ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- Following the recent technical sergeant 26E6 promotion cycle release, an enlisted promotions team member at Air Force Personnel Center discovered an outdated scoring key was used for the 3P071 (security forces) Specialty Knowledge Test (SKT).
The error led to 27 miskeys that fundamentally corrupted the security forces promotion list for 26E6. No other air force specialty codes were impacted by this error in the 26E6 promotion cycle.
“We owe it to those affected to address it immediately,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David R. Wolfe. “This is going to be hard for everyone impacted.”
The error was an isolated and highly unprecedented anomaly and once detected the enlisted promotion team identified the Airmen affected and initiated a solution.
A correct key was provided and validated for accuracy before sending it to subject matter experts in the career field who also validated, guaranteeing corrective actions that followed included accurate data.
Preserving the integrity of the promotion system, the enlisted promotion team conducted a full re-score for all 2,285 3P0 promotion eligibles using the correct score sheet. The result established a new, correct promotion cut-off, identifying the rightful earners for promotion and those whose line numbers will be revoked. The 3P0 career field had a quota of 586 promotions for the 26E6 Promotion Cycle, which collectively remained post re-score. Of those, 451 will retain their line number with no impact. Following the re-score, 135 defenders will have their line numbers rescinded, now being non-selects. The re-score also identified 135 new selects, who will be notified tentatively one week following senior rater notification to erroneous selects.
All selects from the re-score will have a .5 added to their line number, which will not impact promotion timelines.
“We promote Airmen based on merit, which is established in federal law and policy,” said Lt. Gen. Jefferson O’Donnell, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services “Who we are as an Air Force, defined by our core values, demands integrity in the meritocratic promotion system; we have a core obligation to ensure the Airmen who earned it are selected.”
AFPC will conduct an out-of-cycle, in-system supplemental promotion release the week of July 13. This release is for all AFSCs and will include 135 Defenders Air Force-wide whose new scores met the corrected cut-off and are now selected for promotion to technical sergeant. No personnel actions are required by promotion eligibles for participation in the upcoming supplemental.
“We owe it to our Airmen to own the mistake and to take the necessary actions to not only make it right today, but to prevent future issues,” Wolfe added.
To mitigate the possibility of similar errors in the future, Air Education and Training Command and AFPC have strengthened their internal processes. A thorough review of the WAPS data-transfer and validation process is also underway. The Air Force is implementing quality-assurance safeguards to prevent this specific point of failure in future promotion release cycles.
Wolfe hosted a call for wing command chiefs with affected members to discuss the situation and to direct personal engagement between security forces leadership and members impacted by the promotion error. The message to leadership also included a hotline to field clarifying and follow up questions. Airmen who were incorrectly selected for promotion are being notified by leadership following a senior rater notification sent July 7.
No artificial intelligence products were used in the erroneous promotion cycle process; it was the result of human error.
For more on Air Force personnel programs, visit the AFPC public website.