CONVENING OF THE FY27 U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER PROMOTION SELECTION BOARD
MARADMIN 013/26 · January 16, 2026 · Source
Are You a Reserve CWO Up for Promotion This Year? Here's What the Board Looks Like.
The Marine Corps just published the convening notice for the FY27 Reserve Chief Warrant Officer Promotion Selection Board.
If you're a Reserve CWO in an active status, this board could determine your next promotion.
Here's what you need to know before 18 February 2026.
Reference: MARADMIN 013/26, signed 15 January 2026. Underlying eligibility data comes from MCBUL 1400, Officer Lineal Precedence.
The old problem
CWOs eligible for promotion often don't know where they stand until they're deep in the process.
The board convening notice fixes that. It names the eligible zone, names the officers, and lists exactly which MOS boards are actually opening.
If your MOS isn't on the list, no board is convening for you this cycle.
(That's worth knowing early, not after you've spent weeks prepping your file.)
The new rule, in one line
The FY27 Reserve CWO Promotion Selection Board convenes on 18 February 2026 at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Who the board is looking at
This board covers two separate competitive categories.
OTAR (Other Than Active Reserve) — Reserve Active-Status List officers who serve in a traditional reserve capacity.
AR (Active Reserve) — Officers serving in the full-time Active Reserve program.
The board will consider promotions to CWO3, CWO4, and CWO5. But only where vacancies exist in that grade and MOS.
No vacancies in your MOS. No board for that grade.
The board looks at three zones:
✦ Above-Zone — your lineal control number precedes the senior officer in zone. If you haven't been previously considered, the board treats you as In-Zone.
✦ In-Zone — you're in the window. This is where most selections happen.
✦ Below-Zone — for this board, no BZ boards are being convened. None.
Which boards are actually opening
OTAR Boards
CWO5 OTAR
Only one board is opening: MOS 0620. One Above-Zone officer is being considered. No BZ boards.
A long list of MOSs will see no CWO5 OTAR board this cycle, including 0170, 0205, 0408, 0630, 1310, 2110, 2305, 5702, 6004, 6502, 7002, and others. Check the MARADMIN for the full list.
CWO4 OTAR
Boards are opening for five MOSs:
✦ MOS 1120
✦ MOS 1310
✦ MOS 2110
✦ MOS 3302
✦ MOS 5702
No BZ boards. Large number of MOSs with no board this cycle. Again, check the MARADMIN if your MOS isn't listed above.
CWO3 OTAR
This is the largest set of boards. MOSs with open boards:
✦ 0210
✦ 0430
✦ 0620
✦ 1120
✦ 1310
✦ 1390
✦ 1720
✦ 2110
✦ 2340
✦ 5702
✦ 5970
✦ 6004
✦ 6302
✦ 6802
No BZ boards. A separate list of MOSs will see no board at all this cycle.
AR Boards
The AR program has three MOS competitive categories: Personnel Officer (0170), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Officer (6004), and Aviation Ordnance Officer (6502).
CWO5 AR: Only 0170 has an open board. No boards for 6004 or 6502.
CWO4 AR: Only 0170 has an open board. No boards for 6004 or 6502.
CWO3 AR: Only 0170 has an open board. No boards for 6004 or 6502.
No BZ boards anywhere in the AR category.
Eligibility: the fine print that matters
To be considered, you must have continuously served on the RASL, the Active-Duty List, or a combination of both for at least one year immediately before the board convening date.
One more cutoff to know: if your scheduled removal from the RASL falls within 90 days after 18 February 2026, you will not be considered by this board.
(That's not a technicality. It's a hard stop. Know your removal date.)
Submitting correspondence to the board
The board will consider timely written communication from officers.
Timely means received no later than 10 calendar days before the board convenes.
This is a statutory requirement. It cannot be waived. There are no exceptions for late correspondence.
Before the board date, you should:
- Review and audit your Official Military Personnel File (OMPF).
- Review your Master Brief Sheet (MBS) for accuracy.
- Confirm your fitness reports are complete and properly filed.
- Check your Career Retirement Credit Report (CRCR).
- If you are OTAR, submit a complete Reserve Qualification Summary (RQS) as board correspondence. Get it in at least 10 days before 18 February.
All submission guidance lives in MARADMIN 108/25. Find it at the officer promotion homepage.
Why this is a big deal
Most Reserve CWOs don't get a lot of visibility into the promotion machinery.
This MARADMIN is the machinery made visible.
It tells you exactly which MOSs have boards opening, who is in zone, and where the zone boundaries sit by lineal control number.
If your name is on this list, the board is looking at you in about a month.
If your name isn't on this list but you think it should be, that's a conversation to have with your S-1 right now. Not after the board.
And if your MOS has no board convening at all, you need to understand that before you spend energy preparing a file that won't be reviewed this cycle.
A smaller note for active-duty Marines
The broader FY27 officer promotion board framework was announced in MARADMIN 108/25. This MARADMIN addresses the Reserve CWO piece specifically. If you're active duty and have Reserve CWO questions, your promotion chain runs through a different board structure.
The bottom line
The FY27 Reserve CWO Promotion Selection Board convenes 18 February 2026 at Quantico.
Below-Zone is not in play. OTAR and AR boards are running separately by MOS. Many MOSs have no board this cycle. OTAR officers should submit an RQS. All board correspondence is due 10 days before convening. No exceptions.
What to do with this
If you are In-Zone or Above-Zone for a board listed above:
- Pull your OMPF now. Fix anything that's wrong.
- Review your MBS. Errors on a brief sheet are your problem to solve before the board.
- Confirm your fitness reports are complete and visible in your record.
- Check your CRCR.
- Write your board correspondence if you have something the board should know. Get it submitted before 8 February 2026. That's your 10-day buffer.
- If you're OTAR, write and submit your RQS. Don't skip this.
If you are unsure whether you're in zone:
Check your lineal control number against the senior and junior IZ officers listed in the MARADMIN. Then talk to your unit S-1.
If your MOS has no board convening this cycle:
Verify with your S-1. Then start preparing now for the next cycle. Use this time to clean up your record.
Questions on eligibility or the process:
Contact the POCs listed in the MARADMIN directly:
✦ Maj Michael J. Cook, MMPB-10: michael.j.cook@usmc.mil / (703) 784-9703
✦ Maj Paul M. Dantonio, MMPB-10: paul.dantonio@usmc.mil / (703) 784-9704
This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.
Need a shorter version of this for a unit brief or a longer breakdown of the eligibility rules? Ask and I can tailor it.