Have you ever gotten a double-promotion? This chaplain is about to. Congrats, sir!

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 09:58:39 -0400

Col Costin is about to be promoted from Colonel to 2-star General & placed as the chief of chaplains at AFHQ in the Pentagon. Have you ever heard of another promotion like this? I'm sure it has occurred, but this is the only one I can think of currently.

Congrats, sir!

Air Force Colonel to Get Double Promotion, Take Top Chaplain Post

Col. Dondi E. Costin is not your usual military chaplain. The former Pacific Air Forces command chaplain is being double-promoted to two-star general.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 27 at 2015 10:00 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:00:56 -0400

Wow! Never heard of this.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 10:03 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:03:09 -0400

For general the billet they hold is what determines how many star they receive. So his next assignment must be at a 2 star command... However this is very unusual.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 10:10 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:10:01 -0400

The only other thing I can think of is when med students at USUHS graduate. They go from O-1 to O-3.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Aug 27 at 2015 10:13 AM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:13:07 -0400

Congrats Sir! Hooah

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 10:16 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:16:56 -0400

That's pretty awesome! First I have heard about it but I haven't been around the block as much as some have! I wish him good luck and to enjoy his promotion(s) and to lead from the front and continue to do it his way as it has been the right way so far it seems!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 10:20 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:20:10 -0400

Mike Borda was promoted from a one star to a three star one day. I got in trouble for asking him about it.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 10:24 AM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:24:49 -0400

This makes me seriously question what was wrong with the 1 star Chaplains available. Don't know the force structure for the air force chaplains are though. Perhaps there aren't any 1 star chaplains. Don't know. In general...this is not a good idea. The transition to general officer is a big one. Jumping above other 1 stars for a 2 star billet is bad news in multiple ways...but there may not have been an option.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 27 at 2015 10:40 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:40:24 -0400

Do battlefield commissions count?

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Aug 27 at 2015 10:45 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:45:30 -0400

Seen it a few times, but it is almost always in the special service corps like Legal, Medical, and Chaplain and always at the GO level since they are driven by billet vs normal promotions.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Aug 27 at 2015 10:49 AM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:49:04 -0400

I have a few times, an Army nurse seems to be the last I heard of. Mostly, during time of war. Definitely not the norm.

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Aug 27 at 2015 10:57 AM

PO1 Tony Holland — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:57:01 -0400

Admiral Zumwalt went from O-6 to O-8 prior to becoming the youngest CNO ever to serve. He was the epitome of the Sailors' Admiral - much hated by the rest of the brass, though.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 11:36 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 11:36:43 -0400

I agree with previous statements regarding flag billet and grade

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Aug 27 at 2015 11:41 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 11:41:02 -0400

Ben Moreell, the Father of the Seabees, went from O-5 to O-7 when FDR made him the head of the Bureau of Yards and Docks. BTW, Flag Officers two stars and above revert to two stars after their job. To retire at the higher rank requires Secretary endorsement and there's other bells and whistles for approval depending on the circumstance.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Aug 27 at 2015 12:20 PM

Capt Mark Strobl — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 12:20:32 -0400

To SSgt Private RallyPoint Member's point, the stars a General officer dons is a reflection of his/her billet. If there is a vacancy to be rapidly filled, they may very well be rapidly promoted. But, I can't recall a "double promotion." It's unusual but, not unheard of.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 27 at 2015 4:07 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 16:07:14 -0400

It seems promotions like these are driven by the billet rather than the normal process. The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force is a 3 star billet so when Lt Gen Burne (current TJAG) took the job he skipped Major General to take the billet.

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Sep 6 at 2015 12:08 PM

CMSgt James Nolan — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 12:08:54 -0400

That is the first I have ever heard of anyone jumping over a star. I would have to think that there is a very significant reason for that to happen.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Sep 6 at 2015 1:35 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 13:35:28 -0400

I would be curious to be a fly on the wall around the services 1 stars, that would be quite interesting I think.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 1:13 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:13:06 -0400

He was my classmate at the Academy. Great guy.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 1:19 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:19:47 -0400

General Pershing promoted from CPT to Brigadier General.

Response by SSG Richard Reilly made Sep 16 at 2015 1:30 PM

SSG Richard Reilly — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:30:09 -0400

Gen.. Rick Lynch left 3rd ID as a 2 star I swear he was a 4star within a month or two.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 2:35 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:35:05 -0400

Ch Costin is an amazing guy. For years people have said "one say he'll be Chief of Chaplains." And now, here he is.
The Chief of Chaplains in all 3 services (the Navy serves both USN and USMC) us a 2-star billet. There's only one 2-star, and one 1-star Deputy.
In this case the Chief, Ch Stendahl ended his term and retired, and his deputy, Ch Page had also reached mandatory retirement age.
I know both Ch Costin and the new Deputy, Ch Schaick. Both have been working at the MAJCOM level and I doubt they'll have trouble taking charge of the Chaplain Corps.
The Army just did the same thing with their new Chief of Chaplains earlier this year.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 9:42 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 21:42:40 -0400

A1C Spencer is being stepped to SSgt for his actions against the terrorist on the European train.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2018 3:10 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 15:10:31 -0400

Gen (Ret.) Colin Powell was quickly promoted from BG to MG; shorty after he was assigned to the Pentagon for the second time in 1983, during the Reagan Administration.
GEN Colin (Ret.) Powell:

Promotions Rank Date
General April 4, 1989
Lieutenant general March 26, 1986
Major general August 1, 1983
Brigadier general June 1, 1979
Colonel February 1, 1976
Lieutenant colonel July 9, 1970
Major May 24, 1966
Captain June 2, 1962
First lieutenant December 30, 1959
Second lieutenant June 9, 1958

Chaplains, AMEDD, and JAG Officers all have their own promotion systems in the Army. Everyone else has to compete in the All-Other Branches Boards.

There are numerous examples in Army history of CPTs, MAJs, and LTC's being "field promoted" or brevetted to General Officer Ranks. General Armstrong Custer being among these, they usually returned to their normal ranks after the conflict was over & the appointment ended.