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Coast Guard Captain

O-6 Senior Officer, U.S. Coast Guard
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Coast Guard Ranks » Captain RankCAPT PayCAPT Rank HistoryPromotion Information

How to get promoted to Captain Coast Guard Promotion to O-6 Captain

A Captain is a Senior Officer in the United States Coast Guard at DoD paygrade O-6. This page describes how the Coast Guard determines who is eligible for the promotion list to Captain.

An officer of the US Coast Guard, who seeks to be promoted to Captain, must have served four years in the rank of Commander to become eligible. The Secretary determines the vacancies to be filled and a selection board is convened, usually annually in March. The purpose of the board is to select and recommend suitable candidates for promotion. Time in Service (TIS) and Time in Grade (TIG) count, as well as points earned in performance evaluations, awards and examinations. Based on background documents, letters of authority, enclosures and endorsements, pointing to a proven ability to lead, eligible candidates are placed on an advancement list, with the top scorers placed uppermost. The list of recommended officers is then submitted to the President for approval.

Want to learn more? Read about the Coast Guard's Captain rank on Military-Ranks.org.