The Officer Selection Board Process
Coast Guard Officer Selection boards are composed of senior officers
and are convened by the Secretary of Defense every year to select
officers to ranks above Lieutenant (Junior Grade). Selection boards
are impartial and confidential. The selection board must submit its
findings and recommendations, but not the reasons for its decisions.
The board is given the names and personnel records of all
officers to be considered. The personnel record provided to boards
includes:
Career documentation (e.g., Oath of Office, creditable service)
Administrative information (e.g., SGLI, Record of Emergency Data,
Compliance with maximum allowable weight standards)
Two types of boards consider promotions. 1. A fully-qualified board recommends officers whose
records indicate that they are qualified to perform all duties to
which they reasonably might be assigned in the grade for which they
are being considered. This basis applies to ensigns being considered
for promotion to lieutenant (junior grade).
2. Selection for promotion to lieutenant through rear
admiral is based on a best-qualified basis embodying three elements:
- Impartial, equal consideration of all. - The same criteria applied
to all. - Each evaluation is made on a comparative basis with the
most capable advancing to positions of higher responsibility.
Selection boards are impartial and confidential.
Board judgments are based on information contained in your Personnel
Data Record (PDR). Selection boards are furnished the names and
personnel records of all officers to be considered. The most important
performance dimensions in assessing an officer's performance and
readiness for greater degrees of responsibility are captured on
the Officer Evaluation Report.
Each personnel board develops its own overall standards and criteria.
The degree of significance it assigns to each of the many factors
considered varies according to the grade and type of selection the
board is making. Best qualified promotion boards consider officers'
performance, comparing their past and present performance; capacity
to undertake successfully tasks of greater difficulty involving
broader responsibilities; capability and inclination to study for
further professional growth; professionalism; leadership through
demonstrated dedication to the core values; and potential to perform
creditably those duties to which they might be assigned in the next
higher grade.
Communicating with the board
Officers being considered by a selection board are allowed to communicate
in writing to the board. The letter should arrive before the board
convenes. Address letters to the president of the appropriate board
or panel and mail them to CGPC-opm-1, or CGPC-rpm for reserve officers
not on active duty. Each individual's communication to the board
or panel shall consist of the letter itself and, if desired, an
endorsement by the current chain of command.
The decision to communicate with the board is the choice of the
individual officer; there are two schools of thought about doing
so:
A letter may cause the board to focus on an issue that otherwise
might have been ignored.
A letter may move the board to interpret an issue more favorably
than it might have had the officer not written.
Increase your chances for promotion
The following are some sure ways to increase your chances of promotion:
Give your best effort in everything you do. Your Coast
Guard career is all about PERFORMANCE, PERFORMANCE, PERFORMANCE!!
Know your date of rank and zone eligibility. Check
the zone message that comes out every December.
Obtain and review your record at frequent intervals.
CORRECT ALL PROBLEMS!! If you aren’t able to get your record
corrected by the time you are coming up for a promotion board,
include the correct information in a letter to the board so
the members will have all the correct information to review.
Look ahead. Plan career moves appropriate to your
communities’ career milestones or career ladder and watch timing
of long periods of non-observed fitness reports, i.e. going
to grad school for the two years before you come in zone for
promotion may not be your best career move. Talk to the detailer!
Find & consult regularly with a knowledgeable mentor regarding
your progress toward your goals and objectives.
Seek challenging and broadening assignments; serve
in key leadership roles and tough jobs in your community, ESPECIALLY
COMMAND, whenever possible!
Send a constructive letter to your board to explain
unusual circumstances, clarify information, or bring to light
information you may feel is important.
Contact your detailer and volunteer to participate
as an assistant recorder on a board (other than one you are
eligible for).
Be an OER expert. You are responsible for:
Managing your performance.
Learning the rating chain.
Initiating beginning and end-of-period meetings with supervisors.
Seeking performance feedback during the period. Individual
feedback needs vary.
Preparing OER sections 1 and 13.
Submitting OER with list of significant achievements or
performance aspects which occurred during the period to
your supervisor at least 21 days before the end of the reporting
period.
Notifying CGPC-opm-3/rpm directly if a copy of your completed
OER has not been received 90 days after the end of the reporting
period.
The Officer Selection Board Process