WASHINGTON — Beginning with the 2019 Developmental Education Designation Board, wing commanders and some senior raters will be able to select one Line of the Air Force officer per academic year to attend Intermediate Developmental Education in residence.
Wing commanders and senior raters will also continue to nominate up to 30 percent of their eligible LAF officers to compete for the service’s remaining in-residence slots at the DEDB.
“Our processes for managing talent must be agile and responsive to the Air Force and our Airmen’s needs,” said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “The commanders who work with and know their Airmen best will be empowered to identify the Airmen who deserve this development opportunity. They will identify the right Airmen to lead the force into the future.”
Each wing, Numbered Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command center, combatant command and major command commander will be able to select one eligible LAF officer to “definitely attend” IDE in residence each academic year. In addition to these commanders, leaders of Air Staff directorates, senior materiel leaders and senior raters above the wing level with at least 20 eligible LAF candidates will also be able to select one officer.
Airmen who were identified as “school selects” by previous LAF promotion boards to the rank of major, still require a nomination from their senior rater to compete at the DEDB, but are guaranteed the opportunity to attend IDE in residence.
The Air Force separated school selection from the promotion process for LAF officers in 2017.
“The decision to separate school selection stemmed from inputs from the field and discussions with wing commanders about how we continue to improve joint warfighting excellence,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein. “This is about lethality. Winning in combat starts with great leadership.”
Commanders and senior raters are directed to consider multiple factors including job performance, experience and education and innovative leadership when selecting the high-performing Airmen from their unit that will attend IDE in residence.
All of the Airmen nominated, whether chosen as a definitely attend Airman or nominated to meet the DEDB, will meet the Air Force’s Central Professional Military Education Board to be ranked in order of merit, then matched to schools during the Schools Match Board.
These changes will only impact LAF officers competing to attend IDE. Functional managers for Air Force Medical Services, Line of the Air Force-Judge Advocate and Chaplain Corps officers will continue to conduct their own selection processes and present their candidate lists for approval.
For more information on Air Force development programs, visit myPers, the Air Force Personnel Center website, at https://myPers.af.mil.
