What is it called when an officer moves up to the next rank and pay grade?

The term used when an officer moves up to the next rank and pay grade is promotion. Promotion signifies a formal advancement in one’s military career, indicating that the individual has met specific criteria and has demonstrated the capability to assume greater responsibilities associated with the higher rank. This process often involves assessment of performance, experience, and sometimes additional qualifications or education.

Advancement is a broader term that can refer to progress in a career or specific achievements, but it does not specifically denote the increase in rank and pay grade that promotion does. Transfer and reassignment refer to changes in duty locations or job positions rather than rank. Therefore, promotion is the precise term that describes the elevation in rank and associated pay grade within the military hierarchy.