Promotion rates plummet as Air Force selects limited few for E5 rank

The Air Force has announced that the promotion rate for staff sergeants has reached its lowest point since 1996, with only 17.4% of eligible senior airmen being selected for promotion this year. This is part of the Air Force's ongoing effort to reshape its midlevel enlisted ranks and distribute airmen more evenly across the ranks. The plan includes reducing the number of staff sergeant positions and giving noncommissioned officers more time to mature into supervisors. Some airmen have expressed concerns about the longer-term impact on their careers and finances.