What is the appropriate action if a senior rater is deployed and cannot sign a performance evaluation?

Accepting the performance evaluation without a signature is the appropriate action when a senior rater is deployed and cannot sign it. In such situations, the evaluation can still be processed without the senior rater’s signature, as long as there is documentation that supports the rater's absence, such as deployment orders. This allows for the evaluation to be initiated and completed in a timely manner without unduly delaying the process due to the senior rater's unavailability.

This practice is important because it ensures that personnel receive evaluations in a timely manner, which is critical for promotions, reassignment considerations, and other personnel management decisions. The absence of the senior rater should be noted on the evaluation itself to provide context, but the evaluation can still hold validity in the absence of a signature.