Rating Chains: Rules & Responsibilities (Part 1)

AR 623-3 Chapter 2 addresses rating chains and their responsibilities. Paragraph 2-4 covers general rules for establishing rating chains. Here are some selected points that most raters, rated Soldiers and commanders should know:

2–4. General rules for establishing rating chains [italics for emphasis]

a. The rating chain for a rated Soldier will be established at the beginning of the rating period. This allows the rated Soldier and rating officials to properly execute their roles and responsibilities in the evaluation process. Rating officials must meet grade requirements, as well as time in position, in order to render evaluation reports.

b. Commanders […] are responsible for ensuring valid rating schemes are established[…]

g. Commanders, commandants, and organization leaders may use the Evaluation Entry System (EES) Rating Chain Tool to establish and publish rating chains with units and organizations

2–5. Rules for designating a rater

2-5a. Rater requirements. The rater will be the immediate supervisor of the rated Soldier responsible for directing and assessing the rated Soldier’s performance. The rater will normally be senior to the rated Soldier in grade or date of rank. Commanders will normally rate commanders. […]

[Note: This paragraph continues at length about unusual situations such as civilian raters, raters who are junior by time in grade to the rated officer, foreign raters, etc. ]

2–5b(5) Commanders will normally be rated and senior rated by the next higher commander. [There are rare exceptions]

So, key take aways:

· Rating chains must be set at the start of the evaluation period

· Commanders are responsible for rating chains (a big issue in headquarters companies)

· Raters must be the rated’s immediate supervisor

· Commanders are almost always rated by commanders.

Take a double dose of eval doctrine be reading AR 600-23 here.