More than 44 percent of eligible officers in the operations branches were selected for promotion in the primary zone during this year's Army Competitive Category colonel board, a slight increase from the previous year.
However, the overall number of officers selected in three major categories — Operations, Operations Support and Force Sustainment — fell this year. The board recommended 463 officers for promotion; more than 530 were recommended by last year's board.
The results of the fiscal year 2016 board were released Tuesday; the board met in February and March.
Operations
Among the operations branches, a total of 205 officers were selected for promotion. The primary zone selection rate was 44 percent. The selection rate in 2015 was 41 percent. It was 43 percent in 2014.
The top career branch rates went to infantry with 60 percent, air defense with 53 percent, and aviation and engineer each with 48 percent.
The top below-zone rate was 3 percent for infantry.
Operations Support
A total of 149 Operations Support officers were selected for promotion, with a primary-zone select rate of 39 percent. This was a slight improvement from 2015 and 2014, which both had a select rate of 38 percent.
The top-tier selection rates were 62 percent for operations research/systems analysis (FA 49), 50 percent for West Point professors (FA 47), and 47 percent for foreign area officers (FA 48).
The top below-zone rate was 7 percent for public affairs (FA 46).
Force Sustainment
In this group, 109 officers were selected for promotion.
Force sustainment had a primary-zone select rate of 40 percent, a slight drop from 2015's 41 percent but about on par with the almost 40 percent in 2014.
This year, the Adjutant General branch registered 50 percent, Acquisition Corps 39 percent, Logistics 38 percent, and Finance 33 percent.
For the full statistics, click here.
Michelle Tan is the editor of Army Times and Air Force Times. She has covered the military for Military Times since 2005, and has embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Haiti, Gabon and the Horn of Africa.
