Space Force Enlists Selection Boards to Vet Members for Promotion

The Space Force has introduced selection boards as a new way of vetting enlisted personnel for promotion, with the goal of completely eliminating the need for skills tests in 2022. 

According to Space Force Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman, the service recently made use of selection committees to vet guardians up for promotion in the space systems operations field. 

Guardians in careers such as intelligence and cyber operations were still subject to traditional promotion tests but are expected to follow suit, Towberman told the Air Force Times. 

The Space Force became the first military service to adopt the approach.

In its latest promotion cycle, the nascent service branch promoted 52 guardians in grades E-6 through E-8. Of the 102 Guardians eligible for promotion, 26 were selected to become technical sergeants (E-6) while 22 were promoted to master sergeants (E-7). Only four candidates became senior master sergeants (E-8).

For 2022, the Space Force aims to fully transition to utilizing promotion boards for grades E-5 (sergeant) through E-9 (chief master sergeant). 

Towberman noted that the elimination of skills tests gives guardians more time for leisure activities instead of focusing on preparing for exams. 

The new approach also shows the value that Space Force places on thinking over memorization. 

“You can look up stuff pretty easily these days. The power is with the people that, when given all the data, know how to analyze it, know how to think critically and know how to imagine different ways to connect it,” Towberman said.