ROLAND R. WRIGHT ANG BASE, Utah -- The Utah Air National Guard, 151st Force Support Squadron, has launched a new streamlined time-based promotion tracking system to ensure Airmen ranked E-1 to E-4 are promoted on time and never overlooked. Previously, junior enlisted promotions were tracked haphazardly, relying on supervisors and unit personnel to verify eligibility—a process that often led to delays. By essentially automating the tracking of Initial Active Duty Training (IADT) dates, this new process compiles a monthly list of eligible Airmen, providing unit commanders with a streamlined, accurate way to manage promotions.
“We really want to look out for our Airmen,” said Chief Master Sgt. Phillip Fleury, senior enlisted leader, 151st Mission Support Group. “These first few promotions happen fast, and missing one can throw off an Airman’s entire career progression. This system ensures no one is left behind.”
Senior Master Sgt. Julia Dandurand, senior enlisted leader, 151st Force Support Squadron, emphasized the system’s fairness, stating, “Airmen get missed for all kinds of reasons—long tech schools, traditional guardsman supervisors being unavailable, or just human error. Once you miss a promotion, it sets you back. This eliminates that problem.”
Beyond accuracy, the initiative also boosts morale by ensuring Airmen receive their promotions as soon as they’re eligible. “There are Airmen who’ve already been promoted and don’t even know it yet,” Fleury said. “They’ll come to drill and be surprised with a new stripe—that’s the goal.”
Tech. Sgt. Dallen Brown, 151st Force Support Squadron, who personally experienced a promotion delay, added, “This program ensures those situations don’t happen anymore. I know firsthand how frustrating it is when your promotion is delayed.”
To ensure consistency and accountability, the team is developing a local Memorandum for Record (MFR) that will serve as initial guidance for the process. The goal is for this MFR to evolve into an Operating Instruction (OI), providing clear and standardized local policy to sustain the system long-term. This initiative not only simplifies the promotion process but also reinforces leadership’s commitment to junior Airmen, ensuring they receive the recognition and advancement they’ve earned.
Command Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Caldwell, 151st Wing Command Chief, says “This innovative system of streamlining the promotion process takes care of our junior enlisted Airmen and reinforces that in the 151st Wing, solution focused service is the standard”
This effort aligns with the Wing Commander’s priorities by enhancing mission readiness, reducing administrative burdens on Airmen and their families, and fostering a culture of enthusiastic participation. By providing a solution-focused approach to promotions, the Utah Air National Guard is setting a new standard for taking care of its members, ensuring they can focus on their mission with confidence that their career progression is being handled with accuracy and fairness.
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