Air Force OPR (AF Form 707) Guide

OPR bullets, like EPR bullets, follow the action–impact format and strict character limits. The discipline required to write tight, impactful bullets in the Air Force is the same for officers and enlisted — every word must earn its place.

For officers, the impact clause of the bullet should reflect strategic-level outcomes wherever possible: unit readiness, mission success metrics, policy or process improvements that scaled beyond your immediate team.

"- Briefed leadership on training status; improved readiness" → vague. "- Revamped 3-phase training program; elevated Wing readiness from 71% to 94% in 60 days" → specific, quantified, impactful.

For a competitive OPR above O-3, the stratification statement is not optional — it's the foundation of a board-competitive report. Your rater and additional rater must both include explicit population comparisons.

Work with your rater during the rating period to document accomplishments that support a specific stratification claim. If you're genuinely the top performer in a pool of 15 captains, that needs to be in your record — and the rater needs to know it before they sit down to write.

A "DP package" is an OPR with a Definitely Promote recommendation from both rater and additional rater, plus stratification language from both. This is the minimum competitive package for most promotion windows above O-4.

Commanders have a DP quota. Getting into that quota requires you to have the strongest record AND to have advocated appropriately during the rating period. Officers who passively assume their record speaks for itself often find themselves receiving Promote when the DP pool goes to peers who were more engaged with their supervisory chain.

Request a pre-OER counseling with your rater where you present your accomplishments for the rating period. Bring numbers, bring scope, bring impact. Make it easy for the rater to write DP language.

The senior rater (additional rater at the O-6/GO level) endorsement on an OPR can make or break a file at competitive boards. A senior rater who independently stratifies and advocates with specific language amplifies everything below it.

Senior rater endorsements that simply concur are essentially wasted space. Boards know the difference between a thoughtful senior rater who took time to evaluate the record and one who signed off on whatever the mid-level chain submitted.

The DP recommendation begins with performance, but it doesn't end there. You must ensure the people who decide have the information they need to make the case for you.

Monthly accomplishment emails to your rater (not self-promotion — just documentation), pre-OER briefings where you summarize your rating period, and clear communication about career goals all contribute to a rater who writes an aggressive DP package.

If you receive a Promote when you believe you earned DP, you have limited formal recourse — but you can request counseling to understand why, and you can set the stage for a stronger DP case in the next rating period.

Red flag phrases in any OPR: "do not promote," "developmental," "significant problem," "needs improvement." These are board disqualifiers regardless of surrounding positive language.