretches to about 45 calendar days when you add in non-duty days. Each request is accomplished in a "date precedence order" from the time it's received at the PBR branch.
There are two categories of requests: "As Is" and "As Met." Officers and senior NCOs may request one "As Is" copy and one "As Met" copy of their selection record within a consecutive 12-month period per each request. The "As Is" request provides a copy of the record "as it is" when requested. To request an "As Met" copy, the record must have met a selection or evaluation board within the past 12 months. "As Met" copies cannot be requested until after promotion results have been publicly released. "As Met" copies will reflect the selection record "as it met" the selection or evaluation board the person is requesting it for.
Officers and senior NCOs can request a copy of their personnel records by completing a Selection Record Request Worksheet by visiting the AFPC Web site and typing "selection record" into the search engine.
The completed worksheet should be e-mailed to Records.Review@randolph.af.mil, or faxed to either DSN 665-2693 or commercial (210) 565-2693. Selection records will only be forwarded to an authorized military e-mail account.
Finally, AFI 36-3003 grants everyone the opportunity to request permissive TDY to review their record in person at AFPC.
For more information, Airmen should visit their commander's support staff or call the Air Force Contact Center at (800) 616-3775, commercial (210) 565-5000 or DSN 665-5000.