Commissioned Corps
Promotions
Promotion eligibility to each pay grade—temporary or permanent grade, whichever is higher—is based upon the sum of one’s training and experience (T&E). TRAINING includes 4 years of credit for undergraduate. Therefore, entry-level engineers who have just graduated receive 4 years of Training credit & 0 years of Experience credit. This equals promotion eligibility to the temporary O-2 grade. All entry-level engineers come into the PHS at the O-2 pay grade. EXPERIENCE includes all of one's years of practice as an engineer,whether in the private sector or uniformed services.
Eligibility for promotion to the next pay grade = TRAINING + EXPERIENCE, in years:
| Pay Grade | Training & Experience |
|---|---|
| O-3 | 8 years |
| O-4 | 12 years |
| O-5 | 17 years |
| O-6 | 24 years |
The promotion board meets once each year. Thus, an officer who becomes eligible for promotion may need to wait several additional months before being considered for promotion, depending upon his or her call-to-duty date and the promotion board’s meeting date.
The age limit for entry into the PHS is < 44 years. That is, an individual must be called to duty prior to his or her forty-fourth birthday. Active-duty time in any uniformed service extends that age limit by the amount of active-duty time served. For example, an individual with 3 years of active-duty service in the Armed Forces may enter the PHS prior to his or her 47th birthday. Waivers may be available, if the individual is only slightly beyond the age limit.
