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Proposed field-grade assignments coming soon

A proposed list of assignments for the field-grade officers on the fiscal 2008 battalion- and brigade-level command and key billet selection lists will be available Thursday to senior field commanders.

Most of the officers on the proposed command slates were selected by boards that met in late 2006 and early 2007. Names and command categories for the selected lieutenant colonels and promotable majors were announced in December, and colonels and promotable lieutenant colonels in March.

The proposed assignments will be posted Thursday on the TOPMS II Command Slating Module at 7:30 a.m. Eastern time.

Major commands have until April 26 to review and notify Human Resources Command of any proposed changes for Army Competitive Category and Army Medical Department officers. The deadline for Army Acquisition Corps officers is April 10.

Senior commanders will notify officers of their specific assignments later this spring after Human Resources Command and Gen. George Casey, who is scheduled to become chief of staff April 10, give their final approval.

In preparing the command slate, the officer directorate of HRC operated under guidance from Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the outgoing chief of staff.

Highlights of the fiscal 2008 guidance are:

• Slate the best officer for the unit based on skills and experience, especially combat and contingency experience for units that are scheduled to deploy.

• Assign officers with combat and contingency experience to units in the training base.

• Avoid slating officers out of joint duty if the officer will lose the ability to complete joint qualification.

• There will be no changes of command while a unit is deployed.

• For reslating, give priority to officers with the best skills and experience who previously were delayed.

A delayed commander is a command designee who does not assume command for at least three months or more from the original change-of-command date because of the wars or transformation.

Officers slated to lifecycle units will command for the entire lifecycle, typically three years.