Department of the Army Pamphlet 600–3 Personnel-General Commissioned Officer Professional Development and Career Management Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC 3 December 2014 UNCLASSIFIED SUMMARY of CHANGE DA PAM 600–3 Commissioned Officer Professional Development and Career Management This administrative revision, dated 6 August 2015- o Adds missing figures for the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (chap 38). Headquarters *Department of the Army Department of the Army Pamphlet 600–3 Washington, DC 3 December 2014 Personnel-General Commissioned Officer Professional Development and Career Management broaden and acquire a greater depth vice f o r m a l r e v i e w b y t h e a c t i v i t y ’ s s e n i o r breadth of experience in challenging lead- legal officer. All waiver requests will be e r s h i p p o s i t i o n s . I n a d d i t i o n , t h i s p a m - e n d o r s e d b y t h e c o m m a n d e r o r s e n i o r phlet provides a summary of the special leader of the requesting activity and for- branches (The Judge Advocate General’s warded through their higher headquarters Corps, Chaplain Corps, and U.S. Army t o t h e p o l i c y p r o p o n e n t . R e f e r t o A R Medical Department). 25–30 for specific guidance. Applicability. This pamphlet applies to t h e A c t i v e A r m y , t h e A r m y N a t i o n a l Suggested improvements. Users are Guard/Army National Guard of the United invited to send comments and suggested States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless improvements on DA Form 2028 (Recom- o t h e r w i s e s t a t e d . D u r i n g m o b i l i z a t i o n , m e n d e d C h a n g e s t o P u b l i c a t i o n s a n d p r o c e d u r e s i n t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n c a n b e Blank Forms) directly to Deputy Chief of m o d i f i e d t o s u p p o r t p o l i c y c h a n g e s a s Staff, G–1 (DAPE–MPO), 300 Army Pen- necessary. tagon, Washington DC 20310–0300. H i s t o r y . T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n i s a n Proponent and exception authority. Distribution. This publication is availa- a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e v i s i o n . T h e p o r t i o n s T h e p r o p o n e n t o f t h i s p a m p h l e t i s t h e ble in electronic media only and is in- affected by this administrative revision are Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1. The propo- tended for command levels A, B, C, D, nent has the authority to approve excep- listed in the summary of change. and E for the Active Army, the Army tions or waivers to this pamphlet that are Summary. This pamphlet outlines offi- consistent with controlling law and regu- National Guard/Army National Guard of cer development and career management lations. The proponent may delegate this t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , a n d t h e U . S . A r m y programs for each of the Army’s career approval authority, in writing, to a divi- Reserve. branches and functional areas. It does not sion chief within the proponent agency or prescribe the path of assignment or educa- its direct reporting unit or field operating tional assignments that will guarantee suc- agency, in the grade of colonel or the cess but rather describes the full spectrum civilian equivalent. Activities may request of developmental opportunities an officer a waiver to this pamphlet by providing can expect throughout a career. It empha- justification that includes a full analysis of sizes the need of the future force leader to t h e e x p e c t e d b e n e f i t s a n d m u s t i n c l u d e Contents (Listed by paragraph and page number) Part One Philosophy and Management, page 1 Chapter 1 Introduction, page 1 Purpose • 1–1, page 1 References • 1–2, page 1 Explanation of abbreviations and terms • 1–3, page 1 Current perspective • 1–4, page 1 Warrior Ethos and Army Values • 1–5, page 1 The Army Profession • 1–6, page 2 Mentoring, counseling, and coaching • 1–7, page 2 Officer Personnel Management System overview • 1–8, page 2 *This pamphlet supersedes DA Pam 600–3, dated 10 February 2010. DA PAM 600–3 • 3 December 2014 i UNCLASSIFIED Contents—Continued Warrant officer personnel management overview • 1–9, page 3 Officer Evaluation System overview • 1–10, page 4 Chapter 2 Officer Leader Development, page 5 Leader development overview • 2–1, page 5 Leader development strategy • 2–2, page 5 Domains of leader development • 2–3, page 5 Leader principles • 2–4, page 6 Leader development and the Officer Education System • 2–5, page 7 Chapter 3 Officer Personnel Management System and Career Management, page 8 Purpose • 3–1, page 8 Factors affecting the Officer Personnel Management System • 3–2, page 9 Officer Personnel Management System • 3–3, page 10 Officer development • 3–4, page 11 Company grade development • 3–5, page 15 Major development • 3–6, page 17 Lieutenant colonel development • 3–7, page 17 Colonel development • 3–8, page 18 Warrant officer definitions • 3–9, page 19 Warrant officer career patterns • 3–10, page 19 Warrant officer development • 3–11, page 20 Introduction to officer skills • 3–12, page 20 Joint officer professional development • 3–13, page 20 Assignment process and considerations • 3–14, page 22 Individual career management • 3–15, page 23 Chapter 4 Officer Education, page 24 Scope • 4–1, page 24 The Officer Education System • 4–2, page 24 Current paths to officer education • 4–3, page 24 Guides for branch, military occupational specialty, or functional are development courses • 4–4, page 25 Nonresident schools and instruction • 4–5, page 25 Educational counseling • 4–6, page 26 Military schools • 4–7, page 26 Department of Defense and Department of State schools • 4–8, page 29 Foreign schools • 4–9, page 30 Language training • 4–10, page 30 Aviation training • 4–11, page 30 Command team training and education • 4–12, page 30 Other military schooling • 4–13, page 30 Application for military schools • 4–14, page 30 Service obligation • 4–15, page 30 Civilian education • 4–16, page 31 Education programs • 4–17, page 31 Tuition assistance • 4–18, page 33 Eligibility criteria and application procedures • 4–19, page 33 Chapter 5 Officer Promotions, page 33 General • 5–1, page 33 Promotion process objectives • 5–2, page 33 ii DA PAM 600–3 • 3 December 2014 Contents—Continued Statutory requisites • 5–3, page 33 Active duty list • 5–4, page 34 Promotion process • 5–5, page 35 Army grade structure • 5–6, page 35 Promotion flow • 5–7, page 35 Below the zone promotions • 5–8, page 36 Competitive categories • 5–9, page 36 Impact of the Officer Personnel Management System evolution • 5–10, page 36 Chapter 6 Officer Evaluation System, page 38 Overview • 6–1, page 38 Officer evaluation reporting • 6–2, page 38 Relationship with the Officer Personnel Management System, leader development, and character development process • 6–3, page 38 Chapter 7 Reserve Component Officer Development and Career Management, page 39 Purpose • 7–1, page 39 Factors affecting Officer Personnel Management in the National Guard • 7–2, page 39 Factors affecting Officer Personnel Management in the Army Reserve • 7–3, page 40 Officer Personnel Management System • 7–4, page 42 Officer development • 7–5, page 42 Company grade development • 7–6, page 44 Major development mandatory intermediate level education enrollment • 7–7, page 46 Lieutenant colonel development—mandatory Advanced Operations Course attendance and completion • 7–8, page 46 Colonel development • 7–9, page 47 Warrant officer development • 7–10, page 47 Warrant officer one development • 7–11, page 48 Chief warrant officer two development • 7–12, page 48 Chief warrant officer three development • 7–13, page 49 Chief warrant officer four development • 7–14, page 49 Chief warrant officer five development • 7–15, page 49 Management considerations • 7–16, page 49 Individual mobilization augmentee/drilling individual mobilization augmentee assignments (U.S. Army Reserve) • 7–17, page 50 Company and field grade officer education • 7–18, page 51 Warrant Officer Education System • 7–19, page 52 Promotion • 7–20, page 54 Consideration (C), Selection (S), and Promotion (P) requirements for company and field grade officers • 7–21, page 54 Promotion selection board • 7–22, page 55 Part Two Operations, page 55 Chapter 8 Infantry Branch, page 55 Unique features of the Infantry Branch • 8–1, page 55 Officer characteristics required • 8–2, page 56 Critical officer developmental assignments • 8–3, page 57 Assignment preferences • 8–4, page 61 Duration of critical officer life-cycle assignments • 8–5, page 61 Requirements, authorizations, and inventory • 8–6, page 62 Officer life-cycle initiatives for Infantry • 8–7, page 62 DA PAM 600–3 • 3 December 2014 iii Contents—Continued Infantry Reserve Component officers • 8–8, page 63 Chapter 9 Armor Branch, page 66 Unique features of Armor Branch • 9–1, page 66 Officer characteristics required • 9–2, page 66 Key officer life-cycle initiatives for Armor • 9–3, page 67 Officer developmental assignments • 9–4, page 67 Assignment preferences and precedence.