The Army Personnel Development System
Summary of Change
THE ARMY
Headquarters
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
7 February 2025
*Army Regulation 600–3
Effective 7 February 2025
Personnel-General
The Army Personnel Development System
By Order of the Secretary of the Army:
RANDY A. GEORGE
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff
Official:
JULIE A. BLANKS
Acting Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army
History. This is a mandated revision. The portions affected by this mandated revision are listed in the summary of change.
Authorities. The authority for this regulation is AR 5–22.
Applicability. This regulation applies to the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve, unless otherwise stated. Also, it applies to appropriated and nonappropriated fund civilian employees.
Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this regulation is the Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity's senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through their higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25–30 for specific requirements.
Army internal control process. This regulation contains internal control provisions in accordance with AR 11–2 and identifies key internal controls that must be evaluated (see appendix B).
Suggested improvements. Users are invited to send comments and suggested improvements on DA FormDA FormDepartment of the Army form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to usarmy.pentagon.hqda-dcs-g-1.mbx.publishing-team@army.mil.
Committee management approval. AR 15–39 requires the proponent to justify establishing/continuing committee(s), coordinate draft publications, and coordinate changes in committee status with the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, Special Programs Directorate, 9301 Chapek Road, Building 1458, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060–5527. Further, if it is determined that an established “group” identified within this regulation later takes on the characteristics of a committee, as found in AR 15–39, the proponent will follow all AR 15–39 requirements for establishing and continuing the group as a committee.
Distribution. This regulation is available in electronic media only and is intended for the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.
*This regulation supersedes AR 600–3, dated 14 April 2023.
AR 600–3 • 7 February 2025
UNCLASSIFIED
TOCTable of Contents
Chapter 1Introduction
Chapter 2Responsibilities
Chapter 3Army Branches, Functional Areas, Functional Categories, Career Fields, and Career
Programs
Chapter 4Competitive Categories for Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers
Appendix AReferences
Appendix BInternal Control Evaluation
Glossary
Area of concentration A requisite area of expertise (subdivision) within a branch or FA.
Army Civilian Career Management Activity ACCMA serves as an integral component of the Army People Strategy Civilian Implementation Plan (APSAPSArmy pre-positioned stocks – CIP). ACCMA facilitates the transformation of Army civilian processes and practices to ensure Army Civilians are the most ready, professional, competent, and cohesive federal workforce. In direct support of the ASA (M&RA)ASA (M&RA)Assistant to the Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) proponency mission for the Civilian workforce, CHRA, through the ACCMA, executes the personnel developer role for the Civilian workforce in all FAs.
Army Talent Alignment Framework A three-tiered personnel attribute structure, which standardize the approved list of knowledge, skills, be- haviors, and preferences (KSB – P) and their associated definitions across the Army. The ATAF was de- signed with the intent to facilitate a streamlined user experience in the ATAP market, to align talent as- sessments to a common set of KSB-Ps, and to be adapted into a data layer underpinning the IPPS – A 25- point profile.
Army Talent Alignment Process A decentralized regulated market-style hiring system that aligns officers with jobs based on preferences. These preferences are shaped by the unique knowledge, skill, behaviors (KSBs) of each officer and the KSBs desired by commanders for their available assignments.
Branch A subdivision of any organization. A geographically separate unit of an activity, which performs all or part of the primary functions of the parent activity on a smaller scale. An arm or service of the Army.
Brevet Temporary promotions of Regular Army officers intended to alleviate critical shortages of officers in com- petitive category specialties whose skills are determined to be in critically short supply (see 10 USCUSCUnited States Code 605).
Career Field Functional chief The career field FC is the ASA (M&RA)ASA (M&RA)Assistant to the Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)-appointed Senior Executive Service career Civilian official within each of the 11 career fields. The FC guides and makes decisions regarding the strategic human capital management, strategy, and planning of Army Civilians within their broad career field FA. Note. Previously termed combat arms immaterial positions.
Competitive category A group of commissioned officers who compete among themselves for promotion and, if selected, are promoted in rank order as additional officers in the higher grade are needed in the competitive category.
Functional category A specific grouping of functionally related officer, warrant officer, enlisted, and civilian positions into man- agement categories having a common mission area. Functional categories consist of officer branches and FAs, warrant officer and enlisted military occupational specialties, and civilian occupational series. There are 4 functional categories: Information Dominance, Operations Division, Operations Support, and Force Sustainment. (The term career field in lower case is a generic term commonly used by military and civilian personnel when referring to their branch, FA, MOSMOSMilitary occupational specialties, or civilian occupational series.)
Occupational series Part I: White Collar Occupational Series (previously known as General Schedule System Occupations) - Defines Civilian occupations and lists the series names and codes used in classifying white collar jobs in the Federal Government. Part II: Trade, Craft, or Labor Occupational Series (previously known as Federal Wage System Occupations) - Defines Civilian occupations and lists the occupation names and codes used in classifying trade, craft, or labor jobs in the Federal Government.
Special branches A grouping of branches and officers primarily concerned with providing combat service support and ad- ministration to the Army as a whole but managed separately from combat service support branches. Spe- cial branches include AMEDDAMEDDU.S. Army Medical Department, Chaplain's Corps, and Judge Advocate General's Corps.
