The Intricacies of Senior Promotions

[TopHatter]

Buck has kindly offered to explain the intricacies of senior promotions, particularly as regards making the leap from 2 star rank to 3 star.

Other than knowing that GFO ranks in general (no pun intended) are limited in number by statute, and holding 4 star rank is dependent on the office currently held, I'm largely ignorant about the difference between achieving that leap from 2 start to 3.

Buck, the floor is yours!

[Albany Rifles]

Thanks, Joe

Okay, to be clear, this is for the Army but it follows the same kinda sorta maybe for the other services as well.

The total number of active duty general officers is capped at 231 for the Army, 62 for the Marine Corps, 198 for the Air Force, and 162 for the Navy. No more than about 25% of a service's active duty general or flag officers may have more than two stars, and statute sets the total number of four-star officers allowed in each service. This is set at 7 Army generals, 2 Marine generals, 8 Air Force generals, 1 Space Force general, 6 Navy admirals, and 2 Coast Guard admirals.


There are several exceptions to these limits allowing more than allotted within the statute.

• An officer serving as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;
• an officer serving as Chief of the National Guard Bureau counts only against their service's four-star cap;
• the commander of a Unified Combatant Command;
• the commander of United States Forces Korea;
• officers serving in certain intelligence positions i.e. the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency;
• officers serving in four-star slots added by the President to one service which are offset by removing an equivalent number from other services.

And as always, if the shit hits the fan all statutory limits may be waived at the President's discretion during time of war or national emergency.


So here are the criteria etc. for General Officer (GO) selection.

1. There needs to be a specified slot. Public law states exactly how many GO slots exist within the force structure and these slots are jealously guarded within a service and across DOD. So on occasion, horse trading occurs. Also, while very few are codified in law, most DOD level assignments are aligned to a service by tradition. For instance, the DOD command responsible for all movement of forces and resources around the globe is US TRANSCOM. USTRANSCOM coordinates missions worldwide using both military and commercial transportation resources. It is composed of three service component commands: The Air Force'sAir Mobility Command, the Navy'sMilitary Sealift Command and the Army'sSurface Deployment and Distribution Command. The Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, which was part of the former U.S. Joint Forces Command, is now part of the U.S. Transportation Command. It is traditionally commanded by a 4 star Air Force general and the deputy is a US Army 3 star General as deputy....except for right now when an Army 4 star commands and a Navy 3 star is deputy (thanks guys!). As DOD reorganizes from time to time those slots and allocations are fought over.

2. At the time of selection for GO, you must have a year of service remaining before hitting mandatory retirement of 62 years old.

3. The GO candidate must have commanded a joint component unit at the LTC and/or COL level. Now as most units now operate jointly it is hard not do this. An Army battalion or brigade (IN/AR/CAV/AVN/ARTY/ENG) will always have elements assigned from other services, even if it is only an element to provide C3 for air support. Navy guys get this by working with Marines a lot and vice versa.

4. Some GO slots have technical requirements (Chief of Chaplains, Surgeon General, Chief of Engineers, etc) or have specific career requirements (Acquisition Corps must have been a successful program manager at MAJ/LTC/COL levels).

5. There are a certain level of service colleges and schools which are also equivalent but these have multiple equivalents to include civil education (i.e., attendance at the Kennedy School of Government Service counts as an equivalent for the Army War College)

SO once you have made it through all of those gates there are annual promotion boards...but the ones for GOs are very different than those for lower ranks of officers.

For one, all the members of the boards for brigadier general (BG) and major general (MG) are GOs...and if considering National Guard and Army Reserve a certain number of board members must be GOs from Office of the Chief of Army Reserve (OCAR) or National Guard Bureau (NGB). The board meets in private and an officer must be considered as a fit not only on how they will command an Army units but also how they will command in a joint environment. So evaluations in para 3 weigh heavily and the more joint the better. Also an Army dude going to the Air War College is a plus, etc. So all of this is how the Army selects BGs & MGs.

Then these lists are sent to the president for approval. Once they approve the list (along with the Colonel promotion list) are sent to the Senate for Confirmation. Any one senator can hold up the list for any reason....we have seen this quite a bit recently. It always helps to have the Director of Congressional Liaison's Office prebrief staffers on any possible hiccups.


But for Lieutenant Generals, and Generals, look behind the Curtain.

Once or twice a year the Chairman & the Vice Chief's of Staff and the other 4 stars meet in Chief's office (or at a discreet location) and look over the roster of BG/MGs in the service and certain Colonels and looks at the Army 5 - 10 years down the road. And they by name come up with the who will be the 3 and 4 stars of the future. A COL/BG/MG on this list will be steered into a variety of career assignments which wil challenge them and groom them to take one of these 3 star and maybe 4 star billets. No boards...just nominations. The list is updated annually. An officer may never know that he or she was considered for higher things...it just happens.

Of course there are variables in here...run afoul of a SECARMY/SECDEF and you get sidetracked. Also, the President gets a vote and can decide who they want and generals be damned. This happened when Colin Powell was selected to command V Corps despite never commanding a division and again as FORSCOM commander when he had been the National Security Advisor. And he quickly became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in less than a year.

Also, for 3 and 4 stars, there is no minimum time in grade requirements for selection.

Also, a lateral movement (3 star to 3 star) can be seen as a promotion as the new position may be seen as more important.

Feel free to add especially about other services.

[TopHatter]

Okay, to be clear, this is for the Army but it follows the same kinda sorta maybe for the other services as well.

Wow, just as fascinating as I'd figured, especially the "You don't know this but you've been Chosen" part.

Question: What made Colin Powell so attractive for higher command? Getting a Corps command without having commanded a division is a pretty big gamble, so they clearly saw something outstanding in him, but what was it?

[Albany Rifles]

Wow, just as fascinating as I'd figured, especially the "You don't know this but you've been Chosen" part.

Question: What made Colin Powell so attractive for higher command? Getting a Corps command without having commanded a division is a pretty big gamble, so they clearly saw something outstanding in him, but what was it?

Joe, I think it was the heavy thumb of Caspar Weinberger TBH. He had been Weinberger's military assistant heading into and through Grenada and El Dorado Canyon and many believe it was his work with the SECDEF which got him the nod. At the time I was at FT Stewart and never heard much pro or con within the Army at the time.

[Albany Rifles]

So a couple of announcements from Office of the Chief of Staff, Army General Officer Announcement which highlight some points above:

Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as Commanding General, United States Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is currently serving as Deputy Commanding General/Chief of Staff, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

Okay, this is considered a promotion as while LTG Martin is moving from a 3 star to a 3 star position he is moving from a Deputy Commanding General to a Commanding General, a move up.

And here is an example of the Senate's role in the promotion process:

The Senate confirmed the FY20 Brigadier General, Army Competitive Category, Promotion Selection List on 29 April 2021. The following officers have been confirmed for promotion to the rank of brigadier general. Attached is the address information for officers selected for promotion in order to assist with the preparation of congratulatory letters. These officers' names and addresses will appear on the next general officer roster published by the General Officer Management Office. Colonel Gavin J. Gardner is currently serving as Commander, Joint Munitions and Lethality, Life Cycle Management Command/Joint Munitions Command, Rock Island, Illinois. (I selected this out from the overall list. Gavin is a friend....I worked for his Dad for 12 years. I went to Gavin's wedding!)

Just a look inside the machinery of general officer promotions.

[tbm3fan]

So are you saying that the system acts as a check and balance against a slight nut case ever making it past the two star level?

So no worries about a Brigadier General Jack Ripper causing any trouble? All over fluoride in the water from commies. Well kept me from having cavities....

[Albany Rifles]

So are you saying that the system acts as a check and balance against a slight nut case ever making it past the two star level?

So no worries about a Brigadier General Jack Ripper causing any trouble? All over fluoride in the water from commies. Well kept me from having cavities....

Well they did miss the Flynn's....and as for BG Ripper....

[tbm3fan]

Ok, then we'll skip by fluids for now. Tell me more about Army Col. Douglas Macgregor. Apparently a bit of a nutso Colonel. Enough so he could join the guys at the 1 star level?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/27/polit...or2/index.html

[Albany Rifles]

Ok, then we'll skip by fluids for now. Tell me more about Army Col. Douglas Macgregor. Apparently a bit of a nutso Colonel. Enough so he could join the guys at the 1 star level?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/27/polit...or2/index.html

A legend in his own mind.

He was the operations officer at the Battle of 73 Easting which made Hal McMasters famous. He tried to parlay that into being a military genius. He was on Rumsfeld's staff and argued against the manpower numbers that General Eric Shinseki stated which would be noted for Iraq....and Shinseki was completely vindicated and Rumsfeld roundly chastised by the failure to having anywhere near enough boots on the ground. From that he wrote a book that caused for forming more brigade combat teams...a move which was already underway but he tried to claim he was this huge genius. He also states the reason for the failures in Iraq are do to his plans were not followed to the letter and we should never have left. He wants it both ways.

He believes that the entire USMC & XVIIIth Airborne Corps with its 3 light divisions are a waste...a standard point held by armor & cavalry officers since World War 2.

He also believed the the denazification of Germany after World War 2 was wrong headed.

He is also seen as someone who is very pro-Russia. He appears on RT News regularly and has said on RT the US had no business in the Balkans as that was historical Russian sphere of influence. He also has openly supported the Russian annexation of Donbass & the Crimea.

So just another hardline former colonel who thinks they are more important than they really are.

[TopHatter]

A legend in his own mind.

He also believed the the denazification of Germany after World War 2 was wrong headed.

He is also seen as someone who is very pro-Russia. He appears on RT News regularly and has said on RT the US had no business in the Balkans as that was historical Russian sphere of influence. He also has openly supported the Russian annexation of Donbass & the Crimea.

So, basically your typical Trump acolyte. What a surprise...

[Albany Rifles]

Joe, as SS-Standartenführer Hans "The Jew Hunter" Landa said...."Ooooo! That's a bingo!"

[tbm3fan]

A legend in his own mind.

He was the operations officer at the Battle of 73 Easting which made Hal McMasters famous. He tried to parlay that into being a military genius. He was on Rumsfeld's staff and argued against the manpower numbers that General Eric Shinseki stated which would be noted for Iraq....and Shinseki was completely vindicated and Rumsfeld roundly chastised by the failure to having anywhere near enough boots on the ground. From that he wrote a book that caused for forming more brigade combat teams...a move which was already underway but he tried to claim he was this huge genius. He also states the reason for the failures in Iraq are do to his plans were not followed to the letter and we should never have left. He wants it both ways.

He believes that the entire USMC & XVIIIth Airborne Corps with its 3 light divisions are a waste...a standard point held by armor & cavalry officers since World War 2.

He also believed the the denazification of Germany after World War 2 was wrong headed.

He is also seen as someone who is very pro-Russia. He appears on RT News regularly and has said on RT the US had no business in the Balkans as that was historical Russian sphere of influence. He also has openly supported the Russian annexation of Donbass & the Crimea.

So just another hardline former colonel who thinks they are more important than they really are.

Just out of curiosity is a personality assessment test administered anytime during their career or at anytime before a promotion such as the MMPI?

[Albany Rifles]

TBH, I am not not sure. I know there is some areas where special assessments are made. For instance when I went for a Top Secret Atomal clearance I had to undergo an assessment.

So many of the rules have been changed since I got out of uniform.

[tbm3fan]

A legend in his own mind.

He was the operations officer at the Battle of 73 Easting which made Hal McMasters famous. He tried to parlay that into being a military genius. He was on Rumsfeld's staff and argued against the manpower numbers that General Eric Shinseki stated which would be noted for Iraq....and Shinseki was completely vindicated and Rumsfeld roundly chastised by the failure to having anywhere near enough boots on the ground. From that he wrote a book that caused for forming more brigade combat teams...a move which was already underway but he tried to claim he was this huge genius. He also states the reason for the failures in Iraq are do to his plans were not followed to the letter and we should never have left. He wants it both ways.

He believes that the entire USMC & XVIIIth Airborne Corps with its 3 light divisions are a waste...a standard point held by armor & cavalry officers since World War 2.

He also believed the the denazification of Germany after World War 2 was wrong headed.

He is also seen as someone who is very pro-Russia. He appears on RT News regularly and has said on RT the US had no business in the Balkans as that was historical Russian sphere of influence. He also has openly supported the Russian annexation of Donbass & the Crimea.

So just another hardline former colonel who thinks they are more important than they really are.

Well after what Michael Flynn said he isn't that far removed from Jack Ripper I'd say. Sometimes fiction isn't always fiction.

[Albany Rifles]

As I mentioned...here is the career assignments of a senior US Army General and you can see how this officer...a non-West Pointer, BTW...proved himself early on and was given assignments which put him onto the path of a 4 star...