When may a recommendation of must promote or early promote not be assigned?

A recommendation of must promote or early promote is generally reserved for individuals who exhibit a high level of performance and potential for advancement. In this context, when a service member receives a trait assessment of 2.0, it indicates a performance level that is below the standard acceptable for advancement. Such a low assessment reflects significant shortcomings in their performance, suggesting that they do not meet the necessary criteria to be considered for a must promote or early promote recommendation.

Other trait assessments, such as a 4.0 or even 3.5, suggest competent performance and can support recommendations for advancement, as they indicate that the individual is meeting or exceeding expectations. Assessments of 1.5 also suggest inadequate performance, thus falling in line with the criteria that would preclude a must promote or early promote recommendation. However, the critical threshold is the 2.0 rating, which clearly signifies the individual's inability to justify accelerated promotion considerations.