Second Group of Parts – Miscellaneous Matters Enlistment, terms of service etc Section 332: Restriction on administrative reduction in rank or rate
659.A person’s rank or rate relates to the authority, responsibility and the professional competence of a person. The Services may need to reduce an enlisted person in rank or rate for reasons of, for example, inefficiency or misconduct, which is distinct from reduction in rank for disciplinary purposes. This section places limitations upon the power to reduce a person’s rank or rate administratively.
660.A CO with the appropriate higher authority permission may order a person who is a warrant officer or non-commissioned officer to be reduced either by one acting rank or, if there is no acting rank, one substantive rank. Higher authority permission is not required, however, if the person to be reduced in rank is a lance corporal or lance bombardier or if the CO holds the rank of Rear Admiral, Major General, or Air Vice Marshal or above. A corporal in the air forces may be reduced to the highest rank which he has held as airman (defined in section 374).
661.The section does not cover reversion from or relinquishment of acting rank when an individual is posted from or replaced in a post for which he has been granted acting rank.