Performance Evaluation
Reviewing Officer Mechanics
RO reads the RS submission word for word. Concur, non-concur, or addendum. The RO comparative assessment carries weight at boards. Rubber-stamping breaks the system.
Leader Steps
- Read the full RS submission, every section
- Cross-check marks against narrative for internal consistency
- Decide concur, non-concur, or addendum
- Build the RO comparative assessment honestly
- Return non-concurrences to the RS with specific corrections
Read Every Word
The RO who skims the RS submission and stamps concurrence sells the MRO short and corrupts the section's report quality over time. Reading every word takes 20 minutes per report. Skipping the read teaches the RS the bar is low.
Three reads.
- First pass. Get the gist.
- Second pass. Cross-check Section H billet description against the marks. Are the marks defensible against the duties described?
- Third pass. Cross-check the narrative against the marks. Does each mark have a specific event in the narrative?
Three Decision Paths
| Path | When to use |
|---|---|
| Concur | RS submission stands. Marks, narrative, and comparative assessment internally consistent. |
| Non-concur | RS submission has substantive issues. Return to RS with the corrections needed. |
| Addendum | RS submission stands, RO has additional perspective the MRO benefits from. |
Concurrence is not the default. Concurrence is the conclusion of the three-pass read.
When to Non-Concur
Non-concur when the RS submission carries any of these patterns.
- Marks contradict the narrative.
- Narrative is generic, recycled, or absent specific events.
- Comparative assessment placed without supporting distribution discipline.
- Section H billet description does not match the duties the marks evaluated.
The non-concurrence returns to the RS with specific corrections. The RS resubmits. The RO reviews again.
RO Comparative Assessment
The RO compares the MRO against every MRO the RO has reviewed at this grade. MCO 1610.7 Ch 3 Same distribution discipline as the RS. The board reader weighs both assessments. Divergence between RS and RO assessments without explanation in the narrative becomes a board flag.
When to Add an Addendum
Addendum exists for the RO with substantive additional perspective beyond the RS's view. The RO has direct observation the RS does not.
Use addendum sparingly. An RO who writes addenda on every report drifts into RS territory and undermines the RS's authority.
What Concurrence Costs
A concurrence carries the RO's name on the report at the board. The RO who concurred on an inflated report has the inflation tied to the RO's reputation. Write through the report carefully.
Common RO Failures
- Rubber-stamp concurrence with no read evidence. RS learns to inflate.
- Non-concurrence without specific corrections. RS resubmits with different fluff.
- Addendum used as second-guessing. RS authority erodes across the section.
- RO comparative assessment placed inflated to match a friendly RS. Board readers spot the pattern.
Where to Go Next
- The adverse FitRep leaf covers the procedural overlay when marks land below standard.
- The APES administration leaf covers the system mechanics for routing.
Same topic, other roles
References