A thorough evaluation of the whole Soldier is required.
The following techniques will not be used:
a.
Brief, unqualified superlatives or phrases, particularly if they may be considered trite.
b.
Too brief comments, excessive use of technical acronyms, or phrases not commonly recognized.
These frequently need to be interpreted by selection boards and career managers.
If they are not correctly interpreted, the best interests of the Army and the rated Soldier are not served.
c.
Bullet comments.
(1)
Appropriate bullet comments are required for DA Form 2166–9–1 and DA Form 2166–9–2.
(2)
Bullet comments are not acceptable for OERs or AERs.
(3)
Bullet comments will not be used in part V, block b, of NCOERs.
d.
Any technique aimed at making specific words, phrases, or sentences stand out from the rest of the narrative, including, but not limited to the following:
(1)
Underlining.
(2)
Excessive use of capital letters.
(3)
Unnecessary quotation marks.
(4)
Repeated use of exclamation points.
(5)
Wide spacing between selected words, phrases, bullets, or sentences to include double spacing within a paragraph or between paragraphs.
Rating officials are not authorized any double spacing between performance and potential comments in OERs or DA Form 2166–9–3.
(6)
Italics, bold text, and similar font techniques.
(7)
Compressed type or spacing.
(8)
Handwritten comments.
An exception is made for DA Form 67–10–4, part IV, block b, and part V for evaluations of BGs and on DA Form 67–10–2 part IV, blocks d and e, and part VI, block c, for evaluations of CW5s, which may be handwritten in black ink.
In order to be processed and placed on the Soldier’s AMHRR, reports with handwritten comments must be legible.
(9)
Exaggerated margins (“picture framing”).
Paragraph indentation (if not excessive) is an acceptable practice if applied as a standard convention of English writing style (OERs and DA Form 2166–9–3 only).
(10)
Inappropriate references to box checks (OERs and NCOERs) (for example, but not all-inclusive, a senior rater may not refer to the box check that would have been given to a rated officer or NCO if their profile supported it, or characterization of the rated officer or NCO as a “top box” “Most Qualified,” “Multi-Star Potential” officer).
(11)
Specific selection board-type language.
Examples of this include, “definitely a 6+ Soldier.”