There were times when junior officers would take on hazardous duties to be mentioned in dispatches – as noted in a superior officer’s report, which was sent to high command. The goal of the MiD was to receive decorations and to be considered for promotion, including in command positions.
Soldiers will still go above and beyond, today, even as there are other ways to receive a promotion. However, there is a growing trend where some senior officers are less interested in those command opportunities.
According to a report from Military.com, more than half of the U.S. Army’s senior officers are now turning down the option to command, opting instead for staff roles. Some are even opting to retire instead.
Taking Command – The Battalion Command Assessment Program
Even though there are those individuals who may stand out, the U.S. Army isn’t the type of institution that believes in “natural-born leaders.” Instead, the service seeks out those who believe might be fit for command and strategic leadership roles.
The United States Army Human Resources Command (HRC) is responsible for seeking talent to fill those command positions.
“The mission of the Command Assessment Program is to execute world-class, current, and relevant assessments to provide proven and objective data as a component of the Army’s selection process to slate the best leaders into the Army’s most impactful leadership positions via its Command Assessment Program (CAP),” HRC explains on its BCAP website. “The program regularly assesses nearly 2,000 candidates each year through the Battalion Commander Assessment Program, Colonels Command Assessment Program, or Sergeants Major Assessment Program.”
It evaluates the leadership readiness of 800 to 1,000 lieutenant colonels annually through interviews, psychological tests, and physical fitness evaluations.
According to the U.S. Army, “Each candidate is assessed on physical fitness, verbal and written communications, and through cognitive and non-cognitive assessments with the program culminating in a panel interview with senior Army officers. In conjunction with the Centralized Selection List process, the BCAP results help ensure that the Army is selecting the best qualified officers for command.”
Fewer Candidates Seeking to Participate
As reported by Military.com, about 85% of those taking part in the BACP have historically been deemed fit for command. Yet, this year saw that 54% of eligible officers voluntarily opted not to participate – an increase of the 40% who passed in 2019.
“The predominant reasons were personal and family circumstances, such as retirement eligibility and family stabilization,” Maj. Heba Bullock, an Army spokesperson, told Military.com in a statement.
Silver Oak Leaves
In the U.S. Army – as well as the USMC, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force – lieutenant colonel is a field-grade officer rank. Responsibilities can include commanding battalions of 300 to 1,000 soldiers, and overseeing the operations of all units within their battalion.
The pay grade is O-5, and the insignia is a silver oak leaf. Promotion to the rank is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) of 1980.
As the Military.com report also added, those officers not only have the chance to command as many as 1,000 troops, but LTCs can “play pivotal roles in Pentagon plans for preparing forces for war.” The position is seen to be at the “intersection of the Defense Department’s big picture and the daily life of rank-and-file troops.”
For many in command positions, it comes with a higher profile but requires a lot more work hours. Even for career military officers, some are drawn to less visible, lower-pressure staff positions that can promise stability for the same pay.
Work-Life Balance
The biggest reason some officers, even those who have made a career in the military is that command doesn’t offer the work-life balance many might desire.
It isn’t just LTCs that are opting not to take on command roles, as many in the sergeant first class ranks are stating that they’re happy where they are.
Having to move to posts that are often in rural locations in the United States in turn limits the options for spouses to focus on their own careers.
“Access to child care has also emerged as a pressing issue, with military-run facilities facing space shortages and civilian day care costs soaring,” Military.com added. “Those logistical hurdles further complicate the decision-making calculus for officers weighing the rigors of command against the relative stability of staff roles.”
Rank has privileges, and it seems that many are content not to take on added responsibilities that may come with it.
