Ok, my BTZ package goes in on Wednesday for review. I got all 5s on my EPR and all comments on my work were good, and my supervisor is mentioning all my college. However, I don't have as much volunteering as I possibly could have. What are my odds???

Depending on how much school you have, and if you are competing against someone with a CCAF. That is a hot button on BTZ boards. I have sat in on two now just to see how it works and both gave all stripes to the airmen who had CCAF's or a BS. That was the biggest discriminating factor I saw. They gave one stripe to a guy that had lots of college but no CCAF over another airman who was president of the dorm council and had no college.

It really depends on how many you are competing against. It is usually 1 stripe for every 7 eligible. Is is a records only board? If you are actually going to face the board (a rare thing) you can greatly increase your odds of getting promoted.

caninedale is right, college goes a long with with BTZ. I would have selected the dorm council president because that shows leadership but that is not the way of the AF.

We tend to reward people in ways that don't really match why we are rewarding them. The dorm council president is a great example. Why are we giving someone additional responsibility and potentially a leadership role when all they did was go to school and we didn't give it to the person who is alreay showing leadership qualities?

Sorry to rant but the BTZ process has always been a sore subject with me.

Thank you for all your advice. I'm just a little nervous because the package is now in and I now have little control over what happens.

The bulk of the written BTZ package deals with your accomplishments at work but don't discount the 2 smaller categories of community involvement and self-improvement. Boards look for someone that strives to go above and beyond the normal call of duty.

Some questions to think about...
Do you have a good attitude at work and willingly stay until the job is done or do you watch the clock so you can run out the door at the end of your shift?
Do you voluntarily help coworkers in need of assistance?
Do you volunteer for details or taskings that come down?
Do you get involved with the community?
Taking any college classes?
Served in your base honor guard?
Joined any councils or committees like the dorm council (as already mentioned)?

Every BTZ candidate should have a 5 EPR. It will be these other indicators that determine who earns the stripe.

If there is a face board, you'll need all of this AND some skills at answering questions, military bearing, and looking sharp.

quote:

Some questions to think about...
Do you have a good attitude at work and willingly stay until the job is done or do you watch the clock so you can run out the door at the end of your shift?
Do you voluntarily help coworkers in need of assistance?
Do you volunteer for details or taskings that come down?
Do you get involved with the community?
Taking any college classes?
Served in your base honor guard?
Joined any councils or committees like the dorm council (as already mentioned)?

did every single one of those, and i didn't get it. i guess if you're a trouble maker and your supervisor is on the board, what else matters? my 1sgt and supervisor told me that i should have got it, but the two guys that got it were in the same shop and two of their supervisors were on the board. i guess i should have been more political and a butt kisser, but sorry thats just not me. i didn't even care if i was going to be put up for btz, then my supervisor let me know that he was putting me up for it. i'll still get SrA.

This situation is a bit puzzling. Your first sergeant has a direct influence on squadron-level BTZ, via the commander. It makes no sense that your first sergeant is saying you "should have got it" when he/she should have ensured you did get it if you were the most deserving.

In any case, this is a moot point without input from your actual board members or copies of the nominee packages.

Sorry things didn't work out in your favor.

LOL

Things sure have changed. I was a BTZ senior airman 22 years ago. I did my job well, stayed out of trouble, and impressed the board with my appearance and bearing.

Sorry to intrude on this BTZ question but.....
I was just sitting here racking my damn brain trying to figure out when I will be eligible for BTZ and i cannot figure it out lol.

I came in with the 6 years and AIC at like 5 months or something like that. I put A1C on Back in Dec. of 06'. Can anyone tell me when ill be 6 out of normal promotion time?
Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by 13179975:
Sorry to intrude on this BTZ question but.....
I was just sitting here racking my damn brain trying to figure out when I will be eligible for BTZ and i cannot figure it out lol.

I came in with the 6 years and AIC at like 5 months or something like that. I put A1C on Back in Dec. of 06'. Can anyone tell me when ill be 6 out of normal promotion time?
Thanks

You should be able to Click Here to view the BTZ Eligibility Chart. Otherwise, you can find more info by searching "BTZ" at: AFPC. Another good source might be your Orderly Room or Promotions Office at MPF.

quote:

This situation is a bit puzzling. Your first sergeant has a direct influence on squadron-level BTZ, via the commander. It makes no sense that your first sergeant is saying you "should have got it" when he/she should have ensured you did get it if you were the most deserving.

In any case, this is a moot point without input from your actual board members or copies of the nominee packages.

Sorry things didn't work out in your favor.

in a way, i'm kind of glad i didn't get it. most of the people that get BTZ a big brown nozing suck ups, whose packages are fake. i'm not a politic'n kinda guy...might hurt me later on, but i refuse to. i just believe in being straight forward.

quote:

Originally posted by dubya04:

quote:

This situation is a bit puzzling. Your first sergeant has a direct influence on squadron-level BTZ, via the commander. It makes no sense that your first sergeant is saying you "should have got it" when he/she should have ensured you did get it if you were the most deserving.

In any case, this is a moot point without input from your actual board members or copies of the nominee packages.

Sorry things didn't work out in your favor.

in a way, i'm kind of glad i didn't get it. most of the people that get BTZ a big brown nozing suck ups, whose packages are fake. i'm not a politic'n kinda guy...might hurt me later on, but i refuse to. i just believe in being straight forward.

This is one of the biggest myths in the AF. You don't have to be a politician to do well. There is not way to illustrate my point without tooting my own horn a bit...but I have done well for myself with the leaders above me. I have always been straight forward, honest - whether it was good or bad, take the heat for myself and those under me - I don't try to shift blame, and I am usually pretty blunt. I don't act like a politician and dance around.

You must be a politician or play some game to do well in enlisted ranks is a big myth.

It's a typical excuse based on frustration, which is why I didn't reply to it.

i guess my comment above is a bit harsh, but it's the way it is around here. frustrated? nah, not one bit. this is how i always saw it, if i get it, i get it and if i don't, i don't. it's not like it will be the end of my career. AND that is how sooo many airman see it.

i'm not your typical little A1C. and it's a shock to so many people.

*UPDATE*

As I predeicted, I did not make BTZ. They only gave out three stripes and one of the stripes was between me and another airman. The other Airman got it because he/she had a deployment. Oh well, so I have to wait six months. So I am just gonna sit back, chillax and

quote:

Originally posted by dubya04:
i guess my comment above is a bit harsh, but it's the way it is around here. frustrated? nah, not one bit. this is how i always saw it, if i get it, i get it and if i don't, i don't. it's not like it will be the end of my career. AND that is how sooo many airman see it.

i'm not your typical little A1C. and it's a shock to so many people.

Heh, Dubya, you threw me off this whole time! Why did I keep thinking you were an NCO or retired? When did you come in???

quote:

Originally posted by A1CKBurrow:

quote:

Originally posted by dubya04:
i guess my comment above is a bit harsh, but it's the way it is around here. frustrated? nah, not one bit. this is how i always saw it, if i get it, i get it and if i don't, i don't. it's not like it will be the end of my career. AND that is how sooo many airman see it.

i'm not your typical little A1C. and it's a shock to so many people.

Heh, Dubya, you threw me off this whole time! Why did I keep thinking you were an NCO or retired? When did you come in???

i've only been in for 2 years.

quote:

Originally posted by DHarris75:

quote:

Originally posted by dubya04:

quote:

This situation is a bit puzzling. Your first sergeant has a direct influence on squadron-level BTZ, via the commander. It makes no sense that your first sergeant is saying you "should have got it" when he/she should have ensured you did get it if you were the most deserving.

In any case, this is a moot point without input from your actual board members or copies of the nominee packages.

Sorry things didn't work out in your favor.

in a way, i'm kind of glad i didn't get it. most of the people that get BTZ a big brown nozing suck ups, whose packages are fake. i'm not a politic'n kinda guy...might hurt me later on, but i refuse to. i just believe in being straight forward.

This is one of the biggest myths in the AF. You don't have to be a politician to do well. There is not way to illustrate my point without tooting my own horn a bit...but I have done well for myself with the leaders above me. I have always been straight forward, honest - whether it was good or bad, take the heat for myself and those under me - I don't try to shift blame, and I am usually pretty blunt. I don't act like a politician and dance around.

You must be a politician or play some game to do well in enlisted ranks is a big myth.

i'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. although, i didn't say that one couldn't gain rank because that person was a politician. it's still possible.

the thing is, you could have an amazing member of the AF, no paperwork, excellent worker, everything you could imagine, ALL ranks... and that member never get recognized for accomplishments. on the flip side, a member who is a dirt bag, again ALL ranks who is a politc'n kind of person receive all kinds of awards. i've seen it happen, time and time again.

Let's hear about some specific examples, minus the names of course. Maybe we can decipher what happened and/or dispel some myths.

It's really all about who you go up agains't. I had college under me, just 2 management classes away from CCAF, and 3 classes from associates. I did base honor guard, even competed infront of a board and got guardsmen of the quarter, which is a wing award. i aced my CDC's (98 and 96), i volunteer for everything, and very noticable volunteer projects, i was recognize at the group as well as wing level for my work, (i work in contracting, we're a small career field, so we compete at the group level), i was also actively involve in teh airman's council, and i still did NOT get BTZ. My supt, said there wasn't anything else they could have added to the package. I wen't up agains't a bunch of combat controller and some TACP, and guess who got all 5 stripes...I'm still bitter, i learned the politics, as soon as i get my bachelor, i 'm out...