1. This message will expire no later than (NLT) 1 September 2026.
2.
  The Lieutenant Colonel Functional Area 49 (FA49) Key Nominative Billet
 (KNB) Selection Panel will convene on 22 July 2025 to consider eligible
 Lieutenant Colonels (LTC) and Majors (MAJ) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) 
and Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) KNB assignments. FY26 KNB assignments will 
be filled in Summer 2026, and FY27 KNB assignments will be filled in 
Summer 2027.
a.  The FA49 Proponent seeks experienced leaders who
 demonstrate potential and are defined by their competence in a broad 
range of environments, strength of character, and unwavering commitment 
to the Army. This process codifies the Functional Area’s efforts to 
optimize talent management by selecting the best qualified officers 
based on knowledge, skills, attributes and experiences for assignment to
 key FA49 LTC positions across the DoD.  These are the fifth and sixth 
iterations of the LTC FY49 KNB Selection Panel.  
b.  The KNB 
Selection Panel will only consider eligible officers who choose to 
opt-in to the Key Nominative Billet Panel. See paragraph 4(a) for 
additional instructions.
c.  Officers who are offered a KNB 
assignment must accept or decline within 14 calendar days of notice of 
their assignment. A decision to decline the KNB will result in a 
“Decline with Prejudice” flag being placed on the officer’s Soldier 
Talent Profile (STP).   
d.  Officers selected by the KNB panel 
who experience an emerging need to defer or delay their KNB timeline 
must contact the talent manager and communicate their reason for the 
request. Requests for deferment will be considered for approval on a 
case-by-case basis. 
e. KNB tour length will be 24 months, unless curtailed or extended by HRC in conjunction with FA49 Executive Agent approval.
f. 
 There will no longer be Post-KNB assignments.  In select cases, the 
FA49 Proponent will offer KNB-complete officers a nominative follow-on 
assignment. Officers will have the choice to accept or decline the 
recommended assignment without prejudice.     
g.  KNB-Select officers can apply for constructive credit if they fulfill both of the following criteria:
(1)
  The officer served in a designated KNB billet up to 12 months prior to
 the panel convene date or is serving in a designated billet when the 
KNB Selection Panel convenes.; 
(2) The officer completed at least 12 months of rated time in that position.