The typical British Army posting lasts two years. The reason for this is straightforward. There are nine substantive ranks (if 2nd and 1st lieutenants are merged), which, combined with the tiers of professional military education, mean that each officer can have two jobs at each rank below that of general – one command and one staff position – before topping out within the maximum years of service. The army is unusual because whereas civilian organisations recruit specialists to fill specific positions, the army is almost exclusively fed from its base, and at the base there are a narrow range of specialisms available.
Defense/UK. The Army’s Officer Career Structure is Not Fit for Purpose (Jack Watling, RUSI)
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