Soon after the release of selection board results, the favorite question of “When will I get a date of rank” arises. Since the Navy promotion system selects officers over a year prior to promoting them, determining a date of rank (DOR) is somewhat of a calculated guessing game. However, here is the process flow from estimate to actual authority for DOR

Rule of Thumb

Over the years, this rule of thumb has proven to be quit accurate. As most know, the Naval Reserve is connected to active duty promotions by the statutory running mate system. Since active duty promotes to vacancies, this means when a active duty officer is promoted to fill a vacancy, a Naval Reserve is also promoted via the running mate system regardless of whether there is a vacancy in the Naval Reserve. When (timing) does active duty fill vacancies? Historically, active duty fills (or promotes) the first 40% of selectees in the first 8 months of the fiscal year (Oct through May). The remaining 60% are filled (promoted) evenly in the last 4 months of the fiscal year (June, July, Aug and Sept each at 15%). Therefore if a particular board selected 100 officers, the most senior 40 would be promoted between Oct and May with the remaining 60 being promoted at a rate of 15 per month for June, July, August and September. If you were #80 of 100 selects, based upon an equitable distribution of seniority among selectees, you could estimate receiving a 1 August DOR.

Date of Rank Authority

Authority to issue a DOR is promulgated via a monthly ALNAV message that is normally sent out the last week of a month for the following month. When promulgated, the ALNAV message can be viewed here and on the BUPERS site. This is the official authority for the promotion of Naval Reserve officers.

Ensign to Lieutenant (junior grade)

The grade requirements and procedures for promotion to LTJG are promulgated in SECNAV Instruction 1412.6L. Accordingly, your commanding officer has the authority to promote you, if determined qualified, on the day of completion of 24 months from your Ensign date of rank (DOR). For example, if you currently have an Ensign DOR of 10 November 2003, your promotion and DOR to LTJG will be effective 10 November 2005. This will be the effective date for pay and allowances. This method of calculating DOR to LTJG is the only one authorized. No frocking to LTJG is authorized. Once promoted, don’t forget to obtain a new ID card.

In judging your fitness for promotion, your commanding officer is required to determine whether you are physically, mentally, morally and professionally qualified to serve in the grade of LTJG. Once determined qualified, promotion is effected by completing, signing and submitting NAVPERS 1421/7 (Rev. 5-05) to Navy Personnel Command. References (a) and (b) on that form are blank and must be filled in with SECNAVINST 1412.6L and 10 USC 14303 respectively. There is a PDF of this form for fill-in and printing at http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/upd_CD/BUPERS/FORMS/PDF/N1421_7.pdf