Officer Grade Determinations (OGDs)
What is this? If your official records contain adverse information in your current grade, your service Secretary will determine whether you served satisfactorily in your current grade.
In the United States Air Force as an example, if you have a court-martial conviction, a civil conviction, nonjudicial punishment, a letter of reprimand, or you have been the subject of a substantiated adverse finding from an officially documented investigation, proceeding or inquiry such as a command-directed investigation (CDI), Inspector General (IG) investigation or Equal Opportunity investigations, you will undergo a mandatory OGD. The USAF also gives your command the authority to initiate an OGD if the commander believes an OGD is appropriate. If the Secretary of your service determines that you did not serve satisfactorily in your current grade, you will be retired in the lower grade.
(Note: The Army has a similar process called the Army Grade Determination Review Board. Other services have similar regulations).
Officer Grade Determinations begin with your commander giving you a letter stating you will be undergoing an OGD and the reason for the OGD—such as an Article 15 or Letter of Reprimand in your records since your promotion to your current grade. This occurs after you apply to retire. Your response along with the commander’s recommendation will then be sent up the chain of command—through the MAJCOM and finally to the Secretary of the Air Force or Army or Navy for a determination of the grade you last served satisfactorily. The staffing varies slightly from service to service. As an example, if the Secretary of your Service finds you did not serve satisfactorily as a Colonel because of the misconduct in your records, you will be retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and potentially lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement pay in the course of the next 30-40 years of your retirement. An Officer Grade Determination is a very serious matter. You should take it very seriously.
How do I help? While on active duty, I was a Senior Legal Advisor and Voting Member on the Officer Grade Determination Board that reviewed OGDs. The Board made recommendations to the Secretary of the Air Force on the grade an officer should be retired. I know exactly what the military looks at when reviewing OGDs. I walk you through the entire process and help build the strongest case possible to ensure you retire in your current grade. I analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your case and target what really matters to the Board.
Read my blog article on Officer Grade Determinations here.
Read my blog article on the Tangibles and Intangibles of Retiring at a Lower Grade.
DISCLAIMER: The information you obtain at this site is not legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation.