The Marine Corps has announced the convening dates and board correspondence deadlines for the FY28 USMCR and AR officer promotion selection boards. These cover Colonel through Major (competitive boards) and Captain (the All-Fully-Qualified-Officers List, or AFQOL, process). If you're in-zone, above-zone, or even below-zone for any of these boards, your record needs to be in order before the board sits.
Bottom line: Check your OMPF and Master Brief Sheet (MBS) now. You are personally responsible for what the board sees, and correspondence deadlines run weeks before the boards convene.
Who it affects
USMCR and AR officers currently serving on the Reserve Active Status List (RASL) who are in-zone, above-zone, or below-zone for promotion to Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, or Captain. Specific in-zone and below-zone lineal control number (LCN) cutoffs are listed in the MARADMIN for each board.
A few things worth knowing about eligibility:
- You must have continuously served on the RASL, the Active-Duty List, or a combination of both for at least one year as of the board convening date.
- If your retirement or separation from the RASL is within 90 days of the board convening date, you will not be considered.
- AR officers whose release from active duty (but not the RASL) falls within 90 days of the convening date will instead be considered by their Unrestricted Reserve board, if they meet zone requirements.
- There is no FY28 AR Major board and no AR Captain AFQOL process. No officers are currently in-zone for those. If that changes, affected officers will be notified.
What you need to do
- Review your OMPF and MBS and confirm everything is accurate and complete before your board's convening date.
- Check fitness report submission timelines. Gaps or errors in your record will not be explained away after the fact.
- Decide whether to submit a letter to the President of the Board. It is encouraged but not required. See paragraph 8 of MARADMIN 622/25 for format and submission instructions.
- Review body composition documentation. The Digital Boardroom cannot currently pull Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR) data automatically. If you want your current WHtR in front of the board, submit a WHtR document signed by your Command Physical Training Representative as an enclosure to your board letter. This is optional. Existing height and weight records in your OMPF will still be visible.
Key dates
| Board | Component | Correspondence Due | Convenes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colonel | USMCR | 23 Jul 26 | 03 Aug 26 |
| Colonel / LtCol | AR | 23 Jul 26 | 03 Aug 26 |
| Major | USMCR | 25 Dec 26 | 05 Jan 27 |
| LtCol | USMCR | 09 Jan 27 | 20 Jan 27 |
| Captain (AFQOL) | USMCR | 06 Feb 27 | 17 Feb 27 |
Note on the AFQOL process: There is no competitive board for Captain. Every eligible officer's record is screened. Officers not found fully qualified are omitted from the list and receive a failure of selection (FOS).
Note on continuation and retention: After the AR LtCol board concludes, the same board reconvenes as the FY28 USMCR AR Major Retention and Continuation Board. AR majors who have twice failed selection for LtCol may be considered for continuation on the RASL. Contact CMC Reserve Affairs Management (RAM) to verify eligibility.
The official version
Full details are in MARADMIN 249/26. Board preparation guidance, correspondence instructions, and OMPF review procedures are covered in MARADMIN 622/25 (referenced as Ref A), available on the officer promotion homepage. LCN precedence is governed by MCBUL 1400.
This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.