If found eligible for promotion, the potential SS officer's name would be forwarded to Heinrich Himmler for final approval of commission.

However, during the Second World War, manpower constraints and logistics prevented Himmler from screening all SS officer applicants and the task typically fell to subordinates.

[7] To be admitted into an SS Junkerschule a prospective officer must have served in the enlisted ranks of the Waffen-SS and must have been recommended for a commission by his superiors.

By 1945, it was a common occurrence for local Waffen-SS field commanders to grant promotions to the rank of Untersturmführer when battlefield manpower needs required it.

[8] Within the Allgemeine-SS, in particular the security forces of the RSHA, promotions to Untersturmführer still required careful scrutiny and there were SS members awaiting approval of commissions as late as April 1945.