Details

1. Officers selecting Geographic Stability will receive a one-time-use authorization guaranteeing a subsequent assignment within 50 miles of the officer’s (then current) duty station so that a Permanent Change of Station is not required. The assignment process will be done outside the traditional Army Talent Alignment Process (ATAP) marketplace cycle.

2. Officers intending to use this authorization must contact their career manager. This should be done well before and no later than 3 months prior to the opening of the ATAP marketplace that these officers would normally participate in to find their next assignment (in accordance with their Year Month Available to move, YMAV). Earlier contact will enable greater options.

3. Not all locations will be eligible for Geographic Stability. The option to stabilize is intended to be used at locations for which there is a sufficient density of assignments within the officer’s branch so that the subsequent assignment provides meaningful career growth. Officers should consult with their career manager about the feasibility of using Geographic Stability at specific locations.

4. There is a cap for the maximum number of officers (by branch) who may exercise Geographic Stability for that duty station. The cap is equal to 20 percent of the typical number of jobs for that duty station, in that branch. In cases where there are multiple duty locations within close proximity of each other (such as the National Capital Region), the cap may be enforced at a broader location level, rather than at the level of an individual installation. Geographic Preference authorizations will be honored on a first-come-first-serve basis for each location.

5. This authorization may be used for assignments occurring after the completion of the Captains Career Course. It may also be used to request an assignment immediately following the Captains Career Course that is within 50 miles of where the officer was stationed immediately prior to attending the course (“CCC and Return”). Officers desiring to exercise the option in this way should contact their career manager prior to attending the Captains Career Course. As with other uses of Geographic Stability, this option is intended to be used at locations for which there is a sufficient density of assignments within the officer’s branch such that the subsequent assignment supports meaningful career growth.

6. If an officer seeks to stabilize, and the officer’s career manager or commander arranges a local position outside of the market that permits the officer to stabilize, the officer’s Geographic Stability authorization will be considered to be exercised if the new position results in an adjustment to the officer’s YMAV.

7. For officers enrolled in the Married Army Couples Program, in accordance with Army Regulation 614–100, Section 3–2, “assignment officers will make every effort to assign married Army couples in the same location provided a position exists for both officers, the assignment does not adversely affect either individual’s career, and it meets the needs of the Army.”

8. For officers enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program, officers should verify that appropriate assignments exist within 50 miles of where the officer is stationed before exercising their Geographic Stability authorization.

9. This option expires upon the officer’s selection for promotion to Major (O-4).