Promotion outlook for O-4s up 4 percent - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Promotion outlook for O-4s up 4 percent

Things are looking up for line lieutenant commander promotions, as the number of officers pinning on gold oak leaves will increase by 4 percent this year. The number comes from convening orders provided to the selection board, which kicked off April 6 at Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn.

Forecasts project slightly more than 1,400 promotions. There were 1,357 selections last year.

Although the unrestricted line’s promotion opportunity dropped from 90 percent to 85 percent, a larger number of in-zone officers will result in 32 additional promotions. Similarly, limited-duty officers will see an additional 30 slots because of a higher percentage opportunity and larger in-zone pool. The 11 designators within the unrestricted line have no quotas, and therefore selection rates vary from year to year. Last year, surface and special warfare officers boasted the highest selection rates, while aviators had the most promotions. The SWOs had 250 of 264 in-zone officers selected for lieutenant commander, while the special warfare community had 16 of 17 in-zone lieutenants selected. A total of 520 pilots and naval flight officers also were selected.

Hardest hit this year will be human resources, which will lose half of the 41 selections it had last year. Its promotion opportunity dropped from 90 percent to 75 percent, and a smaller number of in-zone officers cut even deeper.

The remaining 10 categories will see little change in the number of officers promoted.

The “opportunity” set by the Navy secretary is applied to the number of in-zone officers to determine the total number in each category who will be promoted. For example, when this year’s 85 percent opportunity is applied to the unrestricted line’s 1,113 in-zone officers, it means 946 lieutenants will theoretically be selected for promotion.

Although an officer can be selected from any of the three zones, the bulk will come from the “in-zone” officers. Last year, only 16 of 58 above-zone unrestricted line officers were selected, and four of 2,159 from below-zone. There were 914 total URL selections.

Board results are expected in July, personnel officials said.