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Promotion SOP

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Last updated June 10, 2026

BRONZE SQUADRON STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) OPERATOR STANDARDS PROMOTIONS & TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG)

1. PURPOSE

This SOP establishes standardized promotion criteria within Bronze Squadron based on operational participation, performance, and leadership progression.

  • Promotion is not time-based.
  • Promotion is earned through consistent performance in official operations.
  • Leadership is required at senior enlisted and officer tiers.

Meeting the event threshold is the trigger for promotion review — not the guarantee of promotion. Performance, reliability, and leadership are evaluated at every tier.

2. PROMOTION MODEL

Bronze Squadron utilizes an Operations-Based TIG System. Advancement reflects earned experience under operational conditions — not time spent on the roster.

TIG MEASUREMENT

Official Events completed while holding the current rank — not calendar time.

ADVANCEMENT BASIS

Operational experience, demonstrated performance, and leadership where required.

LEADERSHIP GATE

Required at E7 and above for enlisted. Required at all officer tiers.

PASSIVE PROGRESSION

Does not exist. No operator advances without active operational participation.

3. PROMOTION CYCLE STRUCTURE

A Promotion Cycle is defined as 12 Official Events. TIG accumulates only through participation in command-approved and evaluated events.

Qualifying Events

  • Primary Operations
  • Training Exercises
  • Recon / Auxiliary Operations

Unofficial gameplay does not contribute to TIG. Only command-approved and evaluated events count toward promotion eligibility.

4. TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) DEFINITION

TIG is defined as the number of Official Events completed while holding the current rank.

CALENDAR TIME

Not a factor. TIG has no real-time requirement.

PASSIVE PROGRESSION

Does not exist. Advancement is strictly tied to active operational participation.

TRACKING

TIG is tracked at the Troop and Section level. Personnel are responsible for maintaining awareness of their own event count.

RESET

TIG resets to zero upon promotion. Accumulated events from the previous grade do not carry forward.

5. PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS BY RANK

Enlisted Promotion Criteria

The following standards govern all enlisted promotions within Bronze Squadron. Each tier builds on the last. Meeting the TIG requirement is the trigger for promotion review — it is not automatic approval.

5.1 E4 → E5

TIG REQUIREMENT 12 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Not required at this tier.

Standards

  • Demonstrates baseline CQB competency
  • Maintains communication discipline throughout operations
  • Functions effectively within a squad-sized element

Assessment Focus

  • Reliability — is the operator consistently present and engaged
  • Ability to follow structure and execute assigned tasks
  • No major operational failures during the TIG period

5.2 E5 → E6

TIG REQUIREMENT 24 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Not required at this tier.

Standards

  • Demonstrates tactical awareness beyond individual position
  • Executes assigned billet with consistent proficiency
  • Contributes meaningfully to team-level success

Assessment Focus

  • Consistency across operations — not just individual standout performances
  • Initiative within commander's intent
  • Increased operational independence — requires less supervision

5.3 E6 → E7

TIG REQUIREMENT 36 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Mandatory. Authorized billets: Squad Leader or Assistant Squad Leader / 2IC only. No other billet qualifies for E7 promotion. Billet must be actively held during operations — not a single fill-in.

Standards

  • Effective control of a squad-sized element under operational conditions
  • Clear and decisive communication under pressure
  • Sound tactical decision-making with limited information
  • Accountability for squad performance — not just personal performance

Assessment Focus

  • Command presence — does the element respond to and trust this operator's leadership
  • Decision quality in dynamic and degraded environments
  • Squad effectiveness under this operator's leadership
  • Early mentorship of junior operators

5.4 E7 → E8

TIG REQUIREMENT 48 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Mandatory. Must have held an authorized leadership billet continuously since E7 promotion. Billet performance is evaluated across the full E7 TIG period — not just at the point of review.

Standards

  • Demonstrated mastery of squad-level leadership across varied operational environments
  • Consistently elevates the performance of subordinate operators through active mentorship
  • Maintains command presence and decision quality under sustained pressure
  • Contributes to troop-level planning and pre-operation preparation

Assessment Focus

  • Leadership depth — can the operator lead effectively without direct supervision from above
  • Development of junior NCOs and operators below E7
  • Consistency of tactical judgment across a significant body of operational experience
  • Contribution to the unit beyond the immediate squad

5.5 E8 → E9

TIG REQUIREMENT 60 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Mandatory. Must have held a senior leadership billet for the majority of the E8 TIG period. E9 is the top of the enlisted structure — promotion is held to the highest standard and is not guaranteed by TIG alone. Command retains full discretion.

Standards

  • Proven troop-level leadership — capable of coordinating multiple squads toward a unified objective
  • Directly shapes unit culture, standards, and operational effectiveness
  • Sustained mentorship of NCO corps across the full TIG period
  • Active contribution to mission planning, debrief, and unit development at the troop level

Assessment Focus

  • Institutional influence — does this operator strengthen the unit beyond their immediate element
  • Standard-bearing — does this operator represent the ceiling of what Bronze Squadron expects from its enlisted corps
  • NCO development — quality and growth of operators who came up under this operator's leadership
  • Sustained excellence across the longest TIG requirement in the enlisted structure

Officer Promotion Criteria

Officer promotions follow the same Operations-Based TIG system with increased emphasis on leadership, planning, and command responsibility. Officer advancement is not automatic upon meeting TIG — command retains full discretion at every officer tier.

5.6 O3 → O4

TIG REQUIREMENT 24 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Required. Officer must be actively serving in a command or deputy role during the TIG period.

Standards

  • Demonstrated proficiency in troop-level leadership
  • Effective execution of operations in a command or deputy role
  • Consistent participation in planning, briefing, and debrief cycles

Assessment Focus

  • Positive evaluation from Squadron Command Element
  • Leadership effectiveness at the troop level
  • Operational decision-making quality

5.7 O4 → O5

TIG REQUIREMENT 36 Official Events

LEADERSHIP BILLET Required. Officer must have demonstrated sustained command effectiveness across the O4 TIG period.

Standards

  • Proven ability to lead and coordinate multi-element operations
  • Oversight of planning, coordination, and execution across multiple units
  • Demonstrated mentorship of subordinate leaders

Assessment Focus

  • Sustained high-performance evaluations from command
  • Unit impact and contribution beyond direct operational command
  • Leadership effectiveness across the full TIG period

Officer promotions are contingent on leadership effectiveness, operational decision-making, and unit impact — not TIG alone. Command retains full discretion on all officer promotions.

6. EVENT ACCOUNTABILITY

6.1 Event Credit Requirements

To receive full TIG credit for an Official Event, the following conditions must be met:

  • Operator must be present for the majority of the operation
  • Operator must actively perform their assigned role throughout the event

6.2 Disqualification Conditions

Event credit may be withheld at leadership discretion for any of the following:

  • Early departure without justification or COC notification
  • Failure to perform assigned duties during the event
  • Major operational disruption caused by the operator

Partial credit is not awarded. An operator either receives full TIG credit for an event or does not. Withheld credits are documented and communicated to the operator.

7. PERFORMANCE GATING

Meeting the TIG event threshold triggers a promotion review — it does not guarantee promotion. Every operator must demonstrate the following before advancement is approved:

Required

  • Consistent operational performance across the TIG period — not isolated strong performances
  • Reliability and accountability — attendance, timing, and conduct standards
  • Adherence to Bronze Squadron SOPs

Grounds for Deferral

  • Repeated minor issues or pattern of conduct violations
  • Poor decision-making that has not shown improvement
  • Lack of progression in skill or responsibility appropriate to the next grade

Performance gating is not punitive. It exists to ensure every promoted operator is genuinely ready to operate at the next level — not just eligible by count.

8. PROMOTION REVIEW PROCESS

TRIGGER Review begins when the required event count is met and the leadership requirement (if applicable) is satisfied.

AUTHORITY Squadron or Section Command.

EVALUATION INPUTS Operational history, leadership feedback, billet performance, and peer reliability.

TIMELINE Reviews are conducted at the discretion of command. Meeting TIG does not entitle the operator to an immediate review on demand.

9. PROMOTION OUTCOMES

| OUTCOME | CONDITION | RESULT | |---------|-----------|--------| | Approved | Operator meets TIG requirement and all performance standards. | Immediate promotion. Assignment to increased responsibility. | | Deferred | Operator meets event count but lacks the performance standard at this time. | Specific deficiencies identified and communicated. Operator is reassessed after a defined correction period. | | Denied | Significant performance or leadership gaps that cannot be resolved through a correction period alone. | Corrective action required before reconsideration. Timeline determined by command. |

10. COMMANDER'S INTENT

Bronze Squadron promotions reflect earned operational experience and trust. Every promoted operator must increase unit effectiveness, strengthen team cohesion, and be capable of operating at the next level immediately upon promotion.

The TIG system exists to ensure that advancement is grounded in real operational experience — not time on the roster, not personal relationships, not administrative process. An operator who has completed the required events and demonstrated the required standard has earned their promotion. An operator who has completed the events but not the standard has not.

This applies at every tier. The distance between E4 and E9 is not a ladder — it is a standard that increases at every step. The operators who reach the top of the enlisted structure should represent what Bronze Squadron looks like at its best.

"Fabri Portarum — Makers of Doorways"