The Air Force Personnel Center said Wednesday that 4,649 enlisted airmen have been selected for promotion to master sergeant — roughly two months after E-7 promotions are typically announced.
There were 22,286 technical sergeants eligible for promotion this year, which resulted in a selection rate of 20.86 percent. That is down from the 4,733 E-7 selectees, and the 24.34 percent selection rate, last year. It is also the lowest selection rate since 2014, when 17.96 percent of airmen were selected for promotion to master sergeant.
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Master sergeant promotions are typically announced in May. But the coronavirus pandemic and the travel restrictions that ensued forced the Air Force to postpone the start of this year’s E-7 promotion board from March 23 to June 1.
AFPC said it will post the list of selectees online the morning of July 16. Promotions to E-7 will begin Aug. 1.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.