Several hundred field-grade officers and senior NCOs of the Regular Army have been slated for brigade and battalion command, command sergeant major and key billet duties beginning in fiscal 2016.
The colonels, lieutenant colonels, promotable majors and sergeants major were selected for these leadership assignments after formally "opting in" for consideration by boards that met last fall and winter.
The assignment slates were approved earlier this spring by Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey.
The standard tour for command teams is 24 months.
• Colonel Army Competitive Category
• Colonel Army Acquisition Corp
• Lt. Colonel Army Competitive Category
• Lt. Colonel Army Acquisition Corps
• Command Sgt. Maj. Brigade slate
• Command Sgt. Maj. Battalion slate
Most of the selected officers and NCOs will begin their leadership duties in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.Under procedures adopted last year, all soldiers on the selection lists formally "opted in" to be considered for command, command sergeant major and key billet assignments.
Soldiers who now decline an assignment no longer will be eligible for command, command sergeant major or key billet selection.
Officers and NCOs are slated for these senior leadership positions by the Human Resources Command under guidance from the chief of staff.
Key objectives identified by Odierno for the fiscal 2016 brigade and battalion command assignment slates are:
- Primarily recognize requisite and overall skills and experience. Capitalize on opportunities to create an officer corps with experience in diverse areas of responsibility and service in multiple divisions and organizations. Secondarily, consider an officer's preferences.
- Do not slate officers out of joint duty if they lose the ability to receive full tour credit.
- Slate colonels who are selected to attend Senior Service College to assume command or key billet positions after their projected SSC graduation, even if it requires deferring an officer from a command or key billet assignment. Principals who are not selected for SSC,to include alternates, may assume command by exception only, and as approved by the vice chief of staff of the Army.
- Slate lieutenant colonels to serve in command and key billet positions after graduation from an Intermediate Level Education course.
- Prioritize slating of previously deferred principal selectees with projected assumption of command/responsibility dates early in the fiscal year to minimize further delay of their Centralized Selection List tour.
"As we continue to develop and shape the Army, it remains vital that we man our command formations and key billets with the right officer, with the right skills, experience and education, in the right place and at the right time," Odierno told slating officials.
Fiscal 2016 slates for the Army Medical Department have not been released.
