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Coming O-3 board to weigh specialty preferences

A selection board that convenes July 29 will consider the requests of certain basic-branch captains who want to pursue single-track careers in a functional area.

Two cohorts of officers will be considered by the functional designation board — year groups 2001 and 2005.

Officers who are eligible for consideration will be sent notices soon via their Army Knowledge Online account regarding the submission of preference statements.

Preferences must be submitted online from May 28 to June 30.

The zones of consideration for the board that meets July 29 to Aug. 15 are:

• Year group 2001: Army Competitive Category captains with dates of rank of March 17, 2004, through Feb. 28, 2005. This is a mandatory board for most officers in their seventh year of service.

• Year group 2005: Army Competitive Category captains with dates of rank on or after March 1, 2008, and promotable first lieutenants with dates of rank of April 1, 2006, through March 31, 2007.

This is an optional board for officers in their third year of service who want to single-track in one of four early-accession functional areas.

All officers in year group 2001 should submit a preference statement, including those who want to be assigned to the Army Acquisition Corps and those assigned to Special Forces.

Captains who want to be considered for the Acquisition Corps should identify FA 51 (Research, Development and Acquisition), as their top preference.

If they are not selected for FA 51, the board will consider them for assignment to their other preferences.

Special Forces officers who want to remain in SF should list BR 18 (Special Forces) as their first choice.

The selection will be approved automatically, and they will not be seen by the board.

Captains who already have been accessed into BR 37 (Psychological Operations) and BR 38 (Civil Affairs) will be locked for designation in those branches.

Captain year groups have about 4,000 members.

Under the Army’s current management policy, about 25 percent of the officers will leave their basic branch and pursue single-track careers by the time they enter the field grades.

The remaining 75 percent will receive repetitive assignments in their basic branch.

The functional designation process occurs at about seven years of service for most officers, although early designation is authorized for the special operations branches and selected under-strength functional areas.

Captains and promotable first lieutenants from year group 2005, except special operations officers, are eligible to request early designation in four specialties, provided they meet a minimum level of education, training and experience.

The functional areas open for early designation this year are FA 24 (Information Systems Engineer), FA 30 (Information Operations), FA 46 (Public Affairs) and FA 53 (Information Systems Management).

Officers who are interested in serving in one of these specialties should submit a preference statement by June 30.

Officers who do not submit a preference will remain in their basic branch until considered for mandatory designation at the seven-year point.