You're up for a promotion and you need to write or update your military bio. If you're dragging your feet on this task, you're not alone. Most people find it agonizing to write their own bio. Read on for some tips on how to write a great military bio.

The main purpose of writing your bio is to show a selection board why you are the best person for the job. You may be asked to provide a bio when applying for a promotion or a move into a different branch of the military.

It's actually quite different from a resume. If you're not sure how to write a bio here are some guidelines:

Make it short and sweet. A bio should be roughly 150 -300 words when written and no longer than 60 seconds in length when read aloud.

Write in third person but use first person when reading it aloud. Third person would be like this: "Jane Smith trained with", while first person would be like this: "I trained with.

Start with personal information such as your name, rank, branch, and place of birth. Then cover military and civilian experience (civilian training or experience in a different but relevant area can be a major selling point).

Although you do have a certain amount of leeway when writing a bio, there are still some basic areas to cover. Focus on your military history in chronological order from basic training to the present.

Summarize the training and duties you have completed, as well as your deployment history and status. Finish up by briefly stating your goals for the future.

It's worth noting that you can include additional information when writing a military bio, as long as it's relevant to your goal. Topics that can help you score extra points are things like your family history, awards and accomplishments that you've received in the past, as well as the details of how you rose in the ranks.

If you focus on training, duties and responsibilities, goals, and major accomplishments you'll have a great military bio. Best of luck to you!