How long does it take to get promoted to O-4, O-5, and O-6?

Question

I know it typically takes four years to get promoted to O-3, and I know about the zones. I'm asking military personnel and veterans what they've seen or experienced.

Answer 1

Navy: 5-7 years as an O3 before you screen for O4.  once you are in zone, you have 2 chances to get promoted.  If you Fail To Select you are out(unless you are close enough to your 20 that you can request to stick it out the last year or so).  

Answer 2

You're right about four years...depending on below, at zone, and above zone promotion...However, because of the War in Iraq and in Afghanistan...Certain promotion zones maybe move up to account for increase attrition ...three years rather than four...again it depends on the type of officer (There are different promotion boards for Combat Arms Officers vs. Military Doctors, Lawyers, etc)

Answer 3

What I experienced and what it is now will probably be different.....Promotions depend on so many variables.....not the least of which is the individuals performance

Even different branches and different career fields can make a difference..... Engineer officers ,for example , are highly competitive.....the top graduates from West Point are given Engineering degrees.....they obviously would get promoted faster than someone who got his commission from OCS

Any number you get will be HIGHLY subjective

Answer 4

I`m not a US army personnel,but I served as a conscript in my country and worked for 2 years in joint with your military with many NCOs,and officers,so I can at least give you a background.

Getting O-3 in the US army requires 5 years and most of the officers can get up to O-4 a few years after that.From what I`ve heard from my American CO who was a O-3 that after getting major,there are only two chances to build up the conditions and pass some form of qualification in order to get promoted to O-5.So that means O-4 serves as a lag,much like the E-7 in the NCO group.

Once you get O-5,then it depends totally on your performance.I`ve seen a US full bird getting his star in three years,so that should differ between people.