The Air Force is promoting around 12,500 Senior Airmen to staff sergeant, roughly 20 percent fewer enlisted Airmen compared to last year’s massive total.
staff sergeant
The Air Force saw a massive surge in staff sergeant promotions in 2025, with the biggest year-over-year increase in rates since 2001.
Promotions to staff sergeant rocketed up 42 percent versus a year ago, with 12,827 Senior Airmen selected for promotion to E-5 in the 2024 cycle, the Air Force Personnel Center announced. Nearly 23 percent of eligible Senior Airmen earned a promotion, up 5.45 percentage points ...