The Air Force canceled 135 promotions after air force sergeant promotion errors on a written test changed the rankings for security forces staff sergeants. The change followed a re-score of a test taken earlier this year, and the airmen now moved into line for promotion will be told next week.
David R. Wolfe
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David R. Wolfe said, "This is going to be hard for everyone impacted." The promotions were part of a 2026 cycle in which 2,285 security forces staff sergeants took the SKT, the written Specialty Knowledge Test used in promotions in the Air Force.
Officials said the incorrect answer key scored 27 questions wrong, which pushed 135 staff sergeants too high among more than 2,000 security forces airmen competing for promotion to technical sergeant. A different 135 staff sergeants whose corrected scores moved them into range will now receive the promotions.
Air Force Personnel Center
Air Force officials said, "Preserving the integrity of the promotion system, the enlisted promotion team conducted a full re-score." They said, "The result established a new, correct promotion cut-off, identifying the rightful earners for promotion and those whose line numbers will be revoked."
The Air Force Personnel Center said "the error was an isolated and highly unprecedented anomaly" and added, "No artificial intelligence products were used in the erroneous promotion cycle process; it was the result of human error." The service said security forces has 43,000 Defenders, is nearly all enlisted, and is charged with base security and on-base law enforcement.
The reversal hit the top of the list that had initially been announced just before the July 4th weekend, when 586 staff sergeants were told they had been selected for promotion. After the re-score, 135 of those promotions were canceled and 135 other security forces staff sergeants moved into the promotion range.
The next step is narrow and direct: the 135 airmen now in line will be informed next week, and the corrected ranking will stand as the basis for the promotions.
