In the Air Force, development and promotion standards are published for enlisted ranks from Staff Sergeant up through Chief Master Sergeant. These ranks have explicit, rank-specific criteria that leaders use to determine readiness for advancement, including time in grade, completion of required professional military education, and demonstrated leadership and performance in evaluations. This creates a clear, uniform path for progression at each step. Officer promotions (lieutenant to captain to major, etc.) rely on a board-based process and broader assessments of an officer’s record rather than fixed, rank-by-rank standards. The other options point to ranks from other services or to officer ranks, which don’t reflect the Air Force approach described here.