1. Be prepared to defend your answers!
Nothing happens in our Army unless a sergeant is involved. –
GEN Crosbie E. Saint and CSM George L. Horvath
“'Sergeants' Time' Paces Readiness in USAREUR." ARMY, Oct 1989, p. 84
1. What do Senior HR NCOs need to know about the officer distribution and assignments process?
2. How involved are they in the process and what support should they provide? Why?
Be prepared to defend your answers!

2. Learning Objective
Action: Communicate Officer Distribution and Assignments Process
Condition: Senior HR Leaders in a classroom environment working individually and as a member of a small group, using doctrinal and administrative publications, practical exercises, case studies, personal experience, handouts, and discussion with an awareness of the Operational Environment (OE) variables and actors.
Standard: Analysis includes:
1. Examine the officer and warrant officer classification systems.
2. Discuss the officer distribution and assignment process.

3. Officer Classification
Basic Elements
Branch / Functional Area (FA):
Identifies the principal or secondary position requirements and the officer’s designated branch/functional area.
Two characters (numeric)
Skill Identifiers (SI):
Identifies skills required in combination with an AOC, of a position as well as the skills in which officers may be classified.
Not normally related to a particular branch, FA, or AOC, but required to perform in special duty position.
Two characters in either numeric, alpha or alpha-numeric
Branch 19 = Armor
FA 48 = Foreign Area Officer
Examples
Examples
SI Associated with Armor AOCs
Area of Concentration (AOC) Codes:
Identifies position requirements and requisite qualifications
Three characters: two numeric; one alpha SI
Name R4
Stryker Vehicle Operator 3X
Mortar Unit Officer 5P
Parachutist
Examples
Branch 19, AR (Armor)
AOC
Name
19A
Armor officer, general
19B
Armor
19C
Cavalry
Language Identification Codes (LIC):
Identifies the foreign language of a position or an officer’s qualification.
Two characters: alpha
AZ = Arabic
Example
AR 611-1, para 4-2

4. Functional Categories / Branches NON-ACCESSION BRANCHES
The four Functional Categories – OPS, OS, FS and ID– focus on multi-skilled leaders with functionally relevant competencies.
BASIC BRANCHES
Adjutant General
Engineers
Ordnance
Air Defense
Field Artillery
Psychological Opns
Armor
Finance
Quartermaster
Aviation
Infantry
Signal
Civil Affairs
Military Intelligence
Special Forces
Chemical
Military Police
Transportation
SPECIAL BRANCHES
Medical Corps
Medical Specialist
Chaplains Corps
Dental Corps
Nurse Corps
Judge Advocate
General
Veterinary Corps
Medical Services
NON-ACCESSION BRANCHES
Acquisition Corps
Operations
Operations Support
Force Sustainment
Information Dominance

5. Branch Immaterial / Branch Detail BRANCH IMMATERIAL POSITIONS
Position coding when specific branch skills are not required.
Three characters: Two numeric; one alpha
01A - Officer generalist - can be filled by any officer
01B – Aviation / Infantry / Armor / Military Intelligence immaterial
01C – Chemical / Engineer / Military Police immaterial
01D – Financial Management / Adjutant General immaterial
02A – Combat Arms generalist
02B – Infantry / Armor immaterial
02C – Infantry / Armor / Field Artillery / Engineer immaterial
05A - AMEDD immaterial - used to identify positions requiring an officer with specific AMEDD branch or functional area affiliation
BRANCH DETAIL PROGRAM
Ensures branches with the largest need for Lieutenants are filled to required levels using Lieutenant Donor Branches.
Branch detail period for officers is normally 48 months including time spend in Initial Military Training
Donor
Branches
Recipient
Adjutant General
Air Defense Artillery
Finance
Armor
Military Police
Chemical
Military Intelligence
Field Artillery
Ordnance
Infantry
Quartermaster
Signal
Transportation
AR , Chapter 3
AR para 4-2(2)

6. Warrant Officer Classification
Military Occupational Specialty Code (MOSC) consists of nine (9) characters.
Character
Description
Example
1st & 2d
Branch or FA 42 AG 3d
Used with first two characters to designate an AOC
420
HR Technician
4th
Used to designate separately definable qualifications with an AOC
420A
*5th
Used in combination with the first four characters to designate significant qualifications
420A8
Instructor Qualified
6th & 7th
A two position numeric alpha or alpha numeric code to relate a specific occupational skill or item of equipment to an MOSC
420A84J
Postal Qualified
8th & 9th
Consist of either an ASI or LIC
420A84J2B
Air Assault Qualified
*The digit “0” (zero) is used as a fifth character when identification of a special qualification is not required.
AR Chapter 5

7. Officer Assignment Policies
General Assignment Policies:
Made when required for national security
Made based on the officer’s professional qualifications
Qualified volunteers are considered first when all other factors are equal
PCS moves are not tied solely to the passage of time on station
Equal distribution within branch, FA and grade among overseas assignments and assignment locations
Restrictions - Orders should not be requested for officers:
To PCS twice in the same fiscal year
Obligated to complete Army Educational Requirements System (AERS) utilization
In an approved stabilized position
Serving a prescribed overseas tour
Assigned to a joint duty assignment list (JDAL) position
AR , Chapter 5

8. Officer Assignment Process Creating Requisitions
PMAD vs. MTOE
What are you Authorized vs. what will HRC fill?
VOUs
Valid
Open
Unfilled
HRC builds
Filled if built
Not built at unit request
Not “killed” w/o reason
HRC Assignment Officers
ID available officers
TOS (24 months)
Key Developmental (KD) requirements
DEROS / deployment completion
Unit / branch requirements
Validated Requirements
AMG
Army priorities
Unit needs
Officer preferences / timelines
Approved by OPMD Director
Unit Requirements
Vacancies
Anticipated shortages
Other
HRC
Account Manager
Unit requirements
Unit’s ARFORGEN timeline
Army Manning Guidance (AMG)
Distribution Requirements List (DRL)
Unit & branch input
Army-wide requirements
Cycle-specific
Cycle Manning Conference
DRL
Branch vs. Assignment Mgrs
OPD Chief presides
Disclaimer: Process shown is for REQs validated during manning conferences, not other manning events.

9. Factors that Influence the Officer Distribution Process
Goal: Placing the right officer in the right place at the right time.
AR , paragraph 1-6
FACTORS
Army requirements
Officer requirements
Generic coded billets
Grade, career field, education, experience
Professional development
Availability
Stabilization, tour equity
Officer’s potential for advancement
Personal issues (i.e. EFMP, MACP)
Command Select List (CSL) commands
Officer’s preference
CHALLENGES

10. Projecting Operating Strength
# Officers currently assigned (Operating Strength)
+ Gains (prior to end of requisition cycle)
+ Promotable officers (from lower grade)**
- Promotable officers (to next higher grade)**
- Losses (prior to end of requisition cycle)
= Projected Inventory
Compare projected inventory against MTOE/TDA authorizations to determine requirements
** Officers selected on DA approved promotion lists are counted and managed at the next higher grade (e.g., CPT(P) counts as MAJ)

11. Officer Personnel Information Data Flow Available to all Officers
TAPDB-AO
eTOPMIS
ORB, RFO/AI,
Promotion Orders
TOPMIS II
eMILPO My R O B
Available to
all officers
Field Users
Read only
Send and receive
Data Flow
TAPDB-AO is the hub for all officer personnel data flow
eTOPMIS is a read-only system that can only receive information from TAPDB.
TOPMIS II is a push / pull system that can send and receive information from TAPDB.
eMILPO is a push / pull system that can send and receive information from TAPDB. eMILPO does not interface directly with TOPMIS; but the information it pushes to update the TAPDB can then be pulled by TOPMIS.
Available to all Officers
My ORB is read only.
Assignment Interactive Module is a push / pull system.

12. Brigade S-1 Role
Manage the personnel strength of the Brigade and all subordinate units at the Distribution Management Sub-Level (DMSL).
Review and monitor officer strength, distribution, and assignments using the Total Officer Personnel Management Information System (TOPMIS).
Coordinate officer requirements with HRC.
Keep TOPMIS straight (ORBs) so HRC has the right information and officers are eligible for the right assignments at the right time.
Develop officer slate for the brigade; anticipate requirements, Key Developmental (KD) assignment moves, changes of command, etc.
Take immediate action when there are changes in units’ MTOEs/TDAs; identify and keep track of any new requirements.

13. Learning Objective
Action: Communicate Officer Distribution and Assignments Process
Condition: Senior HR Leaders in a classroom environment working individually and as a member of a small group, using doctrinal and administrative publications, practical exercises, case studies, personal experience, handouts, and discussion with an awareness of the Operational Environment (OE) variables and actors.
Standard: Analysis includes:
1. Examine the officer and warrant officer classification systems.
2. Discuss the officer distribution and assignment process.