Some Who Wander, Are Lost

Why DA PAM 600-3 (and 600-25) are Required for Counseling and Self-Development

By MAJ Drew Patterson

June 10, 2026 | Field Artillery, 2026 E-Edition

Read Time: < 15 mins

Photo by Dan Cook on Unsplash.

Army bureaucracy may feel normal as careers progress. Sayings like, “bloom where you are planted,” “be where your feet are,” and “one day at a time” provide focus to the immediacy, but do not provide a whole of career viewpoint or what futures could hold. Careers are by no means cookie cutter. This means that one does not need to do what one’s boss did to be successful. Leaders at echelon owe two things to rectify this. First, initial (professional growth) or performance counseling must include Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA PAM) 600-3, Officer Talent Management.1 Second, hone the self-development domain of leadership development to fully grasp the expectations of all officers and noncommissioned officers (NCOs) within DA PAM 600-3 (and 600-25, U.S. Army Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Guide).2 Failure to use DA PAM 600-3 or 600-25 as a guide for the officers and NCOs trusted in your stead not only jeopardizes their careers, but through the perpetual nature of leadership, will also jeopardize their future Soldiers who will one day lead, too, and who learned from your wrong example.

This article provides four overarching focus areas. It provides a summation of DA PAM 600-3 to outline the importance of inculcating a culture of career forecasting and options available for all officers. Second, it outlines why branch blinders or single-mindedness degrades taking care of the wide array of military occupational specialties (MOS) staff leaders or commanders for whom they are responsible. Third, this article reminds readers that the myriad of NCO MOSs deserves attention and care. NCOs’ timelines, broadening assignments, and education are imperative, and an understanding can be gained by reading DA PAM 600-25. Finally, this article outlines resources available to discuss other career opportunities. To provide a fully comprehensive picture of what is accessible to officers and NCOs, dedication to Army foundational documents is imperative. Inability or unwillingness to do so endangers those who look up to you as a mentor as they stray from the path.

FA Branch DA PAM 600-3

Education

The Army-wide and branch immaterial DA PAM 600-3, Officer Talent Management, can be found on Army Publishing Directorate. This document covers in generalities the talent- and career-management system, education, promotions and the evaluation system. However, to do a deep dive on a specific MOS, the Army G-1 team created a webpage that hosts all branch-specific DA PAM 600-3s. This website can be found here: https://www.army.mil/g-1#org-g-1-resources. Every branch and functional area can find its specific DA PAM 600-3 on this website on Assignment Interactive Module under professional development tools or within emails from FA branch. The current version of the Field Artillery (FA) branch DA PAM 600-3 was published in December 2023 and holds the most up-to-date guidelines for field artillery officers. The importance of this document for 131As or 13As cannot be overstated. It covers what the FA Proponent Office sees as success for Warrant Officer One (WO1) through Chief Warrant Officer Five (CW5) (131As) and Second Lieutenants (2LT) through Colonels (COL) across four categories: Education, Assignments (Developmental, Key Developmental, and Broadening), Self-Development, and Desired Experience. The FA DA PAM 600-3 takes into consideration years of reviewing officers’ careers, the future of the branch and what it takes to be a successful Redleg.

Table 1. Officer Professional Development Model (DA PAM 600-3).

Most Army careers begin with some form of education. DA PAM 600-3 breaks down education into two separate categories: Professional Military Education (PME) and tactical schooling. PME consists of schools that help prepare officers for the rank they are about to enter. FA Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC), FA Warrant Officer Advanced Course (WOAC), FA Basic Officer Leaders Course (BOLC), FA Captains Career Course (CCC) and Army Command and General Staff Course (CGSC) are the typical PME courses that most FA branch officers have attended. However, if one stays on the “normal path,” they may never know what is additionally available to them. As a captain, 13As can apply to Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS), also known as the United States Marine Corps’ CCC, in Quantico, Va. As a major or Chief Warrant Officer Three (CW3), officers could apply to the Advanced Military Studies Program (AMSP) within the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Additionally, majors can apply to sister service or foreign Intermediate Level Education (ILE) schools. Finally, as senior lieutenant colonels (LTC), FA officers can apply to a myriad of programs and fellowships, sister service or foreign schools that gain credit for Senior Service College (SSC). These opportunities are outlined in DA PAM 600-3, but require intricate knowledge of application windows, application procedures, eligibility requirements and what this means for one’s career. Gaining further understanding of these PME opportunities, discussing options with branch managers and discussing them with someone who has gone through that school is imperative to comprehending what this means for an FA officer’s career. DA PAM 600-3 also articulates schooling opportunities that would better round out officers during different junctures throughout their career (see Table 1). This ranges from branch immaterial courses (Ranger School, Airborne, Air Assault) to FA tactical and technical acumen building (FA Precision Fires Suite, Joint Firepower Course, Joint Operations Fires and Effects Course). These education “opportunities” must be understood for how they affect career progression, timelines, moves and family considerations. Additional utilization tours, longer scholastic lengths and permanent change of station (PCS) requirements provide some discussion points to have with branch managers or mentors when exploring these options.

Assignments

U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) outlines assignments throughout a career along three different categories: Developmental, Key Developmental (KD) and Broadening. Additionally, the FA branch enumerates each assignment under the three categories in a logical order that illustrates what the FA branch proponent says makes a well-rounded FA officer in that rank. FA lieutenants may not have specified Developmental or any Key Developmental assignments, but it is paramount to cultivate a young officer’s career with an understanding of what FA branch espouses as important. Developmental assignments for captains, as an example, have battalion Fire Support Officer (FSO) and battalion Fire Direction Officer (FDO) as the first and second positions. FA branch discusses for captains that “success in the assignments listed below will prepare captains for command opportunities and further success within the field artillery.”3FA branch is articulating to company grade officers (and senior FA officers) that success as a battalion FSO and battalion FDO provides technical and tactical rigor to provide a foundation in field artillery to perform at higher ranks. Additionally, it provides formal and informal leadership challenges that help prepare them to be better battery commanders and field grade officers.

KD assignments for captains are easily articulated by one simple phrase: Command is command. FA branch states that “Battery/Company/Troop command is the KD assignment for Field Artillery Captains.”4 This, however, is confusing and deserves more attention. Recruiting command, any command within 434 or 428 FA brigades or any command position outside of FA branch for the duration of twelve months counts as command to become a branch qualified captain. KD assignments become more intricate after pinning the gold oak leaf. Typical assignments such as FA battalion S3, FA battalion executive officer (XO), BDE/CAB FSO, DIVARTY/FAB S3, and DIVARTY/FAB XO are heralded as KD, but Special Forces Group FSO, SFAB S3/XO and MDTF S3/XO do not count as KD unless one of the previous assignments is completed. Additionally, FA Branch outlines that brigade FSO should not be the sole KD assignment for an FA major or it poses a risk to promotion.5 Careful attention to the major KD paragraph (n2b) must be taken by senior FA officers outlining majors during talent management meetings and creating KD queues. It is incumbent upon all officers to understand FA branch guidelines for KD assignments and discuss their careers with their mentors, raters and senior raters to ensure they remain competitive for the next rank. This also means slotting NCOs or officers in their next developmental or KD position should be aware of the immediate impact to the servicemember and the organization, as well as what could benefit the servicemember for future positions where she or he could have more responsibility where inability to perform would have additional ramifications due to lack of experience.

Finally, DA PAM 600-3 discusses broadening assignments. This outlines what is best to support the FA branch and U.S. Army holistically. There are three different types of broadening assignments: Tactical (OC/Ts, 75th Ranger Regiment, SOAR, SMU, and SFAB), Institutional (Small Group Instructors, HRC, ROTC (A)PMS, Recruiting) and Scholastic (Fellowships, Scholarships, ACS, and USMA). The above list is not exhaustive but provides a general overview of how FA Branch classifies the three different types of broadening. A general rule of thumb is not to do the same type of broadening assignment again. Broadening ensures “a purposeful expansion of knowledge, capability, and understanding through assignment opportunities internal and external to the Army. These assignments are fundamental to the continued growth throughout the Field Artillery Officer’s career lifecycle.”6 This article will later articulate resources available to find different broadening opportunities.

Self-Development and Desired Experience

These final two portions of DA PAM 600-3 provide a broad overview of each rank’s expectation on how to become better well-rounded. These portions deserve some attention and discuss options available off the beaten path.

Other Military Occupational Specialties

As Army officers gain rank and positions of responsibility, they start to evaluate, mentor and develop officers outside of their own MOS. There are two keys to success along this endeavor. The first is by preparing yourself by reading the material that governs MOS-specific career progression through their branch’s DA PAM 600-3. The second is expanding your knowledge by leveraging peers, mentors or other leaders across your installation/unit that are in that career field. If this feels like a refresher course in the Army Leadership Requirements Model (LRM), ADP 6-22 Army Leadership and the Profession, it should. The competency of Develops—specifically “Prepares self,” “Develops others,” and “Stewards the profession”—is a requirement for all Army officers.7

Through the Army G1’s website, all officers have access to every branch’s DA PAM 600-3 that outlines what a successful career looks like for their officers. When conducting initial counseling, helping develop a career timeline/baseball card is a must. Similarly, during performance counseling, mentors, raters and senior raters must guide their subordinate officers through what their specific branch holds near and dear to their hearts. For example, most BN S3s start off with one non-13A officer within their shop, the CBRN officer. This officer is typically assigned to menial tasks such as Unit Status Report, Land and Ammo or other non-fulfilling branch additional duties. No wonder everyone does not think highly of 74As when they do not get a sense of Army fulfillment from the branch they were assigned to. Ensuring that officers appointed over CBRN officers provide 74As opportunities outlined in the Chemical Branch DA PAM 600-3 is a leader requirement.

Table 2. BOP Catalogue Exerpt.
Key:
AC = Active Component or Regular Army
RC = Reserve (IMA/IRR/AGR/TPU)
RC-AGR = Reserve Component Active Guard Reserve

If a leader does not feel comfortable after reading another branch’s DA PAM 600-3 and assisting an officer through career discussions, seeking an informal leader to assist can be helpful. “Informal leadership is not exercised based on rank or position in the organization. It stems from personal initiative, special knowledge, unique experiences, or technical expertise specific to an individual or team.”8 For example, a Division Artillery (DIVARTY), BCT, or DIV CBRN Officer in Charge (OIC) could be a good resource to seek out with the requisite knowledge to assist in a CBRN officer’s career aspirations. Additionally, there is a good chance there is a chemical company on the installation that could serve as a follow-on assignment or a senior company grade mentor. This does not mean defer the subordinate to another officer for all things developmental by any means. This requires development on your part as much as it does your subordinate.

DA PAM 600-25

It is not your senior NCO’s job to help you learn everything about NCO’s career progression or timelines. It is not your section chiefs, platoon sergeants, first sergeants nor command sergeant major’s (CSM) job. It is yours. If you expect it to be your counterpart’s job, who is helping you with their career timeline and professional development? There are five different MOSs within the field artillery alone, six if you count 13Z. Just as every officer MOS has a DA PAM 600-3, NCOs and Soldiers have a Department of the Army Pamphlet that covers the enlisted cohorts. The Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Guide, DA PAM 600-25, covers every rank from private through command sergeant major. The five major portions for each rank are as follows: institutional training, operational assignments, self-development, additional training and special assignments. Field Artillery Career Management Field (CMF) 13 Progression Plan outlines these by rank and by position throughout the field artillery. Similar to developing other MOSs, it is incumbent upon officers to develop themselves by reading branch-specific DA PAM 600-25s and seeking out formal or informal leaders (such as higher NCOs in that MOS within or outside your organization) to help provide a baseline understanding of NCO’s careers.

Other Resources

Additional opportunities exist for Officers through the AIM Marketplace or Broadening Opportunity Program (BOP) Catalog. Every year, Human Resources Command publishes the BOP. Sometimes this is hidden in your AIM 2.0 mailbox. There are 16 programs available across a myriad of ranks, components and branches. Some programs are available as early as the rank of first lieutenant. All programs have a program description, eligibility window to apply, suspense date, anticipated report date, application packet requirements and utilization tour requirements outlined within the body (see Table 2).

Like broadening assignments for Officers, it is paramount to seek out FA Branch Managers or mentors who have gone through some of these programs for advice. An example is the General Omar N. Bradley JCS/OSD/ARSTAF Fellowship, a broadening opportunity for high-performing captains. This puts you at Georgetown for a year, then into the Pentagon for two years on the Joint and Army Staff. It sets you apart from your peers immediately. However, you do not attend resident ILE and must attend a satellite version of the Advanced Operations Course. You still ascertain credit for ILE completion. Additionally, you do not attend a year of schooling with peers whom you will be serving with at your next duty station nor interview face to face with hiring officials. Arguably, your previous performance and attendance in this Fellowship will speak for itself. This is just one example of a program in the catalog. Again, please reach out to mentors who have gone through any program or speak to your branch to gain further understanding of the intricacies of any program within the BOP.

Table 3. References for Counseling.

Finally, leaders must cultivate their own initial or professional development counseling agenda. This agenda serves as a line of departure that can be outlined in the DA Form 4856 or Memorandum for Record to steer the conversation back on course as it continues. Each item listed out must come with a hard or digital copy. This not only ensures that the counseled servicemembers know exactly what is being articulated but also where to find the resource to use for their own future counseling opportunities. Table 3 includes a breakdown of recommended items to include during counseling and the why behind each.

Closing

No career is cookie cutter, but personal development to understand all officers, warrant officers and NCOs entrusted in your leadership deserves our full attention. This can be done by reading DA PAMs 600-3 and 600-25 and by seeking out informal leaders to help fill in the holes in our swings. It is never too late to learn how to improve ourselves or others. Following the guidelines above directly changes two things. First, counselors now have a clear understanding of how to develop and understand the officers and NCOs they are charged with leading, regardless of MOS. Hopefully, this diminishes the number of officers and NCOs we meet that say they have never received an initial counseling.

Lastly, immediately available and tangible results from following the DA PAMs may be gleaned from the drive your subordinates now have. However, the lasting impact is immeasurable. FA branch and commissioning sources have ubiquitously described successful careers as 20 years of service and promotion to LTC. FA branch in DA PAM 600-3 describes the professional objective for LTCs as twofold: “First, they must demonstrate excellence in tactical skills and technical proficiency … Secondly, they are called on to mentor, lead, train, motivate, and care for Soldiers in both command and staff environments.”9 The tactical skills and technical proficiency must be prioritized from what DA PAM 600-3 outlines throughout the education, assignments and self-development and desired experience portions for all ranks. This ensures officers have the highest exposure to demanding jobs to increase their acumen to be the best leaders they can be, now and in future positions. The second portion embodies the rationale for this paper. Regardless of staff or command positions, leaders are expected to develop all of their subordinates, MOS-immaterial. The base charge for this are DA PAMs 600-3 and 600-25.

References