Quote Originally Posted by CB View Post
Sorry for digging out this thread, but I have a question regarding how Gen. Petraeus can influence this promotion board's decisions and, ultimately, GO selection process. I've been until now unable to find accurate and up-to-date information about this process and still don't know if, as a Chairman, Gen Petraeus has a real opportunity to change things by promoting great COIN practitioners, or if he can only put names on a list which has to be confirmed by other board members/service/office, willing or not to promote the same kind of officers.

Please, any information would be extremely welcome. Thanks a lot in advance for any help you could provide.

Best,

CB
CB: Depsite all the hype that GEN Petraeus was sent back to choose the next BG's in his (COIN) image it just does not work like that. Promotion boards are run by strict adherence to the regulations. For example none of the board members can discuss anything among themselves. There is no debate. Files are read and each board member makes his vote. Voting discrepancies that are too large among voting members require a revote. Questions as to specific officer qualifications in terms of professional development are addressed to the board recorders who find the answers through the DA Secretariat which administers the board. The bottom line is that all promotion board members make blind votes and are sworn to follow the rules of the board (which includes no discussion of officers considered for selection nor revealing results of the board). The bottom line is that there is way that the president of the board can influence the outcome during the board proceedings. That does not mean that prior politicking does not take place but the promotion boards are not a smoke filled room where the members debate who should be promoted (or blackballed). The Army (and all the services) have gone to great lengths to ensure that promotion boards are as fair as possible in a system that is based on human subjectivity.

Dave