Posted on Mar 15, 2016
When should an officer expect to be promoted to Captain?
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I have seen various charts establishing a recommended timeline for officers and their positions. But is really expected at the ground level. How long are officers waiting to promote to Captain from First Lieutenant.
The least time I have ever heard was three and a half years to make Captain. I know that is extremely rare and that the Army is now in a different era from when that occurred. I hear of the big Army wanted LTs to spend more time in their position before they promote.
What is the timeline that you have seen or is expected? Does the Army National Guard differ from the Regular Army? How about the Army Reserves?
The least time I have ever heard was three and a half years to make Captain. I know that is extremely rare and that the Army is now in a different era from when that occurred. I hear of the big Army wanted LTs to spend more time in their position before they promote.
What is the timeline that you have seen or is expected? Does the Army National Guard differ from the Regular Army? How about the Army Reserves?
CPT
Officer
Promotions
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 50
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IMO The sad fact of the matter is they'll promote 'em as fast as they need 'em. regardless of TiG. Under ideal peace-time circumstances a person could languish in grade going through all sorts of seasoning, gaining experience training and a variety of responsibilities. But all that good stuff goes out the window when they need people of that rank to fill the positions TIG or not.
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Tack another year or two onto that for the national guard. The DOR gets backdated, but the pay does not...
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it has varied through the years. When Vietnam was big: 1 year as a 2LT,1 year as a1LT, 3years as a CPT. In Germany 1974, my boss got promoted to major with 7yrs 8 months in grade as a CPT. want to get promoted fast: need a war and active duty
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CPT William Jones
I got returned to the NG as a o3 with 3yrs tig 5yrs tis a list for 04 slowed to only 1to about 10 promotions
per month and no idea when next board would be or dates they would look at
per month and no idea when next board would be or dates they would look at
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A 1LT wears ONE silver bar. A Captain wears TWO silver bars. SO, it follows that one should make Captain when he does the work of TWO 1Lts.
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1LT Eric Rosa,
Currently it's in fact 48 months from the time you pin 2LT to CPT for promotion. However, the USAR and ARNG may have different boards scheduled die to funding and other issues.
All of my OCS peers (YG12) pinned FEB 2016, but I don't expect to see my promotion until JUL-AUG16, since the USAR's board is in MAY16.
Now imagine to explain that a few of them when you see them at Logistics Captain Career Course (LOG-C3) after posting that salute and greeting of the day.
I think you must submit a selection packet for ARNG, whose board results will come out after MAY16 as well. If an eligible 1LT didn't put his packet in time, he may have to wait until the next board (maybe DEC16).
Currently it's in fact 48 months from the time you pin 2LT to CPT for promotion. However, the USAR and ARNG may have different boards scheduled die to funding and other issues.
All of my OCS peers (YG12) pinned FEB 2016, but I don't expect to see my promotion until JUL-AUG16, since the USAR's board is in MAY16.
Now imagine to explain that a few of them when you see them at Logistics Captain Career Course (LOG-C3) after posting that salute and greeting of the day.
I think you must submit a selection packet for ARNG, whose board results will come out after MAY16 as well. If an eligible 1LT didn't put his packet in time, he may have to wait until the next board (maybe DEC16).
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I pinned on CPT in 3.5 years which was the minimum required from 2LT to CPT. I got lucky on my board cycles though. It was 18 months AND BOLC grad to 1LT, 2 years minimum to CPT and be in an O3 slot. The slot requirement was waived for my BN as we were deployed when we promoted.
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A little over 10 years ago, it was 36 months for promotion in the Army. I believe it is now 48 months. It's all based on the manpower numbers that the Army needs.
As a side note, I've also been told that the Marine Corps promotion rates to Captain is close to 50%, meaning half the Marine Corps officers are not being allowed to continue their career past First Lieutenant.
As a side note, I've also been told that the Marine Corps promotion rates to Captain is close to 50%, meaning half the Marine Corps officers are not being allowed to continue their career past First Lieutenant.
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CPT (Join to see)
That is pretty rough. I am hitting my 4 year mark coming up and I am trying to see what the outlook is for other LTs out there and compare to what I am see.
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SFC (Join to see)
LTC Yinon Weiss Am I safe to make the assumption then Sir, that regardless of what branch ie: RA, NG, USAR all Officers fall under the same manpower numbers? I know I've seen Officer promotion orders from the Guard side with the line in it stating "Not valid until Fed Rec" or something along those lines.
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LTC Yinon Weiss
SFC (Join to see) - The timeline is Federal (the Fed Rec), and it may be the minimum time required. NG/USAR may choose to promote earlier, but it may not be "valid" until the Federal recognition. I'm not 100% certain on it, but that's my understanding. The minimum timelines can shift easily based on whether the Army wants more or less Captains.
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SFC (Join to see)
That's also my understanding. I deal with some Officer stuff at work, but since we only have 5 Officers in the unit I have to dust off my ref books when something comes up.
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CPT (Join to see) - I pinned 1stLt, Second Award at 3-yrs, 9-mos. from commissioning. However, I didn't see the pay kick in 'til 48-mos. I was in a Navy command, serving in an 0-4 billet, and my name was on the "Captains' List." We called it "frocking." Basically, getting the insignia without the pay. More common in Navy units, as I remember.
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MAJ (Join to see)
"1stLt, Second Award"
Haven't heard it called that in a while. Given how non-competitive CPT still usually is, it does seem apt. I also liked the Pvt. Murphy's Law cartoon where a CPT referred to it as his "personal pause button."
And frocking, while allowed in all services, has always been more common in the Navy because that's where the practice comes from. In the old days, when a ship at sea met another ship carrying promotion/assignment orders for one of the Officers (and thus taking them away to the new assignment), the Captain would send notice back with their departing Officer of who from the remaining Officers they recommend be promoted to fill the vacancy. Until the Navy approved/declined the request, the Officer would fill that role as "acting" whatever, and would wear the frock coat (hence the term) of the departed Officer, which that Officer would traditionally leave behind for that reason. Nowadays, it's primarily observed for mass-promotions, like the ceremony that promotes all new Chief Petty Officers together regardless of when in the year their actual date of rank lands.
The other services -- especially the Army -- have traditionally used brevet promotions, which actually give the person the pay and authority of the higher grade, not just the privileges of the rank alone, but don't allow them to accrue time in grade for it. Brevets were also more commonly for temporary appointments/assignments with the person reverting to normal rank/grade after, rather than for when a promotion was simply pending.
Haven't heard it called that in a while. Given how non-competitive CPT still usually is, it does seem apt. I also liked the Pvt. Murphy's Law cartoon where a CPT referred to it as his "personal pause button."
And frocking, while allowed in all services, has always been more common in the Navy because that's where the practice comes from. In the old days, when a ship at sea met another ship carrying promotion/assignment orders for one of the Officers (and thus taking them away to the new assignment), the Captain would send notice back with their departing Officer of who from the remaining Officers they recommend be promoted to fill the vacancy. Until the Navy approved/declined the request, the Officer would fill that role as "acting" whatever, and would wear the frock coat (hence the term) of the departed Officer, which that Officer would traditionally leave behind for that reason. Nowadays, it's primarily observed for mass-promotions, like the ceremony that promotes all new Chief Petty Officers together regardless of when in the year their actual date of rank lands.
The other services -- especially the Army -- have traditionally used brevet promotions, which actually give the person the pay and authority of the higher grade, not just the privileges of the rank alone, but don't allow them to accrue time in grade for it. Brevets were also more commonly for temporary appointments/assignments with the person reverting to normal rank/grade after, rather than for when a promotion was simply pending.
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Capt Mark Strobl
MAJ (Join to see) - Good history lesson on the term "frocking." Thanks for that scoop!
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I've been talking about this with my peers and wondering the same thing! Depends on if you are in an O3 slot, time in grade, qualifications and competitiveness, completing all phases of CCC, finding out when the board is, etc. Am i forgetting anything else?
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SFC (Join to see)
If I'm not mistaken (I was mistaken once..lol). I do not believe CCC is required for promotion to CPT. I may incorrect, but my current CDR is scheduled for CCC in Aug and been in Command since 2014. I believe he was promoted to CPT in 13.
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CPT (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) - Technically you don't need your CCC to get Captain but you won't move up from there without it. Now there may be an unofficial rule just like BOLC for promotion to 1LT.
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SFC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) Roger Sir was tracking that. I was referencing 1LT Gill's post about having CCC complete for promotion.
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LTC Paul Labrador
CCC is not a requirement for promotion to CPT. It IS a requirement for promotion to MAJ.
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