Following the recent technical sergeant/18E6 promotion cycle release and Airmen expressing concerns about selection rates in the Refueling/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance (2A5X4) Air Force Specialty Code, the Air Force’s Personnel Center identified 57 Airmen in that AFSC with an ‘A’ shred-out (C-135/E-3/E-8 aircraft) who were improperly considered for promotion.

No other Airmen were impacted by this error in the 18E6 promotion cycle.

AFPC is directly notifying those Airmen incorrectly considered, and not selected, that they will receive automatic supplemental promotion consideration within the correct AFSC.

“Once we became aware of this anomaly, our enlisted promotions team identified the Airmen affected,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Kelly, AFPC commander. “These Airmen will receive automatic supplemental promotion consideration at the original promotion rate within their proper AFSC. This provides a fair opportunity for selection.”

Those 2A5X4 Airmen already selected for promotion in the 18E6 promotion cycle will be unaffected.

Earlier this year, a career field initiative for Refueling/Bomber Aircraft Maintenance (2A5X4) Airmen in the 'A' (C-135/E-3/E-8 aircraft) and ‘C’ (KC-46 aircraft) shred-outs was directed to allow the two shreds to compete for promotion together, but separate from other 2A5X4 Airmen. During the recent cycle, some records for Airmen with the ‘A’ shred-out were not properly updated and, consequently, improperly considered with the broader 2A5X4 group.

To mitigate the possibility of similar errors in the future, AFPC has also strengthened its internal processes.

“Our Air Force's promotion processes are among the most important things we do and we absolutely owe it to our Airmen to get it right. Our goal is, and always will be, 100% accuracy,” said Kelly. “But if an error occurs, regardless of the number of Airmen impacted, we'll remedy the situation for each Airman, resolve it and review our processes to help ensure it doesn't happen again.”