Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog

All the Posts About Letters to the Board in One Place

Posted on January 2, 2026 Updated on December 26, 2025

It is time to start writing letters to the O6 promotion board, so here are all the posts about letters to the board in one place…

The question most people ask me is answered in these posts:

Should You Send a Letter to the Promotion Board?

Do You Still Need to Send the Above Zone Letter?

The bottom line is:

Pretend that you did not send a letter to the board, the board is over, and you were not selected for promotion. Are you going to be kicking yourself for not sending the letter? If the answer is yes or maybe, then send the letter. As long as you keep it short and sweet, there is no real downside.

Frankly, I think that when officers send letters to promotion boards they are often just making themselves feel better, and there is nothing wrong with that. You want to make sure that when the promotion board results come out, no matter what happened, you feel like you did everything you could to get promoted.

Here is how to request a letter from the Medical Corps Chief:

How to Request a Letter to the Promotion Board from the Medical Corps Chief

Letters to promotion boards have a new due date. You can’t send them the day before the board anymore:

Letters to Promotion Boards Now Due 10 Calendar Days Before the Board

If you know you are getting out of the Navy and really don’t care about getting promoted, you should read this post:

What is a “Don’t Pick Me” Promotion Board Letter? Why Would You Send One?

Have you been on active duty for less than 1 year? Read this:

How to Be Considered for Promotion if You’ve Been on Active Duty for Less Than 1 Year

You now need to use your DoD ID number and not your Social Security number on letters to the board. Read this:

Use DoD ID Number and Not Your SSN on Letters to the Board

You can now submit letters electronically:

Electronic Submission of Letters to the Board Now Available