The Air Force’s promotion rate for new technical sergeants is holding steady in 2026 at around one-quarter of those eligible—but a sharp decline in the pool of those considered means the total number of new E-6s will be much lower.
enlisted promotions
The Air Force will promote 11.07 percent of eligible master sergeants to senior master sergeant this year, a decline from last cycle that snaps a four-year streak of increases. Out of a pool of 13,315 eligible individuals, 1,474 new E-8s were selected.
The Air Force is promoting 640 senior master sergeants to chief master sergeant this year, about a 27 percent increase over last cycle’s numbers. The Space Force is also increasing its senior master sergeant promotions by 48 percent.
The Air Force is expecting lower promotion rates for some enlisted noncommissioned officers—and that drop could last several years, the service announced July 7. In particular, grades E-5 through E-7 will be affected, according to a service press release, due to recent enlisted grade structure ...
Changes are coming to the Air Force’s enlisted promotion system, changes that USAF leaders say will better reward experience—as long as it's backed up by “sustained performance.” The new system will do away with the practice of weighting point totals based on the number of ...
The Air Force is revamping evaluations for Airmen in grades E-7 through E-9 and O-1 through O-6 and establishing Airman Leadership Qualities on which each will be graded, the service announced on Feb. 2. These ALQs make up the backbone of a new, as-of-now optional, ...