Posted on Sep 14, 2018
Passed Over, But Not Out: Thriving as a Career Major
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This took a lot of humility and personal courage to write. Getting passed over is going to happen to every single military person if you stay in long enough. I did not take it well. Went from being competitive to not in a matter of a month. I wonder what may have been had I rode it out to the bitter end.
Passed Over, But Not Out: Thriving as a Career Major
Posted from warontherocks.com
Officers
Junior Officers
MAJ
LTC
Posted 6 y ago
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It's tough being passed over but we always said, watch out for the passed over Majors and Lt Cols, they are the ones who keep the officer corps honest as they have nothing to lose.
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LTC Jason Mackay
LTC Ronald Stephens - its passed over just the same. You are done with progression permanently. You are allowed to continue to 28 years, which may have returned to 24 years since I retired.
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LTC Jason Mackay
Lt Col Charlie Brown - HRC is still saying 28 years. https://www.hrcapps.army.mil/shared/mrdcalc/mrdcalc.asp
Sounds great, but you'll either be tapped into and leveraged OR you'll be relegated to night shifts, slide muckery, and irrelevance....all needs of the Army locations and positions.
Sounds great, but you'll either be tapped into and leveraged OR you'll be relegated to night shifts, slide muckery, and irrelevance....all needs of the Army locations and positions.
Mandatory Removal Date (MRD) Calculator
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LTC Jason Mackay awesome read/share my friend; I got passed over 6 times for MASTER SERGEANT, I can RELATE:
Promotion Isn’t Happening and Here’s Why
Air Force majors are generally considered for promotion in three stages: “below the promotion zone” before 14 years of service, “in the promotion zone” at 14 years of service, and “above the promotion zone” after 14 years of service. For the last 31 lieutenant colonel boards (1989 through 2017), the rate of promotion for majors meeting the board “below the promotion zone” averaged 2 percent. The rate of promotion for majors meeting the board while in the zone averaged 69 percent. This drops to 2.8 percent for majors meeting the board above the zone over the same period. If you weren’t promoted at 14 years, the chances of being promoted after are bleak. So if you’re part of the annual 31 percent who are not promoted in the zone, your chances at promotion only get worse. It’s time to accept this fact.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Samantha S. Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack CardwellCOL Mikel J. Burroughs CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield LTC Stephen F. SSG William Jones Capt Dwayne Conyers 1SG Carl McAndrews Lt Col Charlie Brown PO1 Tony Holland SGT Jim Arnold
Promotion Isn’t Happening and Here’s Why
Air Force majors are generally considered for promotion in three stages: “below the promotion zone” before 14 years of service, “in the promotion zone” at 14 years of service, and “above the promotion zone” after 14 years of service. For the last 31 lieutenant colonel boards (1989 through 2017), the rate of promotion for majors meeting the board “below the promotion zone” averaged 2 percent. The rate of promotion for majors meeting the board while in the zone averaged 69 percent. This drops to 2.8 percent for majors meeting the board above the zone over the same period. If you weren’t promoted at 14 years, the chances of being promoted after are bleak. So if you’re part of the annual 31 percent who are not promoted in the zone, your chances at promotion only get worse. It’s time to accept this fact.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Samantha S. Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack CardwellCOL Mikel J. Burroughs CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield LTC Stephen F. SSG William Jones Capt Dwayne Conyers 1SG Carl McAndrews Lt Col Charlie Brown PO1 Tony Holland SGT Jim Arnold
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LTC Stephan Porter
Couple differences though; in the Army...
enlisted pass-overs stay in until RCP, whereas officer pass-overs are either transitioned out or selectively continued after second pass-over .
enlisted pass-overs stay in until RCP, whereas officer pass-overs are either transitioned out or selectively continued after second pass-over .
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Great article. Obviously I haven't been passed over for LTC at this point but I've had other things in the military not go my way for sure. I felt the anger and depression and bitterness and all that. But the thing that moved me past it is my faith. I believe that God is ultimately in control and that He makes no mistakes. So regardless of how what happened made me feel, I trust that is was the right thing. I know others here won't agree with that and that's fine. I'll let them do them and I'll do me.
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LTC Stephan Porter
Indeed!
Too many people put their self worth in the rank they wear.
I’ve noticed their work ethic is tied to their organization motion rate as well sometimes.
Too many people put their self worth in the rank they wear.
I’ve noticed their work ethic is tied to their organization motion rate as well sometimes.
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Lt Col Larry Markham
I was passed over to Major in the RegAF in 1978 (Vietnam drawdown). Found a position with the ANG that evolved into a 2 year GS-/11 job then an AGR O-5 slot for 8 years. AD retirement in 1989 as an O-5 with over 22 years credit for retirement. The passover was a blessing....the family lived in the same house for 11 years in a nice civilian community and the kids had great schools. My retirement pay plus the medical benefits for over 31 years has not been bad either. Lt Col, USAF (Ret)
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