Army Officer Ranks and Promotions
Promotion rates for active duty commissioned officers are intended not to vary greatly between the military services (although it will still vary based on need). Learn the roles and responsibilities of the Army officer ranks below as well as typical promotion timelines for active duty Army officers. For those not familiar with the Army promotion system, you may wish to learn more about TIS and TIG.
Army Officer Ranks and Promotion Requirements |
Paygrade O-1 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) |
| 2LT Rank Description: The lowest officer rank in the Army is the 2nd Lieutenant which serves as the entry-level rank for most commissioned officers. The 2nd Lieutenant usually serves as the platoon leader which consists of a platoon sergeant (who assists the 2LT) and 2+ squads. A typical platoon sized element has at least 16 but up to 44 soldiers. |
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Paygrade O-2 1st Lieutenant (1LT) |
| 1LT Rank Description: The 1st Lieutenant
typically begins leading specialized weapons platoons or selected
as an Executive Officer for a company (110 to 140 soldiers), assisting
the company commander. Promotion Requirements: Must have 18 months TIG as a 2nd Lieutenant (hence 18 months TIS as well). Almost 100 percent of officers meeting TIS/TIG requirements will be promoted to First Lieutenant. |
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Paygrade O-3 Captain (CPT) |
| CPT Rank Description: A Captain is
placed in command of a company (ranging from 62 to 190 soldiers) and
is assisted by a First Sergeant. Captains also serve as staff officers
at the battalion level. Promotion Requirements: Must have 2 years TIG as a First Lieutenant. TIS fluctuates based on needs of the Army but is typically 4 years. Nearly 100 percent of officers meeting TIS/TIG requirements will be promoted to Captain. |
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Paygrade O-4
Major (MAJ) |
| MAJ Rank Description: The rank of Major
is the primary staff officer for the brigade and task force commands,
working on operational missions,or logistical or personnel matters.
Promotion Requirements: Must have 3 years TIG as a Captain. TIS is typically 10 years but based on needs of the Army it can fluctuate +/- 1 Year. Promotion to Major is somewhat competitive compared to the near 100 percent promotion rates for O-1 to O-3. Only 80 percent (deemed the best qualified) of those meeting the TIS/TIG requirements will be promoted. |
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Paygrade O-5 Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) |
| LTC Rank Description: A Lieutenant
Colonel is placed in charge of a battalion (300 to 1,000 soldiers)
and is assisted by a Command Sergeant Major. Lieutenant Colonels also
serve as Executive Officers for a brigade or task force. Promotion Requirements: Must have 3 years TIG as a Major. TIS is typically 16 years but based on needs of the Army can fluctuate +/- 1 year. Lieutenant Colonel is slightly more competitive than Major, promoting 70 percent of those meeting TIS/TIG qualifications. |
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Paygrade O-6 Colonel (COL) |
| COL Rank Description: The Colonel usually
commands a brigade (consisting of 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers) and is
assisted by a Command Sergeant Major. Alternatively, can serve as
a chief of divisional level staff agencies. Promotion Requirements: Must have 3 years TIG as a Lieutenant Colonel. TIS is typically 22 years but based on needs of the Army can fluctuate +/- 1 year. Getting promoted to Colonel becomes more competitive as only 50 percent of those qualified based on TIS/TIG will be selected for promotion. |
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Paygrade O-7 Brigadier General (BG) |
| BG Rank Description: The Brigadier
General serves as the deputy commander for the commanding general
of an Army division. Assists with the staff's coordination and planning
of a mission Promotion Requirements: The rank of Brigadier General is limited to a total of 150 for the entire Army. More on General Officer promotions. |
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Paygrade O-8
Major General (MG) |
| MG Rank Description: The Major General
commands a division (consisting of 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers). Promotion Requirements: The rank of Major General is limited to a total of 99 Army wide. More on General Officer promotions. |
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Paygrade O-9 Lieutenant General (LTG) |
| LTG Rank Description: The Lieutenant
General commands a corps (20,000 to 25,000 soldiers). Promotion Requirements: Limited to a total of 43 for the entire Army. More on General Officer promotions. |
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| Paygrade O-10 |
General (GEN) |
| GEN Rank Description: The 4 Star General
commands the operations for a large geographical area. Examples: Central
Command (CENTCOM), Africa Command (AFRICOM). GEN Promotion Requirements: Limited to a total of 9 Army wide. More on General Officer promotions. |
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General of the Army (GOA) |
| GOA Rank Description: The General of the Army is awarded only in times of war when the commanding officer must be equal to or higher in rank than the commanding armies of other participating nations. Last use was during and shortly after World War 2. |
Time in Service / Time in Grade
Army promotions are controlled by time in service (TIS) and time in grade (TIG). Time in service is the total accumulated military service and time in grade is the amount of service in the current paygrade. For officers, TIG requirements are set by federal law (United States Code: Title 10) while TIS can fluctuate based on needs of the Army.
Army General Officer Promotions
General officers are known as Flag Officers. Promotion to Flag Officer is extremely competitive with less than 1 percent of career officers ever advancing to become a Flag Officer.
The President of the United States nominates General officers with confirmation by the Senate. To help facilitate the process, the Army holds promotion boards to recommend officers for promotion to O-7 to O-10. As there are set limits for the general officer ranks, vacancies usually occur only when a general officer gets promoted or retires. When that happens, the President nominates officers for promotion from the list of recommendations provided by the Army (with advice from the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Army, and the Army Chief of Staff.
Article Last Modified: September 6, 2010
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