Promotional Phases

Once a cadet graduates, he/she is commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. The next step for a Lieutenant is to develop in his/her primary branch by attending Basic Officer Leader Corse (BOLC). BOLC varies in length and is dependent on the newly comissioned officers basic branch on school location. Some officers may have opportunities for additional training after BOLC, but most go right to their first duty assignment.

Progressing from second to first Lieutenant, the officer applies his/her training and develops his/her leadership abilities. In fact, learning how to lead troops is the key objective of this phase. Promotion to First Lieutenant takes about two years.

A lot happens while you're a captain. The most important thing is to get experience as a Company Commander. A Company Commander is normally in charge of over 100 soldiers. Command experience is a valuable resource throughout a career. During this phase, you attend the Captions Career Course which provides you with the necessary training to perform as a field grade staff officer. Additional training during the captain phase is your opportunity to become more valuable to the Army, since this is when you choose and begin to become qualified in a functional area. Promotion to Captain takes about four years.

Being promoted to Major is a big step in your career. You've become a key staff officer in charge of such areas as Personnel, Intelligence, Operations, or Logistics. You'll be given new assignments which permit you to use previously developed skills, as well as expand your overall professional development. The objective here is to develop further in your branch, and continue development in your functional area. Some officer areas selected for Command and General Staff College or given the opportunity to attend civilian schools. Promotion to Major takes about 11 years.

Your assignment might be as a Battalion Commander in charge of hundreds of soldiers or a general staff officer in a division or corps. Outstanding performance will merit more and more challenging positions. Some officers are selected for the Army.

At this phase, the Army takes maximum advantage of your talents. This means you'll be assigned as a Brigade Commander in charge of thousands of soldiers or director of a large staff. Your technical skills and accumulated executive talents will be put to the test. This is the senior level of responsibility. You're a top executive. Promotion to Colonel takes about 22 years.

Officers who demonstrate extraordinary leadership and executive abilities are selected to become general officers; the CEO's of the Army. They do nothing less than run the Army. From division commanders to post commanders to high level staff positions, general officers are responsible for maintaining an efficient and effective Army. Promotion to General takes about 25 years.