Rank Promotion and Reduction Guidelines

This is the Document Release Information
Article Number:	7CAV-R-005
Scope:	Enlisted, Noncommissioned, Warrant and Officer Promotion and Reduction Regulations
Version:	Version 1.0.3
Effective Date:	19 SEP 18
Last Modified Date:	DDMMMYYYY
Approving Authority:	Regimental Commanding Officer
Point of Contact:	Regimental Chief of Staff

Chapter 1 Introduction

Section I: Overview

Purpose

This regulation prescribes the enlisted, noncommissioned, and officer promotions and reductions function within the 7th Cavalry Regiment (7CAV). It provides principles support, standards of service, policies, tasks, rules, and steps governing all work required in the field to support promotions and reductions of ranks. It provides the objectives of the 7CAV’s promotion system which includes filling authorized billets with the best qualified member. Additionally, the system precludes promoting the member who is not productive or not the best qualified, thus providing an equitable system for all members.

Responsibilities

a. The Regimental Command Staff (Regimental Commander and Executive Officer) will serve as the senior officials on matters concerning promotions, and will provide supervision of promotion policy formulation, procedures, goals, system and standards.

b. The Regimental Chief of Staff (COS) will be responsible for the implementation of this regulation within the Regiment. Furthermore, the COS will supervise promotion functions prescribed in this regulation and serve as the final promotion authority for all combat units and departments.

c. Unit Commanders will support and follow these regulations and will carry out promotions as delegated to them by the COS as established by this regulation.

Section II: Principles and Standards

Principles of Support

The 7CAV Command Staff will provide a centralized process for promotion to all grades from Private to Lieutenant Colonel (LTC). Promotion of grades above LTC will be made by Regimental Command Staff.

This regulation will:

a. Provide a promotion selection process for promotion from the grades of Private through to Lieutenant Colonel which include minimum requirements for each grade.

b. Authorize commanders to promote members to the grades as established by these regulations.

c. Provide the procedure and framework for Officer Promotion Selection Board.

d. Provide guidelines for promotion requirements based on billet or position.

Standard of Service

The standards of service are as follow:

a. The Personnel Department (S1) will track and maintain personnel records to include time-in-grade (TIG), time-in-service (TIS), and Non-Commissioned Officer Academy graduations, as well as, all other pertinent records for each member. These records will be deemed as the official records for all members.

b. S1 will review and adjust member MILPAC records with authorized to do so by COS.

c. S1 will automatically promote members to the grades of Private First Class (PFC), Specialist (SPC) and Corporal (CPL) / Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) upon the attainment of the required TIS, TIG and other requirements established in this regulation.

Section III: Policy

Promotion Types

Type	Notes
Automatic	Promotion from Recruit (E-1) up to and including Corporal (E-4) / Warrant Officer 1 (W-1) are automatic when Time in Grade (TIG) and other pre-requisites such as graduation from Recruit Training Command, Non-Commissioned Officer Academy (NCOA) and awarding of the Basic Aviator Badge are completed.
Discretionary	Enlisted/Warrant Officer promotions to Sergeant (E-5) / Chief Warrant Officer 2 (W-2) and up are discretionary. Members must meet minimum requirements and their performance must merit a promotion. Officer promotions to the maximum allowable for the billet assigned are discretionary in that the member must meet minimum requirements and their performance must merit a promotion.
Billet / Fast-Track	Members who are assigned to a billet for which they do not have the TIG to achieve the minimum rank can be promoted to that minimum rank at the discretion of the Regimental Chief of Staff when recommended by the Battalion Commander.

Rank Promotion Authority

The Rank Promotion Authority table below details the commander’s promotion authorities. Commanders listed are authorized to promote troopers in rank within their chain of command per the guidelines set forth in this document.

Command Authority	Can Promote
Recruit Training Command	Recruit up to and including Private/Private First Class (Honor Grad)
S1 Department	Private up to and including Corporal/Warrant Officer 1
Company Commander	Sergeant/Chief Warrant Officer 2 up to and including Sergeant First Class/Chief Warrant Officer 4
Battalion Commander	NCO Promotions up to and including First Sergeant Officer Promotions up to and including Major (1)
Regimental Chief of Staff	NCO Promotions up to and including Battalion Sergeant Major Officer Promotions up to and including Colonel
Regimental Commanding Officer	Promotions to flag officer grades Promotion of Command Sergeant Major

(1) or up to one rank below their current rank.

Commanders' Responsibilities

Commanders with promotion authority are responsible to ensure all regulations and requirements set forth in this document are adhered to for all promotions they approve.

Nonpromotable Status

A member becomes nonpromotable or their promotion is automatically delayed when the member is:

a. Absent without leave (AWOL)

b. Serving a court-martial sentenced or being punished under Article 15, UCMJ. They are considered to be serving a sentence or undergoing punishment, and therefore nonpromotable, through the last day as specified by the court-martial or Art 15, UCMJ.

c. Under undisposed court-martial charges (that is, charges that have been preferred, but not dismissed or withdrawn, nor has the member been tried and acquitted or sentenced).

d. Under investigation that may result in disciplinary action of any kind being taken against them.

e. Under suspension of favorable personnel actions.

Authority to Announce Promotions

Unit commanders with promotion authorization may post a promotion, in the appropriate forum as specified by S1 procedures, or may delegate this responsibility to a subordinate who will make a post in their name. S1 personnel or general staff officers or the Regimental CSM are the only personnel authorized to post the actual promotion orders

Date of Rank (DOR) and Effective Date

The DOR for promotion to a higher grade is the date specified in the promotion announcement or, when no date is specified, the date the announcement is posted.

Computing Time in Grade (TIG)and Service (TIS)

The S1 Personnel Department will maintain and compute TIG and TIS and those computations will be deemed as the official figures for the purpose of evaluating eligibility for promotion.

Chapter 2 Commissioned Officer Promotions

Section I: Overview

Commissioning of Second Lieutenants is based on Officer Development School (ODS) results. Spots will be assigned based on the needs of the regiment and the outcome of ODS.

Minimum Requirements

The minimum requirements for application to the Officer Development School are as follow:

• Minimum rank of Specialist
• Completion of NCOA
• Completion of Server Admin Course
• Any individual prerequisites set by Company Commanders for their assigned seats.

*Exceptions may be made by General Staff or Officer Development School Lead

Section II: Commissioned Officer Promotion Requirements

Overview

• Promotions from the rank of 2nd Lieutenant to the rank of Colonel are based on defined minimum requirements set forth in this section.
• Promotions above the rank of Colonel are based on the needs of the Regiment.

Promotion Requirements

Title	Insignia	Abbrev	Grade	Min TIS	Min TIG	Minimum Requirement(s)
Second Lieutenant		2LT	O-1	N/A	N/A	Completion of Officer Development School Assigned as a Platoon Leader Assigned as a Department Officer-in-Charge (OIC) as a primary billet
First Lieutenant		1LT	O-2	N/A	6 months as a 2LT	Assigned as Platoon Leader or Company XO or, Assigned as a Department Officer-in-Charge (OIC) as a primary billet, and Performance must merit the promotion
Captain		CPT	O-3	N/A	6 months as a 1LT	Assigned as Company XO or Company Commander, or Assigned as a Department Officer-in-Charge (OIC) as a primary billet, and Performance must merit the promotion
Major		MAJ	O-4	N/A	6 months as a CPT	Assigned as Company XO or CO, or Battalion XO, or Assigned as a Department Officer-in-Charge (OIC) as a primary billet, and Performance must merit the promotion
Lieutenant Colonel		LTC	O-5	N/A	6 months as a MAJ	Assigned as Battalion XO or Battalion CO, or Assigned as a Department Officer-in-Charge (OIC) as a primary billet, and Performance must merit the promotion
Colonel		COL	O-6	N/A	6 months as a LTC	Assigned as Battalion CO, or Assigned as a Department Officer-in-Charge (OIC) as a primary billet, and Performance must merit the promotion

Section III: General Officer Promotion Requirements

Overview

Promotion to the rank of Brigadier General (O-7) and above shall be authorized by the Regimental Commander based on the needs of the Regiment and on recommendations of the General Staff.

Minimum TIG for Promotion

The minimum TIG requirement for promotion to the rank of Brigadier General (O-7) is nine (9) months at the rank of Colonel (O-6). The minimum TIG requirement for promotions above the rank of O-7 is one (1) year at current rank. Minimum TIG may not apply based on billet limitations, see Chapter 5.

Chapter 3 – Enlisted,Noncommissioned and Warrant Officer Promotions

Section I: Enlisted Personnel Promotion Guidelines

Overview

Promotions from the rank of Recruit to the rank of Specialist are based on defined minimum requirements as set forth in this section and are considered automatic promotions.

Promotion Requirements

Title	Insignia	Abbrev	Grade	Min TIS	Min TIG	Minimum Requirement(s)
Recruit	N/A	RCT	E-1	N/A	N/A	Enlistment application has been screened and approved by authorized 7th Cavalry personnel
Private		PVT	E-2	N/A	N/A	Successfully completed Bootcamp
Private First Class		PFC	E-3	N/A	1 month as a PVT	Basic Training Honor Graduates may be promoted to PFC upon award
Specialist		SPC	E-4	N/A	2 months as a PFC	N/A

Boot Camp Honor Graduate Promotion

The RTC commander may designate an honor graduate for a boot camp if the recruit demonstrates superior skill and a perfect score on the knowledge test. The honor graduate will be promoted to the rank of Private First Class instead of the customary rank of Private.

Section II: Noncommissioned and Warrant Officer Promotion Guidelines

Overview

Promotions to Sergeant / Chief Warrant Officer 2 and above are based on assigned billets and needs of the Regiment.

Promotion Requirements

Title	Insignia	Abbrev	Grade	Min TIS	Min TIG	Minimum Requirement(s)
Corporal / Warrant Officer 1	/	CPL / WO1	E-4 / W-1	N/A	4 months as a SPC	Completion of Non-Commissioned Officer's Academy, and Awarded Basic Aviator Badge (For WO1), and Warrant Officers must be assigned to a primary billet in an aviation company
Sergeant / Chief Warrant Officer 2	/	SGT / CW2	E-5 / W-2	9 months	4 months as a CPL / WO1	Assigned as an Assistant Squad/Section Leader, or Assigned as an Assistant Squad/Section Leader, and Warrant Officers must be assigned to a primary billet in an aviation company, and Performance must merit the promotion
Staff Sergeant / Chief Warrant Officer 3	/	SSG / CW3	E-6 / W-3	15 months	6 months as a SGT / CW2	Assigned as an Squad/Section Leader, or Assigned as a Platoon Sergeant, and Warrant Officers must be assigned to a primary billet in an aviation company, and Performance must merit the promotion
Sergeant First Class / Chief Warrant Officer 4	/	SFC / CW4	E-7 / W-4	22 months	6 months as a SSG / CW3	Assigned as a Platoon Sergeant, and Warrant Officers must be assigned to a primary billet in an aviation company, and Performance must merit the promotion
Master Sergeant / Chief Warrant Officer 5	/	MSG / CW5	E-8 / W-5	28 months	6 months as a SFC / CW4	Assigned as a Platoon Sergeant, and Warrant Officers must be assigned to a primary billet in an aviation company, and Performance must merit the promotion
First Sergeant		1SG	E-8	8 months	N/A	Assigned as a First Sergeant
Sergeant Major		SGM	E-9	N/A	N/A	Assigned as a Battalion Sergeant Major
Command Sergeant Major		CSM	E-9	N/A	N/A	Assigned as the Regimental Command Sergeant Major

Chapter 4 – Special Promotions

Section I: Special Technical Appointments

Overview

The General Staff may at their discretion appoint members who perform a critical, technical function within the Regiment as Warrant Officers without the aviation requirement. These members will be eligible for promotion in grade as follows:

• Must meet the same TIG requirements as regular Warrant Officers
• Performance must merit the promotion

Section II: Billet / Fast-Track Promotions

Overview

If a member does not have the required TIG to be promoted to the minimum rank required for a specific billet, they may be promoted to the minimum rank.

Billet Minimum / Maximum Rank Tables

Enlisted, Noncommissioned and Warrant Officer Billets

Billet	Minimum Rank	Maximum Rank
Section Member	PVT	CPL / WO1
Assistant Section Leader	PFC	SGT / CW2
Section Leader	PFC	SSG / CW3
Platoon Sergeant	SGT / CW2	MSG / CW5
First Sergeant	1SG	1SG
Battalion Sergeant Major	SGM	SGM

Commissioned Officer Billets

Billet	Minimum Rank	Maximum Rank
Platoon Leader	2LT	1LT
Company XO	1LT	MAJ
Company CO	CPT	MAJ
Battalion XO	MAJ	LTC
Battalion CO	MAJ	COL

General Officer Billets

Billet	Minimum Rank	Maximum Rank
Special Appointed Billets	BG	MG
Chief Of Staff	BG	LTG
Security Operations Chief	BG	LTG
Information Management Officer	BG	LTG
Regimental Executive Officer	BG	GEN
Regimental Commanding Officer	BG	GOA

Effect of Billet Promotions on TIG

• A member who is promoted to the minimum rank for a billet that does not have TIG for the promotion will not accrue TIG in the new rank until such time as the TIG from their former rank catches up to their current rank. For First Sergeants, the equivalent TIG is Master Sergeant.

Section III: Staff Department Promotions

Overview

Members who serve in a staff department as their primary billet are eligible for promotion similar to that of combat billets.

Department Staff

Department Staff are promotable as follows:

Billet	Minimum Rank	Maximum Rank	Min TIG	Minimum Requirements
MP / S2	CPL / WO1	SGT / CW2	4 months	Performance must merit promotion
MP / S2	SGT / CW2	MSG / CW5	6 months per grade	Performance must merit promotion
Department NCOIC	CPL / WO1	SGT / CW2	4 months	Performance must merit promotion
Department NCOIC	SGT / CW2	MSG / CW5	6 months per grade	Performance must merit promotion
Department XO	2LT	LTC	6 months per grade	Performance must merit promotion
Department OIC	2LT	COL	6 months per grade	Performance must merit promotion

Section IV: Special Meritorious Promotions

The General of the Army may, at his discretion, promote any individual meritoriously. These promotions are not constrained by normal billet requirements.

Chapter 5 – Demotions/Reduction in Rank

Section I: Overview

This chapter governs the reduction in rank or demotion for a trooper in the 7th Cavalry. An active, serving member may have their rank reduced under the following circumstances:

• Punitively as the result of an Article 15 or Court Martial
• Non-punitively as a result of stepping down or being removed from a primary billet or when returning from ELOA
• Non-punitively due to discharge

Section II: Authority to Demote / Reduce in Rank

The Regimental Chief of Staff must make every effort to insure that the guidelines and policies set forth in this document are followed. The following are designated as Demotion Authorities as specified below:

• Non-punitive reductions in rank of enlisted/NCO/Warrant Officers may be authorized by the respective Promotion Authority. If you have the authority to promote, you have the authority to reduce in rank
• All reductions in rank of officers (except General Staff) will be authorized by the Regimental Chief of Staff
• All punitive demotions will be authorized by the Regimental Chief of Staff
• All reductions in rank of General Officers will be authorized by the Regimental Commanding Officer

Section III: Non-Punitive Demotion of Active Members

The rank an active member is reduced to is dependent on the new billet they are assigned to. Any member being reduced in rank will be reduced to the maximum rank for the new billet they are assigned to. The lowest rank a member can be non-punitively reduced to is Corporal (E-4) / Warrant Officer 1 (WO-1). The only exception to this is for members who have been billet/fast-track promoted and do not have the TIG for the maximum rank for the new billet. These members will be reduced in rank to the rank they have accumulated TIG for.

Example: A Specialist (E-4) with 1 month TIG is promoted to Sergeant (E-5) to fill a Platoon Sergeant position. 2 months later they have to step down due to personal life. They have now accrued 3 months total TIG from Specialist, not enough to be a Corporal. They are reduced to Specialist and are eligible for promotion to Corporal in 1 month.

Section IV: Demotion Due to Discharge

Troopers may receive a demotion after discharge, upon re-enlistment. The demotion is relative to the discharge classification and their previous rank.

Rank Upon Re-Enlistment

1. NCO's Sergeant First Class (E-7) and Officers First Lieutenant (O-2) or higher with a General/Honorable/Retirement Discharge return at Corporal (E-4).
2. All others return at Corporal (E-4) or their former rank, whichever is lower, with a subsequent demotion relative to their discharge classification.

Demotion based on Discharge Classification:

• Entry-level Separation: Return as Recruit.
• Less than Honorable Discharge, Eligible for re-enlistment: Return as Private (E-2).
• AWOL Discharge: Reduced 2 ranks/grades at re-enlistment.
• Honorable Discharge: 1 grade/rank demotion applied upon re-enlistment.
• Retirement: 1 grade/rank demotion applied upon re-enlistment.
• Retirement With Honors: 1 grade/rank demotion applied upon re-enlistment.

(1) NCO's Sergeant First Class (E-7) and Officers First Lieutenant (O-2) or higher who have received an AWOL or Less than Honorable Discharge will have a subsequent demotion applied. For example, a Sergeant First Class who was AWOL discharged would be returned as a Corporal (E-4) and then be demoted for the AWOL, thus returning as a Private First Class (E-3).
(2) Honorable discharge combines the old honorable and general discharge.
(3) Any trooper that re-enlists, no matter the terms of discharge, will not be eligible for any leadership position or additional billet for a period of no less than 90 days from the date of their re-enlistment. (4) People who re-enlist and need to go through a bootcamp are brought back at the appropriate rank per the guidelines above and attend bootcamp at that rank.

Section V: Punitive Demotion

A punitive demotion is received as a result of disciplinary action resulting from violations the General Orders, Code of Conduct, Team Speak 3 Policy, and UCMJ of the 7th Cavalry Gaming Regiment. At a minimum, an Article 15 is required in order to reduce a trooper in rank. The severity of the demotion is determined by the ruling of the Court, or the adjudicating officer in the instance of an Article 15.