The fiscal 2015 Army Competitive Category colonel board that met in April and May generated a primary zone select rate of about 40 percent for the three major categories of officers considered by the board – Operations, Operations Support and Force Sustainment.
Combined with the above-zone and below-zone totals, the board recommended more than 530 officers for promotion, slightly more than last year's total of 502.
The in-zone officers had lieutenant colonel dates of rank of Sept. 1, 2010, through Aug. 31, 2011. The below-zone window included officers with O-5 DOR of Sept. 1, 2011, through July 31, 2013.
While the Army does not provide details on the number of officers considered and selected by the board, it does provide select rates by branch, functional area and functional category.
The in-zone competitive grouping, also called the primary-zone, select rate for Operations was 40.7 percent, with the top career branch rates going to Infantry with 59 percent, Military Police with 50 percent and Special Forces and Armor with 46 percent. The top below-zone rate was 3 percent for Infantry.
The primary-zone select rate for Operations Support was 38 percent. The top-tier selection rates were 100 percent for West Point professors (FA 47), 53 percent for strategists (FA 59) and 50 percent for telecommunication systems engineers (FA 24). The top below-zone rate was 4 percent for public affairs (FA 46).
Force Sustainment had a primary-zone select rate of 41 percent, with the Logistics branch registering 45 percent, Adjutant General 44 percent, Acquisition Corps 36 percent and Finance 29 percent.
The nomination list compiled by the April 22-May 8 board must be confirmed by the Senate, now in recess until after Labor Day, Sept. 7, before the Army can schedule promotions.
Sept. 1 ACC promotions to colonel will be made from the fiscal 2014 list, which on Sept. 2 will have 50 names remaining on the Operations roster, 29 on the Operations Support and 21 on the Force Sustainment.
