Active Duty List (ADL) and Reserve Active Status List (RASL):

Federal Law

10 U.S. Code § 620: Service Secretaries shall maintain a list of all active-duty officers within their service in order of grade and seniority within that grade. Officers must be on the ADL in order to be eligible for promotion.

10 U.S. Code § 14002: Service Secretaries shall maintain a list of all active-status reserve officers (other than those on active duty) within their service.

10 U.S. Code § 14003: Officers are carried on the RASL for their service in order of seniority. If an officer’s position on the RASL is a result of a temporary appointment, the officer’s grade and position on the RASL reverts to what it would have been if the officer had not received that appointment.

10 U.S. Code § 14004: An officer must be on a RASL to be eligible for consideration for selection for promotion or for promotion under 10 U.S. Code Chapter 1405.

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DoD Policy

The ADL and RASL are to be used to record original appointments, establish seniority within grades, determine eligibility for promotion consideration, provide for promotion timing, determine promotion zones and provide for legal determination of failure to be selected for promotion.

DODI 1310.01: When a reserve officer is ordered to active duty, a Service Secretary may change that officer’s date of rank to a later date if the officer is to be placed on the ADL and has not been on continuous active duty since original appointment as a reserve commissioned officer or is transferred from an inactive status and placed on the ADL or RASL. An officer on the RASL who is on a promotion list and is placed on the ADL shall be placed on an appropriate promotion list for officers on the ADL. The effective date of promotion and date of rank is the same as if the officer had been selected by the promotion board for ADL officers. An officer on the ADL who is on a promotion list and is placed on the RASL shall be placed on an appropriate promotion list for officers on the RASL. The effective date of promotion and date of rank is the same as if the officer had been selected by the promotion board for RASL officers. However, if the Service Secretary determines that an inequity would result in doing so, he or she may set the date of rank.

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Air Force Policy (AF Community of Practice Wiki)

AFI 36-2501: The ADL determines seniority in grade and eligibility for promotion. Seniority for officers within the same competitive category and the same date of rank is determined by using the following criteria in the order presented: previous grade date of rank; total Active Federal Commissioned Service; total Federal Commissioned Service; Regular officers before reserve officers; Regular officers based on date of presidential nomination for appointment as a regular officer; Regular Air Force acceptance date; Academy class standing; date of birth, with the earliest date taking precedence; reverse SSN, with the lowest number taking precedence.

Promotions by a position vacancy or federal recognition board may not be transferred to the ADL unless the officer is ordered to active duty as a member of the unit in which the vacancy exists.

AFI 36-2504: The Air Force RASL includes a list of all Reserve Air Force officers in an active status, not on the ADL, and in the order of seniority of the grade in which they are serving. Officers serving in the same grade are carried in the order of their rank in that grade. Seniority for officers with the same date of rank is determined by using the following criteria in the order presented: previous grade date of rank, or if the same the date of rank in an earlier grade; previous active duty grade relative seniority if applicable; total Active Federal Commisioned Service; total Federal Commissioned Service; date of original acceptance of commission; date of birth, with the earliest date taking precedence; reverse SSN, with the lowest number taking precedence. The RASL for the Air Force shall include officers in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Except as otherwise provided by law, an officer must be on the RASL to be eligible for consideration for selection for promotion, continuation, or selective early removal as a member of the Reserve of the Air Force. An officer removed from the RASL and later placed back on the RASL has his or her date of rank and seniority adjusted to reflect time not spent on the RASL.

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Army Policy (Army Community of Practice Wiki)

AR 600-8-29: The position of officers on the ADL is based on the following criteria, in the given order: current grade, current active date of rank (ADOR), relative seniority in previous grade, duration of active Federal commissioned service, date of appointment, date of birth, alphabetical order. The ADL is used to determine eligibility in promotion and relative position in relation to promotion zones.

AR 135-155: The position of officers on the RASL is based on the following criteria, in the given order: current grade, date of rank (DOR), relative seniority in previous grade, duration of active commissioned service, date of appointment, date of birth, alphabetical order. The RASL is used to determine eligibility for promotion and relative position in relation to promotion zones.

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Navy Policy (Navy Community of Practice Wiki)

OPNAVINST 1427.2: The ADL and RASL of the Navy contain names, grades, dates of rank and the precedence numbers for all commissioned officers on active duty or Reserve active status.

The ADL includes all active-duty officers except Reserve officers serving on active duty for training and other special duties; the RASL includes all Reserve officers in an active status other than those serving on active-duty in a non-training capacity.

Relative positions on the ADL and RASL are determined by a precedence number, which is primarily a function of grade, and seniority in rank. Other factors affecting the precedence number include, service academy class standing, date of appointment, regular and reserve status, date of birth, alphabetical order of names. The ADL and RASL are used to determine eligibility for promotion and relative position in relation to promotion zones.

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Marine Corps Policy (USMC Community of Practice Wiki)

MCO P1400.31C, MARCORSEPMAN, Vol 1, OFFPROM: The relative seniority of officers on the ADL is indicated by assignment of an eight-digit active duty precedence number. An officer whose precedence number is lower than that of another officer of the same grade and date of rank is senior to that officer. Precedence numbers for Marine Corps officers are not assigned until completion of at least 1 year of active commissioned service or completion of the Basic School, whichever is later. Precedence numbers are based upon grade, date of rank, service academy class standing, Basic School class average, date of appointment, regular officer, date of birth, alphabetical order.