Author: Unknown

1. Not hard . . . after the first 200 you write

2. Tenets: accuracy, timeliness, appearance, and strength.

3. Takes time—need hard-hitting facts, PFW is starting point, then keep track of accomplishments throughout the year

4. Review several times and have a senior person help edit
   • Expect revisions to decrease from 12 for first 30 you write
   • Do your homework:
   • Use AFI 36-2406

5. Use bullet format: What, how well, impact

6. Most important bullets are first and last in sections VI and VII

7. Use active voice: "He flew the plane."

8. Use past tense.

9. Don’t use clichés.

10. Watch acronyms and abbreviations.

11. Use double dash to break up a bullet

12. Watch verb agreement, hyphenation and number use—look it up!

Some Bad Example Bullets

- The best technician I’ve ever had the privilege to work with.
Ended bullet with a preposition
Ended bullet with a period
Used a contraction unnecessarily
Left a lot of white space
No real stratification (is this the only technician you know?)
No impact

- Expertly trained five ground radio operators in all BCC operations.
Training is not an end unto itself
What is the impact?
Lots of white space
What’s a BCC?

- This man is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot
good—gets the point across succinctly

- His crew lead all shifts in message processing accuracy and volume
Spelling counts

- The technical expert! Collected 12 new ELINT collections fulfilling intelligence community tasking
Second statement does not support first

- Key participant, foreign materiel exploitation flights—exploited state-of-the-art, ground-based threat system
  -- Collected detailed weapons parameters critical for tactics and electronic countermeasure development
Good

- Lt Col Jones is senior officer material

- Maj Jones excelled in a Lt Col billet

- Make Maj Smith a group commander
 

Some Do’s and Don’ts
 

• It is very important to stratify in OPRs…e.g., “my #2 of 43 officers”…to highlight and identify your top performers!

• Stratify also in PRFs…e.g., “my #3 BPZ” or “my #3 IPZ”

• On PRF use hard-hitting facts, then quote from previous OPRs…e.g., succeeded where others failed--“ saved X dollars”

• Always use #1 as often as possible…not “number one”!

• Suggest also using quotes from Chain of Command..e.g., LG/CC says “easily top 1% of all LG majors (#)”

• Avoid vague comments in the PRF

• If you use two lines, don’t use for a short period (e.g., deployment) (you only have 9 lines for a career!)

• In the OPR…use the last line for hard-hitting comments; not for the finish line of the previous bullet

• Acceptable abbreviations on a PRF: a/c; ofcr; sq; ldr; CGOQX3!

Overused Comments

“Finest officer; blue chip officer; stellar; first rate; absolutely tops; exceptional; continue to challenge; standout performer; rock solid; one of my go-to officers; ace staffer; rising star; top tier; none finer; no job too tough; platinum; white hot; hit the ground running”

(If used, they must be substantiated with the facts…cannot stand alone)
 

Comments Used In PRF/OPRs (seemingly effective/innovative)

“My #1 candidate in any zone…”
“A leader of incredible breadth--….”
“Impact leader--gets results--…."
“My fire and forget weapon--……..”
”My #2/34 Majs” (if short on space)
“Leader with a purpose-- making sorties for our Fighter Squadrons!”
“Commander’s commander--leads, coaches, force multiplier, …”
“Phenomenal officer--top 2% of all officers in my X years as a logistician--….”
“Eye-watering record--exudes confidence and excellence….”
“Drives results--SQ/CC was spot on! Groom for GP/CC--definitely promote!”
“Tested hard--passed brilliantly….”
“No better officer…anywhere!”
“MVP from day 1!”
“My next DP” or “If I had one more DP…X would have it!”
“You need to really scrutinize this record…deserves a 10!”
“Hear me: even stronger than record…top 10% talent!”
“In the top 10% of 04s I’ve seen in 27 years!”
“Give me ten more like him…I’d serve with him anytime, anywhere!”
“Look closely: leadership his hallmark, excellence the norm!”
“DP from day--…”
“Top 1% of every assignment!”
“My most talented FGO—leader, instructor, mentor…top loggie—leads from the front”
“Warrior-Leader for the 21st Century”
“Pile driver behind ….”
“Multiple CGOQs…”
“Put a tough job on his radar scope, and you can take it off yours!”
“We’re all looking for this guy to work for us—he’ll be running a large part of the AF someday!”
“Reserve a slot for ICAF” (or NWC etc)
“If any other FGO sounds better, I’ve failed to be clear—XXX is the best there is!” or “If another sounds better, its my fault!”
“If you’re saving your #10—give it up now!”
“Absolutely peerless officer, aviator, exec, cmdr!”
“Backbone of a lion, savvy of a diplomat—XXX has no equal!”
“Tenacious problem-solver:…”
“Broke the code on making things happen--…”
“AF leader—I’ve never supervised a more aggressive and competent officer!”
“Absolute superstar--Top 1%--has succeeded at all levels: unit, MAJCOM, Joint, …”
“Responds magnificently to pressure and responsibility; always kept us out in front!”
“If I go to war, I want XXX in the lead and so do you!”
“One of my top 2 support 04’s! —Off to do handsprings as CC”
“Hear me: even stronger than his record…top 2% talent!”
“My #1 DP BPZ—dazzling aviator and leader--#1 in all he does!”
“Exemplary! Sharp, honest professional—XXX always operates consistently two steps ahead of his peers!”
“11 on a scale of 10! Officer of the highest caliber—records read like Who’s Who of AF leadership!”
“Eye-watering squadron commander! Easy choice for BPZ…make it happen: DP then NDU”
“I’ll make this simple…A+ in every area—brilliantly successful in most diverse division—unlimited future!”
“Leadership A+…XXX is at the pinnacle of my FGOs; his performance ensures success…”
“I have 30 BPZ 04’s…XXX is #1! Ready for Sq CC and much more…DP, SSS, then JS/J5!”
“…..Officer of the year! Leadership A+, potential A+, initiative A+, …questions?!”
“I depend on XXX so much that when he sneezes, I get a cold—he personifies the model exec!”
“In a roomful of standout AO’s, XXX shines brightest for…”
“A thoroughbred running full stride—command written all over him!”
“Pure gold! Gutsy, incisive leadership!” XXX/DO
“I want XXX to command a sq in my wing! DP this phenomenal superstar and score “10” for in-residence SSS!”
“Outstanding results-oriented leader with a capitol “L”—exceptional performance at the MAJCOM level!”
“All the adjectives apply—Major XXX exemplifies follow-me leadership!”
“If I could pick only one for a difficult task it would be XXX—boundless talent!”
“Never a doubt…the equation is simple: problem + XXX = solution!”
“Nerves of steel—rare talent!”
“Read this carefully: SOS DG, 9 OPRs say she’s #1!”
“Top 5% of my star-studded cast of Majors (15)!”
“#2 of 42 in …! Highly capable leader, professional, top choice for CC!”
“Lapped his peers! Outstanding drive…”
“Riding a big wave to AF stardom—XXX has …”
“5 star performer and leader…real force enhancer!”
“Finest cyber warrior I’ve seen in my 19 year career!”
“#1 promote! Ready for Lt Col now…I’d stake my reputation on him! DP now and SSS!”

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Some General Comments/Observations

•  Stratification in OPRs/PRFs is the most powerful tool to highlight to board members your top performers
   

•  Individual awards (e.g., Leo Marquez, FGO yr,)-- very important and must be highlighted to the max!
   

•  PRF sets the tone of the officer’s record; say it with enthusiasm!
   

•  For the PRF: Top and bottom lines must be powerful and stratify if possible (e.g., #1 of 123, 1% of all Major’s I know); be willing to back the PRF with a very strong top OPR)
   

•  The top and bottom lines of OPR rater and indorsor blocks must also be well-written and strong…stratify here also as these lines sum up your assessment of the officer and is the first place the board goes to look for consistency to growth in the officer’s performance
   

•  If your next DP would have gone to a particular candidate…say so! Be honest and don’t abuse the statement…”my #1 IPZ promote of 28” is also effective
   

•  Recommendations for command are good and important; use of “challenge” and “greater responsibility” are also telling, but negatively
   

•  Assist civilians and raters from other Services in writing your OPR/PRFs; if amenable, offer up a rough draft
   

•  Write a letter to the board if there is any oddity in your record that needs to be explained (e.g., your record does not reflect your recent Masters Degree); keep it short and don’t whine!
   

•  Some PRFs highlighted many CGO accomplishments, then dries up on FGOs more recent accomplishments; comes across as a negative trend
   

•  Its great if you get a “DP”…but remember…board members still expect to see a record that supports promotion…the record is still scored against your peers and must compete. There are IPZ DPs that are not promoted!
   

•  Senior raters are recommending SSS and/or CC tour for almost ALL…they need to make the tough calls