the OER. One initiative is to develop multiple

OERs; one for Company Grade officers, one for

Field Grade officers and one for COL and above.

Another initiative is looking to redefine the senior

rater box check options and their associated la-

bels. More to follow as we get more details.

Photos. This is the first item boards usually

see and first impressions matter when it comes to

board selections. Bottom line is: Look profes-

sional! Do your best to keep your photo updated

and don‘t leave the photo lab unless you are satis-

fied. You may never know when your file is be-

ing looked at, so an up to date, professional photo

speaks volumes about your commitment to your

profession.

Show Cause. Just recently, we have been

asked to recommend whether or not Armor offi-

cers who have received letters of reprimand and/

or referred reports should go before a show cause

board. The show cause board will determine if an

officer should be eliminated or retained on active

duty. Armor Branch looks at each officer and

makes a recommendation. Our recommendation

coupled with the officer‘s chain of command rec-

ommendation will be presented to the HRC CG

for final decision. What is critical to note is that

each letter of reprimand and/or referred report

starts this process.

LTs Desk. Encourage your junior officers to

get the files in order early. This includes photos

and college transcripts. Unfortunately, many

Fellow Tankers and Cavarlymen,

I am truly humbled and honored to be serving

you all as the current Armor Branch Chief. Hav-

ing just passed the 90 day mark, I will spend some

time in the following paragraphs discussing my

initial thoughts on a handful of topics that I have

already dealt with.

Communication. ―The most difficult thing

we do is communicate.‖ It is critical for you and

Armor Branch to communicate effectively.

Please do not hesitate to email or call us with any

and all questions. We stand ready to serve. If

you do not feel that you are getting the answers

you deserve, please contact me directly. I would

ask that, as you look at your next assignment, let

us know early (6 months) what your desires are so

we can shape it accordingly. BN CDRs: Do not

hesitate to call or email about your officers so we

can find the right assignment for all involved.

Armor Webpage (https://www.hrc.army.mil/

Officer/AR%20Officer%20Home). We are trying

to make this a ―one-stop shop.‖ The main page is

designed to give you quick answers to your ques-

tions. Please take a look at the website and ensure

it meets your needs. We acknowledge that this is

our ―first impression‖ with many officers and

want to put our best foot forward.

OERs. First and foremost, I recommend that

all officers continue to do the best they can in

each job regardless of whether it is a key and de-

velopmental billet or not. Each evaluation, no

matter the job, matters. Immediately after arriv-

ing here at HRC, I had the opportunity to conduct

a ―mock‖ board. I reviewed over 60 files and it

quickly became apparent how important it is to

clearly enumerate your officers. Comments such

as ―CPT X is the #1 of 34 officers that I senior

rate‖ is far more powerful than ―CPT X is one of

the best officers that I senior rate.‖ For those of

you who are writing OERs, I would ask you to

clearly enumerate your subordinates and leave no

doubt with the board members who you are se-

lecting for promotion or command. The CSA

asked for an Army Evaluation System review and

I believe we will continue to see some changes to

Branch Chief

LTC John Cushing, Armor Branch

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Branch Chief 1-2

COLs Desk 3

LTCs Desk 4

MAJs Desk 5

Sr. CPTs Desk 6-7

Jr. CPTs Desk 8-10

LTs Desk 10-11

USAR Desk 12

Armor Branch

Newsletter

S U M M E R 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E I , I S S U E I I

I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

Changes within

the Armor

Branch.

ILE changes still

pending

Career Broaden-

ing opportunities

MEL4 Programs

Board Files

“Clearly enumerate your

subordinates and leave no doubt

with the board members who

you are selecting for promotion

or command.”

P A G E 2

“Brigade

Command

has been and

will always

be an

extremely

tough cut

and this

board proved

that once

again.”

Armor Branch Chief continued officers are rushing prior to the CPTs board to square

away their files and simply run out of time.

CPTs Desk. I recently had a great conversation

with a sitting Division G3 about CPTs on Division

Staff. We are prepared to support CPTs staying for

an additional year after Company Command to serve

on Division Staffs as long as their timeline supports

it and all parties acknowledge. I recently sat on the

Olmstead Fellowship panel and was extremely im-

pressed with the Armor officers competing for these

positions. I would ask that if you or your officers

intend on competing for a fellowship that everyone

keeps the Branch informed so we can help complete

the packet. We are also looking closely to post

MCCC assignments. I am asking the junior CPTs

assignment officer to diversify our officers. For

example, having an ABCT background as a lieuten-

ant and SBCT or IBCT assignment as a Company

Commander makes you a more diverse officer who

can serve the Armor community in multiple areas in

the future.

MAJs Desk. The buzz surrounding the MAJs

desk centers on the future of ILE. As of right now,

we are following the universal ILE program. I an-

ticipate receiving guidance in the near future as to

the slating guidance for the winter 2013 class and the

way ahead. I would encourage all those pre-ILE

MAJs to keep their files updated so if by chance the

decision is made to go back to competitive ILE, your

file is ready to go.

LTCs Desk. BN / BDE CSL. The offer stands

for those folks who are competing in either the BDE

or BN CSL contact Armor branch and have a candid

conversation pertaining to their selection chances

and which command categories they should compete

in. As a result of a couple of conversations, I am not

convinced everyone understands how the selection

and slating process occurs in the different categories

and what dynamics surround the alternate list.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

FY12 SSC Board. Please review the

SSC MILPER message carefully. This

year officers competing will submit their

preferences before the board convenes.

The preference site will open on 15 July

2012 and close on 31 August 2012.

Those officers who have deferred atten-

dance must also submit their preferences.

This is the only opportunity that officers

will have to submit preferences prior to

the SSC slating panel. The following

link will be used to access the SSC pref-

erence site: https://

KNOXHRC16.HRC.ARMY.MIL/

AHRC/OSPP/HOME/HTDOCS/

BDE/BN CSL Analysis. Brigade Command

has been and will always be an extremely tough

cut and this board proved that once again. His-

torically speaking, we have averaged 4 maneuver

commands over the last 6 years. We saw a high

of "8" last year with a low of "2" this year and in

2008. As we look across all command categories,

we have averaged "8" commands over the last 6

years, with "4" this year, and a high of "12" in

2010. As many of you know the BCT selection is

primarily based on officer performance, but how

the Armor Branch fairs has a lot to do with the

categories we compete in (Combat Arms Maneu-

ver Operations, Armor Operations (11ACR), Ar-

mor Training, Combat Arms Strategic support,

Combat Arms Installation, Branch Immaterial

Recruiting, Branch Immaterial Installation), the

type of Commands available (11ACR), the qual-

ity/size of the year group and the selection board

dynamics. The number of commands available in

each category, the quality/size of the year group,

and board dynamics we cannot control, but we

may need to be more deliberate with some of our

officers and encourage some to consider other

command opportunities instead of just Combat

Arms Maneuver Operations if "quantity" of Ar-

mor Commands is our goal. Having said all this,

the alternate list is loaded with great Armor offi-

cers and the difference between those that were

selected and those on the alternate list is minimal.

So the alternate list officers along with the next

year group will make for a very competitive group

next year.

With respect to the BN CSL we did extremely

well. This year we had 25 tactical BN CSL selec-

tees out of a possible 46. We did this with only

half of the eligible officers as compared to Infan-

try. By looking at our multiple Armor BN com-

mands across ABCTs, IBCTs, and SBCTs we

have spread the talent so we maximize the oppor-

tunities for our officers and increase our chances

for BCT commands in these types of units.

LTC John Cushing

Armor Branch Chief

Officer Personnel Directorate

Human Resources Command

(502) 613-6046 (w) DSN: 312

(502) 457– 2309 (c)

P A G E 3 V O L U M E I , I S S U E I I

Gentlemen,

First, I wanted to thank LTC Scott Wood-

ward for a terrific transition. After four

months as the Armor Colonel Assignment

Officer, I have had the pleasure of working

with many of you and I look forward to serv-

ing you over the next year.

2013 Movers:

We just finished placing all Colonels on

assignment for this summer and I have begun

to refine which officers will move next year.

If you are moving next year, you should have

received an email from me outlining the

Colonels assignment process. As I said in

the note, an early dialogue will help us de-

velop a quality as-

signment for you. If

you have not heard

from me and believe

you are moving next

year, please call or

send an email so we

can develop a course

of action. Colonels

Management priori-

tizes the following

assignments above

all others each year:

deployments

(approximately 160-

AF and IZ), CSL, Joint, and Korea. Lastly,

when we finalize the SSC visits, I will send a

note to all of the students so you are aware of

when we will visit.

Senior Service College, FY 12(AY13-14):

As a reminder, the SSC Board meets in

September. I have contacted all eligible

Colonels for this board and have completed a

scrub of their files. If you think I missed you

and you are eligible, please contact me so we

can begin to look at your file. Unlike in pre-

vious years, you will select your preferences

before the board meets in September.

Joint Qualification:

If you have recently re-deployed from a

combat deployment, please consider develop-

ing a Joint Qualification System (JQS)

packet to receive joint credit.

I can work with you to de-

velop the JQS experience

sheet and put together the

remainder of the packet.

Please remember that you

only have one year after your

deployment to submit the experience for joint

credit. We have a rigorous screening process that

has had a high success rate before the joint certifi-

cation board. Joint qualification not only broadens

an officer‘s career, but it opens up more opportuni-

ties for joint critical billets and jobs that prefer an

officer with joint experience. You can also receive

JQS points for J7 approved Joint Exercises. If you

think you qualify, contact me and I can review the

exercise to determine how many points you can

earn.

DA Selection Boards:

I would humbly ask that you please consider

sitting DA selection boards when I contact you

about them or please send me a note if you would

like to volunteer. As you know, Colonels make up

the vast majority of most selection boards. We

work hard to find the appropriate Colonel to sit

these boards. Colonels Management normally re-

ceives the board requirements four months before

the board meets. Many of the boards require five

working days or less.

COMO Move:

Finally, the Colonels Management office will

move in mid-August to the Taylor Building in

Crystal City, VA. If you are ever visiting the NCR,

Pentagon, or Crystal City, please let me know and I

would like to meet with you if you have the time.

Do not hesitate to contact me to assist you with any

issue.

Steve Barry

AR COL HRM

LTC, AR

OCSA - Senior Leader Development Office

(O): 703.696.4831; DSN 426

(BB): 703.459.5161

Email: steven.t.barry.mil@mail.mil

CMO/SLD website:

https://www.srleaders.army.mil/portal2/Home.aspx

“Joint qualification

not only broadens

an officer’s career,

but it opens up

more opportunities

for joint critical bil-

lets and jobs that

prefer an officer

with joint experi-

ence.”

COL‘s DESK LTC STEVEN BARRY

P A G E 4

Gentlemen, this will be my last

input into our quarterly newsletter. I leave

for Fort Hood later in July and will transi-

tion my duties to MAJ Tim Baer. I want to

thank all of you for all that you are doing

for our force and for the professional na-

ture of our personal interactions throughout

the past 2 years. The recent movie Money-

ball used the following Mickey Mantle

quote in its opening: ―It's unbelievable how

much you don't know about the game

you've been playing all your life.‖ Having

served here at branch before, everyday

proves to be a rewarding yet challenging

experience and I am often reminded as to

how much I still

have to learn.

Here are a couple of

parting shots that I

would like to ad-

dress:

Patience. We at

Armor Branch

spend a great deal

of time trying to

make sure the right

officer is assigned

the right job at the

right time. In many

cases, especially at

the LTCs desk, assignments take a little bit

longer based on the types of assignments

we are attempting to get. Many of the

nominations and blackbook jobs have a

long approval process. We appreciate your

patience throughout the process. We also

appreciate your trust that we are always

looking out for your best interest.

Professional counseling. One of

the most challenging things we have to do

as leaders is counsel our subordinates who are

not performing up to standard. Thanks to all of

you who spend time with your subordinates con-

ducting performance counseling. Good, honest

feedback through well documented counseling

definitely makes our job easier here at branch and

allows us to better manage promotion and com-

mand expectations.

Battalion Command Selection Process.

As the Branch Chief said in his notes, there is

some confusion when it comes to the Battalion

Command Selection Process. As we begin to

prep for the next BN CSL board, please contact

my replacement, MAJ Tim Baer, if you have any

questions as to how the process works. We

would prefer that each of you makes a well-

informed decision as to which categories you

would like to compete in and where we think you

stand relative to your peers.

DA Photos. As promotions and com-

mands become more and more competitive the

emphasis can easily swing to military bearing

and fitness to break ties. We would encourage

you to stay in shape and don‘t make your appear-

ance in your DA photo a discriminator as to why

you didn‘t get the assignment your deserved.

Again, I‘d like to thank all of you for

your service to the Army, the branch and allow-

ing me to assist you in shaping many of your as-

signments. I truly appreciate the sacrifices that

you and your families have made when called. I

look forward to seeing you out in the field soon.

Best of luck and God bless.

LTC Carter Price

AR Branch LTC Assignment Officer

(502) 613-6039

“It's unbeliev-

able how

much you

don't know

about the

game you've

been playing

all your life”

LTC‘s DESK LTC CARTER PRICE

V O L U M E I , I S S U E I I

ILE and other MEL4 Programs:

There has been a lot of discussion about potential

changes to ILE and how officers will be slated for this

course in the future. While we are not certain what

the final outcome of this will be, we anticipate there

may be changes to who will attend resident ILE and

how those officers will be identified. We also expect

that there will be additional ILE options for those of-

ficers that are not identified for a resident ILE pro-

gram. All this is still in flux and we do not know

when the final decision will be made or how quickly

it will go into effect. With that being said, we will

wait to finalize the Winter 13 ILE slate until the final

decision and guidance is released. Once the final ILE

decision is made, we will release a message breaking

down the decision and the impacts it will have on the

force.

Additionally, this year‘s Sister Service, Inter-

agency and Foreign ILE MILPER Message 12-214

was released on 10 July. Please thoroughly review

the message to ensure you are qualified to apply for

one of these programs and ensure you submit a com-

plete packet. These are very competitive programs so

please contact us early to ensure you are able to ap-

ply.

SAMS: Congratulations to the six Armor officers that were

selected for the SAMS program for this coming win-

ter class. The selected officers‘ range from those cur-

rently attending ILE (or other MEL4 program) to KD

complete majors who applied from the field and range

in year groups from 1996 to 2003. This pool of offi-

cers has a variety of experience which will certainly

benefit the SAMS community. Good luck in your

upcoming studies.

PMS and CSL Board Prep and File Maintenance:

With the upcoming CSL and PMS boards, we will

conduct a large number of file scrubs here at branch

to assist officers with their preparation for the upcom-

ing boards. With that being said, it is your responsi-

bility to ensure your file is complete and accurate and

we are here to assist you with that process. Below are

common issues we see with officers‘ files:

Outdated or Inaccurate Photos. Keep a current DA

photo on file, in the new Army Service Uniform

(ASUs). The photo is the first thing a board member

will see when he/she opens your file. It immediately

makes a first impression (good or bad) which could impact the results of how that board member votes on

your file. Do yourself a favor and take the time to

get a new photo in a clean uniform (ASU) that fits

properly with all the proper awards and badges, with

a good hair cut, etc.

Don‘t wear CAV Brass for your DA photo.

Even if you are not up for a board this fall, your

files are viewed on a regular basis for consideration

for all types of jobs and other opportunities. A good,

current photo goes a long way toward making a posi-

tive first impression.

You must have a new DA photo every five years

(or your photo will be removed from your file and

will not be visible). However, we recommend a new

photo every two years or within a year of an upcom-

ing board so it is current and accurate.

Missing Award Documentation. Ensure that there

are award certificates on file for all the awards you

have earned to include CAB, airborne and air assault

badges. Your photo should match what is reflected

on your ORB and should also match the certificates in

your OMPF. If all three of these match, then your file

is tight.

Missing College Degree Transcripts. There are a

large number of officers that are missing their under

graduate and/or masters transcripts. Look at your

OMPF and if you don‘t see it just send a scanned

copy and we‘ll get it added

Check your ORB and OMPF regularly for accu-

racy and completeness and submit updates and cor-

rections as needed; this will make it much easier

come board time to ensure your file represents you in

the best way possible. A good rule of thumb is to

check you file once a year (even if no boards are

pending). This way any changes /updates you have to

make prior to a board should be minimal.

Remember, maintaining your file is your responsi-

bility, the more effort you put into your file during

your career, the less of an emergency it will be when

it comes time for your next board.

If you have any questions please contact me either

by email or give me a call.

MAJ Timothy Baer

Majors Armor Branch Assignment Officer

(502)613-6042 P A G E 5

MAJORS‘ DESK MAJ TIMOTHY BAER

P A G E 6

Team,

I trust that all is well. As I am blessed to

serve as your Assignment officer, I often inter-

act with Squadron and Brigade commanders

who cannot stop talking about the tremendous

job you guys are doing; great job and keep it

up!

FY 2013 MAJ Board:

We mentioned in our last Armor newsletter

that the board will be quickly upon us, and we

want to ensure that you have your best foot

forward. As I scrub the YG 04-05 officers‘

files, I have noticed the following trends:

1) DA Photos are lacking. Our DA photos

are expired or we are wearing our Class A uni-

forms. Although the Class A‘s uniform is au-

thorized, the new standard is the Army Service

Uniform (ASU) and we should all have an up

to date DA photo while wearing our ASU uni-

form. The DA photo is the first item that the

board members review, and it is one of the

most important items that HRC uses to deter-

mine your future assignment (especially when

we consider you for a nominative assignment).

2) Assignment information is not current. I have reviewed several of our Officer Records

Briefs that state the wrong or expired current

assignment. I have often seen our ORBs state

Executive Officer for current assignment when

the officer has over six months of command

time. Also, if Incoming Personnel or Surplus

Soldier is reflected on your ORB, ensure that

you have it removed immediately.

3) Officers are not aware that this will be

a Best qualified and not a Fully qualified

board. This means that officers who have re-

ceived a Fully Qualified OER (Not left justi-

fied) as a Captain are at extreme risk for not

being selected for advancement to Major. If

you are an officer with a Fully Qualified OER,

and we have not discussed your options and

way ahead, please give me a call or shoot me a

note.

Assignments are available:

The assignments for our officers moving

between 01OCT12-31JAN13 (13-01 Manning

Cycle) will be published no later than

09JUL12. I have spoken with all of the avail-

able officers, and I am working your Courses

of Action. If you are available to PCS during

the 13-01 Manning Cycle and have not con-

tacted me, please do so immediately. Addition-

ally, If you anticipate being available to move

between 01FEB13-31MAY13 (13-02 Manning

Cycle), please contact me in October 2012 with

your top five preferences to start working your

follow-on assignment.

Fellowships:

We had a great showing

for this year‘s Fellowship

Selection Boards (we dou-

bled the amount of applicants

competing for each cate-

gory). The boards are con-

vening as we speak and we

should have the results in

September 2012. Also,

around September-October

2012, the next Fellowship

MILPER message will be

released. I noticed that the major factor for Ar-

mor Officers not competing in this year‘s Fel-

lowship Selection Boards was contributed to an

undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0. It is true

that many of the fellowships require a 3.0 or

better GPA. However, if you have a strong file

you can still compete for most of the fellow-

ships. You will simply need to submit an Aca-

demic Readiness Statement along with your

fellowship packet. Bottom line- call me if you

have any questions before you make a deci-

sion!

SENIOR CAPTAINS’ DESK MAJ JERRY WOOD JR.

“Your

reputation

begins

with your

DA

Photo!”

SENIOR CAPTAINS’ DESK

(continued)

P A G E 7

Advanced Civil Schooling:

ACS is currently a hot topic. However, please

understand that Armor Branch does not and will

not be allocated an ACS slot that is not tied to a

Fellowship, GRADSO, or EGSP program. We are

not authorized ACS slots because there are zero

authorizations for 19 series hard-coded assign-

ments that require a Graduate degree.

We are currently working our GRADSO and

EGSP mandates. However, if you are a GRADSO

recipient who is currently waiting to attend ACS

please note that Armor Branch is currently fore-

casted the following slots for the next two years:

Fall 2013- two slots, Spring 2014- two slots, Sum-

mer 2014-four slots, and Fall 2014- six slots. If

you plan to utilize your GRADSO option within

the next two years, ensure that you submit your

packet to me no later than two months prior to

your packet being due to ACS. Also, ACS RFOs

are not release until about 60 days prior to you

starting your studies.

FAQs:

What should I do to prep for the upcoming

board?

1. Fix your file often and fix early. It is difficult

for us at branch and your unit S1 to fix 7 years

worth of errors in two months.

2. Anything on your ORB (minus unit awards)

requires substantiating documents in your OMPF.

3. Your DA photo may be the most important por-

tion of your file; get a new one if it is more than

one year old.

4. According to AR 640-30, you are required to

take a new DA Photo when you receive an AR-

COM or higher award.

5. Any course/class that was more than 40 hours

can be added to your OMPF. There is no need to

put CLS in your OMPF or on your ORB.

6. Manage expectations; if you have a GOMOR,

―Fully Qualified‖ or referred OER you may be at

risk for promotion.

7. Most Army schools award an ASI; ensure it is

annotated on your ORB.

8. Your unit S1 has to update deployment/dwell

entries in eMILPO; branch does not have that abil-

ity.

9. Read your OER before signing it! At a mini-

mum ensure all the admin data is correct and it is

free of spelling errors.

10. The My Board File program is only a snap-

shot in time. Just because you made a change to

your file does not mean that it will automatically

appear in My Board File.

For any questions related to anything in the Senior

Captains section please feel free to call or email.

MAJ Jerry Wood Jr.

Senior Captains Assignment Officer

(502)613-6044

P A G E 8

JUNIOR CAPTAINS’ DESK MAJ DERRICK MURRAY

Maneuver Captains Career Course (MCCC)

YG 2007 and 2008 officers are the priority for

MCCC attendance in 2012. Seats frequently open in

the course so call (502)-613-6045 if you have a res-

ervation but are interested in earlier attendance

(specifically YG 2007 or 2008). The 3 December

2012 course still has slots that will open to YG 2009

officers in August if they remain unfilled.

As we approach the release of FY12 CPTs board

in late July/Early August there are a few things to

note:

FY 09 Officers will become the priority for atten-

dance in 2013. Email a DA Form 4187 to der-

rick.d.murray.mil@mail.mil signed by your Battal-

ion Commander to get a reserved seat. Class dates

are listed below.

FEB 25 2013 – AUG 06 2013

APR 15 2013 – SEP 25 2013

MAY 28 2013 – NOV 07 2013

JUN 24 2013 – DEC 06 2013

SEP 03 2013 – MAR 04 2014

Now that many of you have been

promoted to CPT, it is time to update

your ORB. Your current S-1 is the best

place to update your ORB. As soon as

you are placed on orders at the career

course your new chain of command will

look to pull your ORB. It will be your

first impression—make it a good one.

No photo or incorrect data in the assign-

ment history section could affect your

future senior rater‘s impression of you.

Schools are assignment dependent.

As an example, you will attend airborne

school if you are going to an airborne

coded assignment.

“...your new

chain of

command will

look to pull

your ORB. It

will be your first

impression—

make it a good

one.”

Recommend Professional Reading List Links:

http://www.benning.army.mil/common/content/pdf/MCoE%20reading%

20listFinal_Copy1.pdf

http://www.history.army.mil/reading.html

Junior Officer Broadening Assign-

ment (JOBA)

JOBA assignments are opportuni-

ties prior to your attendance to the

Maneuver Captains Career Course

(MCCC). You must serve a mini-

mum of 18 months at your current

duty station to be eligible to PCS

with a time on station waiver.

Taking a JOBA assignment al-

lows you to broaden your Army ex-

perience and gives your family sta-

bility by placing you in a non de-

ploying unit for 12 to 18 months.

Following the completion of the

JOBA assignment you will attend

the Maneuver Captains Career

Course and then PCS to a follow on

unit for your Company Command

assignment. When considering the

units for application, identify your

needs and consider what environ-

ment will help prepare you for Com-

pany Command while also allowing

you to take a break following your

deployment. Other JOBA assign-

ment considerations include family

concerns such as EFMP or MACP.

There are a variety of assign-

ments available that allow you to

meet your needs while also filling

critical Army requirements. They

are broken into the following catego-

ries:

1) AC/RC: Utilization of Active

Component Soldiers to ensure the

training and readiness of the Reserve

Component Units. These jobs are

generally reserved for senior CPTs,

but opportunities currently exist for

this unique and rewarding assign-

ment.

2) FT Benning Assignments (most

prevalent), Fort Rucker, Fort Sill &

Fort Jackson:

* ITB: Serve in a variety of jobs

ranging from OCS Instructor where

you will train and commission offi-

cer candidates for all branches of the

Army to Basic Training Company

Commander where you will be re-

sponsible for training Soldiers in

Basic Combat and Armor-specific

skills in order to provide combat-

ready Soldiers and leaders to the

Operational Army.

* BOLC/OCS: Educate, train,

and inspire current/future Armor

Lieutenants so that upon BOLC

graduation, they demonstrate the

competence, confidence, physical

and mental toughness, and moral/

ethical fiber necessary to lead pla-

toons in any operational environ-

ment.

JUNIOR CAPTAINS’ DESK

(continued)

P A G E 9

P A G E 1 0

Assignment Process at MCCC

I will conduct a branch brief and personal interviews with every officer at MCCC. You are more

than welcome to bring your spouse to one or both sessions, as it is an important decision for both you

and your family. We will talk over your priorities: deployment/non-deployment, geographic location,

family concerns, platform (H/S/IBCTs), short command queue, etc. During the interview I will weigh

your personal priorities with the needs of the Army and offer some recommendations for you and your

family. Since adopting this approach, 9 times out of 10 we are slating officers with one of their top

three choices. However, there are times that I have mandatory deployment assignments or command

positions that need to be filled.

We will also discuss the op-

portunities for follow on

schools. This is done in the

same way: priority versus avail-

ability. If the slot is there for the

school you wish to attend and

we can justify attendance you

will attend that school.

MAJ Derrick Murray

Junior CPTs Assignments

(502) 613-6045

“The most

important

thing is to do

the job you are

given, and do it

well.”

As the new Lieutenants Assignment officer, I‘d like to reiterate a few things you‘ve

already heard.

First off, all newly commissioned Officers entering Armor Basic Officer Leader Course

(BLOC) are managed and scheduled by their specific commissioning source. Therefore, any re-

quests to modify ABOLC class dates must be processed to the individuals commissioning

source. Once at ABOLC, Mr. Gathright will assign students follow-on assignments with addi-

tional military schooling associated to the gaining unit‘s mission requirements. ABOLC student

assignments are determined by the Total Army Personnel Strength Authorizations, Officer‘s Ac-

tive Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) for location, professional development, availability to re-

port to assignment, and Officer‗s assignment preferences. Once you get to your first assignment

CPT Thomas Spolizino at Armor Branch is your contact. After your CPTs Board and you be-

come promotable, MAJ Derrick Murray, the Junior Captains Assignment Officer becomes your

POC.

Second, familiarize yourself with DA PAM 600-3 Commissioned Officer Professional

Development and Career Management, Chapter 10. While branch strives to help each officer

with their career, YOU are your best career manager, the more knowledge you have the better.

This chapter will provide you with insight on what schools are available and which you are ex-

pected to take and will provide guidance on what assignments you should seek. There is no such

thing as key developmental assignments for Armor Lieutenants. It is highly encouraged, but not

required that you serve as a Platoon Leader and Executive Officer in a TOE operational unit, but

the most important thing is to do the job you are given, and do it well.

CPT Thomas Spolizino LIEUTENANTS’ DESK

JUNIOR CAPTAINS’ DESK

(continued)

P A G E 1 1

“AR branch is

always looking

for Lieutenants

to fill positions in

TRADOC units,

however not all

officers’

timelines support

these

assignments.”

your degree posted in Section VII of your ORB before

you can be promoted to CPT.

2. DA Photo: The DA photo is literally the first

thing a board sees, if your photo is substandard , this

will be your first impression for the rest of the board.

Make sure your uniform fits properly, you have a hair-

cut, all of your awards are present and in the right order,

you are not wearing unit awards you didn‘t earn, and

you are not wearing Cavalry brass, Armor is your offi-

cial branch.

3. DA1059: If you went to a school that issued you

a DA1059 (BOLC, ARC, etc) that form should be in

your OMPF.

Start looking at your file early and get your Chain of

Command as well as your S1 to help you out. Contact

Armor Branch with questions. We will scrub your file

This is the only realistic way you will PCS as

a Lieutenant other than to MCCC.

Officers in Korea and Deactivating Units

If you are in Korea or you are tracking that

your unit is deactivating, you should contact

branch six months from your DEROS or deacti-

vation date. This will ensure that we can have a

realistic dialog about your next assignment pref-

erences. We understand that most of you want to

get to deploying units. Please understand that we

will do what we can, but that may not always be

an option. Always ask about schools in route to

your next duty assignment—we will accommo-

date when possible.

Branch Detailed Officers

If you are branch detailed into AR from an-

other Branch, you should make contact with both

AR and your basic branch no later than 6 months

from your expiration date. It is possible to stay

Armor, but the process takes some time so let us

know ASAP.

Please do not hesitate to call and ask ques-

tions regarding your career or general branch/

Army questions. We are here to assist you.

CPT Thomas Spolizino Mr. Earvin Gathright

1LTAssignments 2LT Assignments

(502)613-6040 (502)613-6035

before the board, but nobody will take better care

of your records than you.

Junior Officer Broadening Assignments

AR branch is always looking for Lieutenants

to fill positions in TRADOC units, (Basic Train-

ing, MCOE, etc) however not all officers‘ time-

lines support these assignments.

If you are interested in doing something differ-

ent and are looking for an excellent developmen-

tal experience:

1. Talk to you chain of command and get their

endorsement, the first thing your assignment offi-

cer at branch will ask you is what your COC

thinks.

2. Make sure your timeline supports. You

should plan on attending MCCC in Year Group

plus four (YG‘10 officers should be going in

2014) and any PCS move requires you to be on

station for two years before moving again.

3. Contact your assignment officer. We will

talk you through the options and if it makes sense

we will consider you for these types of assign-

ments.

4. YG 2009 officers should take a look at the

JR CPTs section of this newsletter and consider a

JOBA assignment prior to the career course.

A R M O R B R A N C H N E W S L E T T E R

Fiscal Year 2012 Captains Board Update

The FY‘12 Captains Board has completed and we

expect results to be released sometime in late July—

early August. Once the results are released you should

receive notification through your chain of command, but

can check for publication on the HRC-Promotions

Branch webpage.

FY’10 Officers

If you have a date of rank to First Lieutenant between

1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012, you should start scrub-

bing your file for next year‘s board. You may have al-

ready gotten an email from me about some issues in

your file, but I will lay out some common pitfalls below:

1. College Transcripts: You are required to have

your college transcripts uploaded into your OMPF and

LIEUTENANT’S DESK

(continued)

P A G E 1 2

this position, this officer is num-

ber 1 (or whichever applies).‖

This is the pattern used by Active

Duty Component, as well it

should be by the Reserve Com-

ponent.

BOARD PREPARATION!

As the MILPERs are released outlining the require-

ments and actions to be taken for the upcoming Board

(Command, APL, etc.) make sure you READ the

MILPER. Many of the problems would be eliminated

if the applying Service Member would read the MIL-

PER and send the necessary documents to the correct

URL by the specified deadline. Don‘t wait until the

last minute to send the necessary information. That

leaves not time for final corrections. Plan to have eve-

rything turned in at least a week before the deadline so

when Murphy‘s Law happens, you‘ve got some time

to make things right. Check here for the upcoming

Board Schedule with deadlines: https://

www.hrc.army.mil/TAGD/FY12%20Army%

20Selection%20Board%20Schedule. You will also

find the MILPER number with a link to said reference.

CALL TO ACTIVE DUTY

This program is closed to LTs and LTCs. Those that

wish to apply must have the required background.

Please see MILPER

11-318 issued 18

Oct 11 for details.

https://

www.hrc.army.mil/

Milper/11-318.

CPT Matt Mount

USAR Assignments

(502)613-6072

I am proud to announce I have arrived and taken

over as your new Assignment Officer, replacing

MAJ Edward McCray. I am getting to know you as

I review your files and am working closely with Ms.

Hahne to ensure your information is updated and

accurate. I look forward to helping you with any

upcoming issues and getting to know each of you

over the coming years. Feel free to contact me or

Ms. Hahne if you have any questions or issues and

we will do all we can to assist. Thank you for your

service and support to the USAR!

BE PREPARED!

As you know, there are major

changes ahead for the Army,

changes affecting the budget, unit

size and positions. Now, more

than ever, it is important for you to

place yourself in a position to be

the most qualified in order to con-

tinue your army career. Be pre-

pared! Be flexible! Be educated!

Pursue your required military

schools, as well as improve your

civilian education to the best of

your ability. Increase your market-

ability by acquiring an additional

Functional Area. A complete list of Functional Ar-

eas can be found in DA Pam 600-3. As cuts are

made and opportunities are fewer, those with the

higher qualifications and training will benefit the

most.

HONEST AND COMPLETE OERs!

As you prepare the Officer Evaluation Report,

words are cheap, but that ACOM is limited. Ensure

that your ratings, when so merited, reflect not only

your superior capabilities, but that you are enumer-

ated in the report, i.e. ―Of the 15 officers I rate in

“Now, more

than ever, it is

important for

you to place

yourself in a

position to be

the most

qualified in

order to

continue your

army career.”

CPT Matthew Mount USAR DESK

P A G E 1 3

Armor Branch Website: https://www.hrc.army.mil/Officer/AR%20Officer%20Home HRC Tools with all of these links: https://www.hrc.army.mil/PERSINSD/Tools%20and%20Applications%20Directory iPERMS/OMPF: https://iperms.hrc.army.mil/rms/login-paa My Board File: https://www.hrcapps.army.mil/portal/default.aspx?page=active.record.mbf My ORB: https://knoxhrc16.hrc.army.mil/SSORB/ Joint Policy Branch: https://www.hrc.army.mil/Officer/Joint%20Policy%20Branch IWRS: https://knoxhrc16.hrc.army.mil/iwrs/ MILPER Messages: https://www.hrc.army.mil/Milper DAPMIS: https://knoxhrc16.hrc.army.mil/dapmis/

REFERENCES CONTACTS