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More than 3,000 officers to be promoted in June

Monthly officer promotions will top 3,000 in June for only the second time in the last two decades, thanks primarily to a large block of promotions to captain for the basic branches of the active component.

The June promotion forecast released by the Army in mid-May authorizes 3,025 advancements to the ranks of chief warrant officer through colonel.

The monthly total is the biggest since September 2005 when 3,200 promotions were authorized, the largest allocation in the post-Cold War era.

The June promotion plan calls for 54 advancements to colonel for all branches and corps, 164 to lieutenant colonel, 291 to major, 2,405 to captain, 18 to CW5, 23 to CW4 and 70 to CW3.

Within the Army Competitive Category there will be 46 promotions to colonel for line officers; 109 to lieutenant colonel, and 2,403 to captain.

ACC promotions to major are on hold until release of a new list compiled by a board that met in January and February.

Most of the first lieutenants advancing to captain on June 1 were commissioned three years ago at the U.S. Military Academy and through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Under a plan designed to provide a surge of majors and captains for this year’s summer assignment cycle, the Army has been reducing average pin-on points for both those ranks.

The goal is to reach nine years of active federal commissioned service for major, and about three years for captain.

These measures are the latest in a series of initiatives designed to partially offset captain and major shortages related to the Grow the Force program, and the redesign of combat forces that has generated increased requirements for captains and majors.

Within the special branches, there will be 33 promotions to colonel for the Medical Department in June, for four the Nurse corps, three for the Medical Service corps and one for the Dental Corps.

Promotions to lieutenant colonel will total 46 for the medical Corps, five for the chaplain Corps and four for the Dental Corps.

New O-5 lists for the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Medical Service Corps, Medical Specialist Corps, Veterinary Corps and Nurse Corps are pending release.

The June plan calls for 163 promotions to major for the medical corps, 29 for the Dental Corps, 25 for the Nurse Corps, 22 for the Medical Service Corps, 21 for the JAG corps, 14 for the Medical Specialist Corps and two for the Chaplain Corps.