I would like to get the opinion of you guys, particularly atmahan and bubblehead. Upon further research, I found that it is possible to actually decline a promotion without negative consequences. As I read the below NAVADMIN and regulations, as long as SECNAV (and PERS-83/PERS-806 in particular) is authorizing officers to decline promotions, I can theoretically decline promotion to O3, remain an O2 for up to 3 additional years, and then accept promotion to O3 with my new date of rank will be effective on the date I accept it. This would essentially allow me to buy an extra 1 or 2 year cushion so that I would not get my first look at O4 until year 18 or 19 as opposed to year 16 or 17 as it stands right now. Does anyone have experience with this? What are your thoughts?
The NAVADMIN states:
"2. If a selected officer does not decline in writing prior to the projected
date of rank (noted above in paragraph 1), that officer is considered to have
accepted the promotion on the date indicated. An officer who chooses to
decline promotion must submit the declination in writing to COMNAVPERSCOM
(PERS-806) within 30 days of the release of this NAVADMIN.
3. The commanding officer (CO), the Secretary of the Navy, or his designee,
has the authority to delay projected promotions. Upon the exercise of a
delay, the officer shall be notified in writing before the effective date of
the promotion, and not be tendered the promoting appointment. The delay
authority will immediately forward the notification of delay with supporting
documentation to COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-83), copy to COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-806)."
Then, through additional research, I found this:
"10 U.S. Code § 14312 - Delay of promotion: voluntary
(a)Authority for Voluntary Delays.—
(1)The Secretary of the military department concerned may, by regulation, permit delays of a promotion of an officer who is recommended for promotion by a mandatory selection board convened under section 14101(a) or a special selection board convened under section 14502 of this title at the request of the officer concerned. Such delays, in the case of any promotion, may extend for any period not to exceed three years from the date on which the officer would otherwise be promoted.
(2)Regulations under this section shall provide that—
(A)a request for such a delay of promotion must be submitted by the officerconcerned before the delay may be approved; and
(B)denial of such a request shall not be considered to be a failure of selection for promotion unless the officer declines to accept a promotion under circumstances set forth in subsection (c).
(b)Effect of Approval of Request.—
If a request for delay of a promotion under subsection (a) is approved, the officer’s name shall remain on the promotion list during the authorized period of delay (unless removed under any other provision of law). Upon the end of the period of the authorized delay, or at any time during such period, the officer may accept the promotion, which shall be effective on the date of acceptance. Such an acceptance of a promotion shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed under this section.
(c)Effect of Declining a Promotion.—An officer’s name shall be removed from the promotion list and, if the officer is serving in a grade below colonel or, in the case of the Navy, captain, the officer shall be considered to have failed of selection for promotion if any of the following applies:
(1)The Secretary concerned has not authorized voluntary delays of promotion under subsection (a) to the grade concerned and the officer declines to accept an appointment to a higher grade.
(2)The Secretary concerned has authorized voluntary delays of promotion under subsection (a), but has denied the request of the officer for a delay of promotion and the officer then declines to accept an appointment to a higher grade.
(3)The Secretary concerned has approved the request of an officer for a delay of promotion and, upon the end of the period of delay authorized in accordance with regulations prescribed under subsection (a), the officer then declines to accept an appointment to a higher grade."
No. Just no. Forget you ever even had that thought, and please reread the instruction. The instruction states that your CO may refuse to promote you after you pass a board, in the unlikely event that subsequent to that, you do something really dumb which casts your suitability in doubt. You do not have the option of doing this, and it's not a "get out of jail free" card. It's a "this person is about to be court-martialed, and we'll only promote them if they're fully acquitted" card.I would like to get the opinion of you guys, particularly atmahan and bubblehead. Upon further research, I found that it is possible to actually decline a promotion without negative consequences. As I read the below NAVADMIN and regulations, as long as SECNAV (and PERS-83/PERS-806 in particular) is authorizing officers to decline promotions, I can theoretically decline promotion to O3, remain an O2 for up to 3 additional years, and then accept promotion to O3 with my new date of rank will be effective on the date I accept it. This would essentially allow me to buy an extra 1 or 2 year cushion so that I would not get my first look at O4 until year 18 or 19 as opposed to year 16 or 17 as it stands right now. Does anyone have experience with this? What are your thoughts?
The NAVADMIN states:
"2. If a selected officer does not decline in writing prior to the projected
date of rank (noted above in paragraph 1), that officer is considered to have
accepted the promotion on the date indicated. An officer who chooses to
decline promotion must submit the declination in writing to COMNAVPERSCOM
(PERS-806) within 30 days of the release of this NAVADMIN.
3. The commanding officer (CO), the Secretary of the Navy, or his designee,
has the authority to delay projected promotions. Upon the exercise of a
delay, the officer shall be notified in writing before the effective date of
the promotion, and not be tendered the promoting appointment. The delay
authority will immediately forward the notification of delay with supporting
documentation to COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-83), copy to COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-806)."
Then, through additional research, I found this:
"10 U.S. Code § 14312 - Delay of promotion: voluntary
(a)Authority for Voluntary Delays.—
(1)The Secretary of the military department concerned may, by regulation, permit delays of a promotion of an officer who is recommended for promotion by a mandatory selection board convened under section 14101(a) or a special selection board convened under section 14502 of this title at the request of the officer concerned. Such delays, in the case of any promotion, may extend for any period not to exceed three years from the date on which the officer would otherwise be promoted.
(2)Regulations under this section shall provide that—
(A)a request for such a delay of promotion must be submitted by the officerconcerned before the delay may be approved; and
(B)denial of such a request shall not be considered to be a failure of selection for promotion unless the officer declines to accept a promotion under circumstances set forth in subsection (c).
(b)Effect of Approval of Request.—
If a request for delay of a promotion under subsection (a) is approved, the officer’s name shall remain on the promotion list during the authorized period of delay (unless removed under any other provision of law). Upon the end of the period of the authorized delay, or at any time during such period, the officer may accept the promotion, which shall be effective on the date of acceptance. Such an acceptance of a promotion shall be made in accordance with regulations prescribed under this section.
(c)Effect of Declining a Promotion.—An officer’s name shall be removed from the promotion list and, if the officer is serving in a grade below colonel or, in the case of the Navy, captain, the officer shall be considered to have failed of selection for promotion if any of the following applies:
(1)The Secretary concerned has not authorized voluntary delays of promotion under subsection (a) to the grade concerned and the officer declines to accept an appointment to a higher grade.
(2)The Secretary concerned has authorized voluntary delays of promotion under subsection (a), but has denied the request of the officer for a delay of promotion and the officer then declines to accept an appointment to a higher grade.
(3)The Secretary concerned has approved the request of an officer for a delay of promotion and, upon the end of the period of delay authorized in accordance with regulations prescribed under subsection (a), the officer then declines to accept an appointment to a higher grade."
Thanks for the clarification, greatly appreciate it.No. Just no. Forget you ever even had that thought, and please reread the instruction. The instruction states that your CO may refuse to promote you after you pass a board, in the unlikely event that subsequent to that, you do something really dumb which casts your suitability in doubt. You do not have the option of doing this, and it's not a "get out of jail free" card. It's a "this person is about to be court-martialed, and we'll only promote them if they're fully acquitted" card.
Stricter NAVADMINs overrule Title 10. The NAVADMIN is basically SECNAV saying "you know that authority I have in Title 10? This is my SOP for how I'm going to use it." So declining promotion == Failure of Selection.
If you really want a definitive answer about your 10 months counting, you should call someone at PERS-911 or PERS-912.
Definitely put that voluntarily declining promotion stuff out of your head. Even if it was allowed, what a terrible idea. Your reporting senior would probably crush you for doing something like that.
You should be concentrating on doing good things, taking hard jobs, and making it the first time up.
The provisions for a CO to delay promotion of an officer for adverse matters (para 3) and the provision for an officer voluntarily declining promotion in a written letter to PERS-802 (para 2) are entirely separate matters, according to the NAVADMIN as written. I am unable to find a NAVADMIN or other policy that indicates an officer who declines promotion will result in a FOS. If there is a contradictory policy, would you mind sharing? Would be much appreciated. I plan to call PERS on Monday to clarify all of the issues I raised in this thread and will definitely report back on here what they say.No. Just no. Forget you ever even had that thought, and please reread the instruction. The instruction states that your CO may refuse to promote you after you pass a board, in the unlikely event that subsequent to that, you do something really dumb which casts your suitability in doubt. You do not have the option of doing this, and it's not a "get out of jail free" card. It's a "this person is about to be court-martialed, and we'll only promote them if they're fully acquitted" card.
Stricter NAVADMINs overrule Title 10. The NAVADMIN is basically SECNAV saying "you know that authority I have in Title 10? This is my SOP for how I'm going to use it." So declining promotion == Failure of Selection.
Yes, it IS a terrible idea. “If” I was a CO, your CO for example, and you turned down promotion, I would stop taking your career aspirations seriously. This is the Navy, not the Army or any other branch of service. Stop trying to game the system and focus instead on those things you have control over. Trust me, your CO will notice . . . . .Declining promotion is not a terrible idea, it is simply a career tool available to officers who find themselves in unique situations.
Declining promotion is not a terrible idea, it is simply a career tool available to officers who find themselves in unique situations trying to navigate the DOD's bureacracy as best as they can.
When I am going up for the O4 board, I will be roughly 2 or 3 years out from hitting 20, my peers will be 12 or 13 years out.
Lots of those in this thread. Frankly, I can’t believe some of the absolutely ridiculous overthinking that’s been posted here.what a terrible idea