________________________________________________________________________Richard S. Kem
30 March 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR COL TIXIER
SUBJECT: OPMS Command Selection and Selection of District Engineers
1. The purpose of this memo is to set down my thoughts on the selection process for commanders
and District Engineers--ideas that I have recently discussed with LTC Supplizio of the OPMS Study
Group. I will do this by first providing in rough essay form my thoughts and follow this with a
statement of options and advantages and disadvantages. Lack of time does not permit boiling it down
to study format without important omissions.
2. OPMS Command Selection - the first year. The Combat Support Army Command Selection
Board picked good officers for command this next year as can be expected. In failing to return to
Colonels Division a longer list as we had requested (25), the board has limited assignment flexibility.
At present the entire list of 12 has been exhausted--with three deferees, seven engineer commands,
one aviation command and one support command commander, all alternates have been used. With
possibilities for general officer selections, selection for key horseholder positions, and relief for
cause or sickness, future boards should provide a larger number as was done for Artillery and Signal
this year--we can still draw the line for principal and alternates at the appropriate points.
3. Impact of this year's OPMS command selection. Before board results were known, the Chief of
Engineers determined that he would support OPMS fully. He determined that District Engineers
completing two years would go to command--he would request that any District Engineer who
would be completing but one year in a District be deferred a year. This resulted in three officers
leaving their Districts after two years, with two officers, having served only one year being deferred
for command until FY 75. One other officer, slated to be Regt Cmdr at USMA next year was also
deferred. With but few available commands, the impact has been considerable. It meant increased
turbulence this year as three District Engineers left early. For next year, it means that we already
know that two District Engineers will leave after two years, and three of the five FY 75 command
positions are taken by this year's deferees. Therefore, only two command positions will be open for
new selectees next year.
4. Philosophy - Engineer Colonels, Troop Command, District Engineers. Like an officer of any other
branch, an engineer officer worth his salt aspires to command. Within the Corps, for colonels that
command is perceived as engineer troop command or engineer district command. This may not be
fully understood by the combat arms officer who would view a district engineer--a civil function--
as management or a technician's job. But the relation of the two and the perception of engineer
officers is real and valid. It is valid because engineer districts really are command--requiring the
same principles of leadership and management as does a troop command. A district is an operating
element in a chain of command, reporting through engineer divisions to the Office, Chief of
Engineers. It has subordinate operating elements and the district engineer has a staff to assist him. He
is concerned with operations, planning, preparing resources, men, materiel, money and time to
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