JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Senior master sergeant enlisted performance reports, which closed out July 31, will be accomplished on the newly published Air Force Form 911, the EPR for master sergeant through senior master sergeant, which was made available July 31 on the e-Publishing website.

Development of new evaluation forms is part of ongoing Air Force enlisted evaluation and promotion process changes, underway since July 2014. The Form 911, previously used for all senior NCOs, is now for master sergeant-selects, master sergeants, senior master sergeant-selects and senior master sergeants only. Technical sergeants selected for promotion during the 15E7 promotion cycle will have a Sept. 30 EPR on the Form 911 dated July 31, 2015.

The Form 911 was developed to complement the senior NCO feedback form: Air Force Form 932, Airman Comprehensive Assessment worksheet, which is for master sergeant through chief master sergeant.

The ACA, available since July 2014, opened more in-depth, two-way communication between the rater and ratee and included a self-assessment, detailed evaluation of expected and/or current performance, and specific discussion areas and questions like personal finances and relationships. In addition, the form requires the rater to clarify the Airman's role in support of the mission.

Midterm ACAs accompany each enlisted and officer performance report and are accessible by the rating chain. As such, the forms complement each other in that the evaluation form includes two assessment areas that correlate with the senior NCO ACA.

Performance

This area enables a rater to evaluate a senior NCO's performance in a variety of areas such as mission accomplishment, team building, mentorship, communication skills, compliance with and enforcement of standards, and others, as described on the feedback form.

Raters will have a maximum of eight lines of text to describe an Airman's performance in this area, and a minimum of at least one line of text.

This is the primary focus of the evaluation, where raters tell Airmen how they're doing and will illustrate to commanders whether an Airman is ready for promotion, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody explained.

A senior NCO must meet or exceed all expectations in the performance assessment area to be evaluated in the second assessment area.

Whole Airman Concept

This assessment area allows raters to evaluate a senior NCO on actions and behaviors based on the Whole Airman Concept in relation to Air Force core values, to include personal and professional development, esprit de corps and community relations, as detailed on the feedback form.

Raters have up to two lines of text in this area to evaluate an Airman's performance and accomplishments in relation to the Whole Airman Concept, with a minimum of one line.

"Senior NCOs lead Airmen in daily mission accomplishment, set the example for junior members through mentorship, and advise commanders and senior leaders on issues affecting enlisted members, unit mission accomplishment and more,” said Will Brown, the Air Force Evaluation and Recognition Programs Branch chief. “Thus, the senior NCO feedback form and new EPR form focus on technical proficiency and professional leader areas. The new forms and processes will enable the Air Force to identify senior NCOs with the highest propensity to lead and rate them accordingly."

Possible performance ratings for each assessment area include the following:

- Exceeded most if not all expectations
- Exceeded some but not all expectations
- Met all, exceeded some expectations
- Met some but not all expectations

"Very few Airmen will be rated as 'exceeded most, if not all expectations,' because that performance level is considered significantly above the norm," Brown said.

Likewise, few will be rated as "met some but not all expectations."

Additional rater and commander comments are optional. When used, additional raters can use one or two bullets, and commanders can include one bullet and up to three recommendations for future roles, such as first sergeant, military training instructor or other developmental opportunities, that best serve the Air Force and continue the ratee's professional development.

For promotion-eligible senior NCOs, the form also includes a block for the final evaluator's promotion recommendation, including a block for use by senior raters only for senior rater endorsement and stratification. Stratification is restricted to the senior rater's top 10 percent of promotion-eligible master sergeants and top 20 percent of promotion-eligible senior master sergeants.

"When raters use the ACA process and feedback form to communicate expectations and routinely update Airmen on how well they are meeting those expectations, raters will be better prepared at EPR time to accurately evaluate an Airman's performance," Brown said.

Additional information on restricted endorsement and stratification, and other changes to the evaluation and promotion systems, are available on the myPers EES/WAPS changes page.

For more information about Air Force personnel programs go to the myPers website. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following the instructions on the Air Force Retirees Services website.