Is Date of Rank always on the 1st of the month?

SGT Michael Overholt — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:29:37 -0500

What is your most recent date of rank? I have some trying to tell me that since my DOR is not on the 1st of the month I must of had a demotion. I know that is not true because I was never demoted so consider this more of a poll. So let me ask it this way.

Was your most recent date of rank on the first of the month or on a non-specific date?

Response by SGT Charles Vernier made Dec 17 at 2014 6:37 PM

SGT Charles Vernier — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:37:26 -0500

My most recent date of rank was 2002/06/21 so I might be a little out of the loop!

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Dec 17 at 2014 6:38 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:38:29 -0500

01Dec12 when I was promoted to LTC.

DOR (at least for officers) are usually on the first of the month (even if you actually pin it on later in the month). Exceptions happen though.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2014 7:49 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:49:59 -0500

Last DOR was 01 NOV 2009 to LTC
DOR to MAJ was 01 DEC 2003
DOR to CPT was 01 FEB 1997
DOR to 1LT was 22 JAN 1995

I do know that recently there have been some officers and NCOs in my unit with other than the first of the month as their DOR. Matter of fact, I think our CG had a mid-month DOR last summer.
Once I heard that this was to make a distinction in rank. In other words it was designed to make one officer/NCO senior in rank to the other based on a day or more rather than a full month.

Anyone else know why this is done?

Response by Sgt Adam Jennings made Dec 17 at 2014 8:29 PM

Sgt Adam Jennings — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 20:29:22 -0500

My last DOR was 2012/10/01 when I picked up Sergeant. Every rank I've picked up has been on the 1st of that month. Never heard of it being on another day of the month before.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2014 11:27 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 23:27:51 -0500

My date of rank is 11Jul. You've got me questioning myself now, I might have to go look it up now. But I haven't been busted back.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Dec 18 at 2014 8:13 AM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 08:13:34 -0500

Here is a good reference about Date of Rank:

http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r600_20.pdf

http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r600_8_29.pdf

Response by SSG Ronald Limbaugh made Dec 18 at 2014 8:40 AM

SSG Ronald Limbaugh — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 08:40:31 -0500

My best guess is the date of rank coincides with when they finally got around to cutting orders. My last DOR was on the 7th of the month, couldn't tell you what the dates were on previous promotions. I'm sure it has to do with when the order authority has it set up to cut and provide orders for promotions.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2014 8:47 AM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 08:47:59 -0500

promotion to staff sgt was oct 16 2006

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2014 10:33 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 10:33:30 -0500

Most recent was for SFC: 01 May 2014. My DOR for SSG is 05 Jan 2011. The reason for it not being on the 1st of the month is because that is when I came back into the military after a break in service. So my DOR reflects the day I came back in.

Now I am in Instructor/Writer for MOS 29E. 29E is currently under the SMAPP program which enables E-4 (SPC) to re-class into this MOS and upon graduation they are promoted to SGT automatically. Our graduations will never fall on the 1st, tipically somewhere in the middle of the month. Therefore, all of our E-4 graduates have a DOR for SGT that is not on the 1st of the month.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Dec 18 at 2014 10:37 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 10:37:11 -0500

I know in the AF our dates of rank for E5 and above are always on the 1st, except if you get picked up for a STEP promotion.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2014 12:48 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:48:16 -0500

Mine was 20 Sept when I made SrA, due to when my promotion order was cut. It was definitely not a demotion in this case, as I was promoted upon completion of technical training and approval by my commander. As an officer, my DOR is my commissioning date right now, so my ranks have never been on the 1st of the month.

Response by SPC Maxwell McManus made Apr 22 at 2015 12:29 AM

SPC Maxwell McManus — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:29:18 -0400

Typically things like using the first of the month for dates of rank are purely for simplicity sake. It makes paperwork run through faster and thus more efficent. Same goes for doing monthly and quartly counslings at a specific time each month. For the most part that actuall date means nothing more than a point to start counting from for your next promotion. And to determine who is of senoirity. That could also be another part of it now that I think of it. If multiple promotions happen at the same time but all those people had different dates of rank it could cause arguments over who is senior. Giving the date of rank as always the first of the month would effectively stop that. So there are alot of reasons that it could be but never something to worry to much about unless it comes after the day you were promoted.