ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the importance of such informal processes in determining advancement in the military. Even when the military profession was small, homogeneous, and governed by seniority rules, informal lines of communication and personal reputation were important in molding an officer's career. As the military profession became more and more managerial, those who wanted to rise had to establish a reputation based on their skill or on their heroic qualities. The military establishment has been forced to erect an elaborate and formal personnel system to control promotions and career development. But for a realistic understanding of career development, it is impossible to separate the formal procedures from the elaborate informal screening that goes on simultaneously. The informal "tapping" system continues to operate in the contemporary military establishment, even at the lower levels. Practices vary among the services, but it is in the Air Force, strangely enough, that informal contacts are the most crucial in counterbalancing personnel record-keeping.
