Originally Posted by
MPN11
Edward ... Acting is surely just a case of "Has made the list but all substantive posts have been filled". Thus a vacancy comes up, and away you go [as Acting] ... provided, as it used to be, that you meet the Job Spec for the appointment.
Almost that, well from my experience. I was an Acting Sqn Ldr for a year for that very reason. Scored on the board, but not high enough to promote, but then a slot came up which the 3 guys above me weren't qualified for. So I was selected ahead of them, but had to be Acting as I was leap frogging the order of merit and substantiated a year later having not ballsed the job up, run over the CO's dog or slept with his daughter and having generally kept my nose clean. However, I believe promotion to gp capt has changed is now done as required rather than via a formal board e.g. No. 4/3 Boards to Sqn Ldr and Wg Cdr. Individuals selected for established gp capt appointments are posted in substantive rank which would surely rather negate the need for Acting rank in post hence this being slightly odd.