ALCOAST 013/26 - JAN 2026 IMPLEMENTATION OF IN-ZONE REORDERING AND BELOW ZONE SELECTION FOR IDPL PROMOTION SELECTION BOARDS

R 132122Z JAN 26 MID320018467623U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 013/26
SSIC 1000
SUBJ: IMPLEMENTATION OF IN-ZONE REORDERING AND BELOW ZONE SELECTION
FOR IDPL PROMOTION SELECTION BOARDS
A. Officer Accessions, Evaluations, and Promotions,
COMDTINST 1000.3A
B. Reserve Policy Manual, COMDTINST 1001.28D
1. This ALCOAST establishes policy for the use of Below Zone
Selection (BZS) and In-Zone Reordering (IZR) for certain Inactive
Duty Promotion List (IDPL) best-qualified promotion selection boards
(PSBs).
2. The following policy is in effect for promotion year (PY) 2027.
     a. In-Zone Reordering (IZR): PSBs are required to employ IZR to
the maximum extent authorized by law to recommend officers of
particular merit from above, within, and below the promotion zone to
be placed at the top of the list of selectees. IDPL officers
displaced from the top of the list retain their previous precedence
immediately below those officers reordered and inserted at the top
of the promotion list.
       (1) Applicability. This policy applies to best-qualified PSBs
for IDPL officers in the grades of O-2 through O-5, competing for
the next higher grade.
       (2) Percentage Authorized. The number of IDPL officers to be
recommended for IZR must follow that prescribed in
14 U.S.C. 2116(c)(1).
       (3) Majority Recommendation. No IDPL officer will be
recommended to be placed at the top of the list of selectees unless
they receive the recommendation of at least a majority of the
members of a board composed of five members, or at least two-thirds
of the members of a board composed of more than five members.
       (4) Running Mate Assignment. In order of original seniority,
IDPL officers reordered within their respective promotion selection
zones assume a position above the senior-most selected IDPL officer
of that PSB that was not IZR. IZR IDPL officers will be assigned a
new running mate equal to the ADPL officer of the senior-most
selected IDPL officer.
     b. Below Zone Selection (BZS). PSBs are authorized to recommend
eligible IDPL officers from below the promotion selection zone. All
eligible IDPL officers below the promotion selection zone must be
considered by the applicable PSB if BZS is authorized.
       (1) Applicability. This policy applies to best-qualified PSBs
for IDPL officers in the grades of O-3 through O-5, competing for
the next higher grade.
       (2) Eligibility. In addition to promotion eligibility
requirements published in REFs (A) and (B), officers must meet
the following minimum time in grade (TIG) to be eligible for BZS.
IDPL officers become eligible for promotion to the next higher grade
at the beginning of the promotion year (PY) in which they have
served a minimum of:
            (a) Three years in the grade of lieutenant;
            (b) Four years in the grade of lieutenant commander; and
            (c) Four years in the grade of commander.
       (3) Authorized Numbers. The number of officers a PSB is
authorized to recommend for promotion from below the promotion zone
may not exceed the highest percentage of authorized officers
described in 14 U.S.C. 3740. If such percentage is a number less
than one, the PSB may recommend one officer for promotion from below
the promotion zone.
       (4) BZ Non-Selection. If below zone officers are considered
and not selected, this does not result in a non-selection for
promotion.
       (5) Running Mate Assignment. In order of original seniority,
IDPL officers selected from below the promotion zone will be
assigned a new running mate equal to the most junior IDPL officer
within their grade that was in zone selected during the same PY.
In the event a below zone selected IDPL officer was also IZR during
the same PSB, their running mate assignment will follow policy
established in paragraph 2.a.(4) of this ALCOAST.
3. This ALCOAST will be consolidated into future updates of REF (A).
4. Points of contact:
     a. Direct policy questions to COMDT (CG-WMM-2) at
HQSPolicyandStandards@uscg.mil.
     b. Direct Reserve Boards and Panels questions to Commander
(CG PSC-RPM-1) at HQS-SMB-CGPSC-RPM-BoardsPanels@uscg.mil
5. RDML Zeita Merchant, Assistant Commandant for Workforce
Management (CG-WM), sends.
6. Internet release is authorized.