How a Letter of Reprimand Impacts Your Air Force Career

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At Military Justice Guides, we hear stories everyday of Airmen receiving a Letter of Reprimand for allegations of misconduct. Sometimes, those Airmen are told to “just accept it,” that it’s “just an LOR,” and that it won’t have an impact on their career. But as former military officers ourselves, we know better. We know the gigantic impact an Air Force Letter of Reprimand (LOR) can have on your career. And before you decide how to respond to an LOR, it’s important that you know the impacts as well.

What is a Letter of Reprimand?

An Air Force Letter of Reprimand (LOR) is an administrative disciplinary measure available to commanders and supervisors under Air Force Instruction 36-3907. This is solely an administrative action designed to inform a member of wrongdoing and correct their behavior. These letters must state what you did or failed to do (citing specific incidents and dates), what improvement is expected, that further deviation may result in more severe action, that you have 3 duty days to respond, and that all supporting documents you submit will become part of the record.

How can a Letter of Reprimand impact my career?

Once completed, there are many ways an LOR can impact your career. Here are a few:

• A Letter of Reprimand will be filed in your Personnel Information File (PIF). Your PIF is used to document your career, containing things like line-of-duty determinations, assignment and sponsorship correspondence, local clearance actions, promotion actions, credit information, counseling records, additional duties and duty roster information. When an LOR is filed in your PIF, it becomes a part of your official record. This record is generally kept at the unit level. Once an LOR is placed in your PIF, only a commander, first sergeant, or supervisor in the current chain of command and equal to or senior to the person who issued the LOR can rescind the LOR. An LOR filed in your PIF may impact opportunities you have in your career, to include assignments, promotions, reenlistment, and temporary duty (TDY).
• A Letter of Reprimand can be filed in an Unfavorable Information File (UIF). Your commander may elect to file an LOR in a UIF. If you are an officer, any LOR you receive is automatically filed in a UIF. It is optional for an enlisted member. If your LOR is filed in a UIF, it will remain there for one year for enlisted members, two years for officers. Your UIF will be reviewed every time you are considered for promotion, reenlistment, permanent change of station/assignment, retraining, reclassification, selective continuation/reenlistment, or the Personnel Reliability Program.
• A Letter of Reprimand can also lead to your placement on a Control Roster. A Control Roster is effectively a six month observation period for individuals whose duty performance is substandard or who fail to meet or maintain Air Force standards of conduct, bearing, and integrity, on or off duty. Commanders inform members on the Control Roster that their performance and behavior must improve or they will face more severe administrative action or punishment. A Control Roster will impact your evaluation (EPR or OPR), and it automatically cancels any formal training you may be attending. Finally, a Control Roster may make you potentially ineligible for reenlistment, PCS reassignment, voluntary retraining, PME attendance, and promotion.

In summary, a Letter of Reprimand can have a huge impact on your career, to include impacting your eligibility for assignments, promotions, reenlistments, and future advancement.

What should I do if I receive an Air Force Letter of Reprimand?

If you receive a Letter of Reprimand, you have three duty days to respond. We recommend that you spend the time to write a comprehensive response, highlighting the accomplishments of your career and explaining your side of the story. Although we are not lawyers, and cannot provide legal advice, the former military officers at Military Justice Guides have developed a proven template for drafting and submitting a persuasive and professional response. You can purchase that product here:

Air Force LOR Response Template

Our LOR Response Template is written by experienced military officers. When you purchase this template, you will be able to download and get started!

$25.00

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