Frocking

Frocking is a U.S. term for a military officer or non-commissioned officer wearing insignia of a higher grade before promotion. An officer or NCO who has been selected for promotion may be authorized to "frock" to the next grade. In the U.S. Army generals may send a memo to the Army Human Resources Command requesting the authority to frock soldiers under their command.

An example of this is when all new Chief Petty Officers of the United States Navy put on the rank on September 16th of each year. Individuals received their higher pay at various times through the remainder of the year but all are considered equal in seniority.

Restrictions

An officer may not be authorized to wear the insignia for a grade unless:
# The Senate has given its advice and consent to the appointment of the officer to that grade
# The officer is serving in, or has received orders to serve in, a position for which that grade is authorized
# In the case of an officer selected for promotion to a grade above Colonel or, in the case of an officer of the navy, a grade above Captain:
## Authority for that officer to wear the insignia of that grade has been approved by the Secretary of Defense (or a civilian officer within the Office of the Secretary of Defense whose appointment was made with the advice and consent of the Senate and to whom the Secretary delegates such approval authority)
## The Secretary of Defense has submitted to Congress a written notification of the intent to authorize the officer to wear the insignia for that grade and a period of 30 days has elapsed after the date of the notification
# Frocking entitles the service member to wear the higher grade and to benefit from the protocol of that grade. A frocked brigadier general is also equivalent to a promoted brigadier general in virtually all military circumstances. The two exceptions to this rule are certain actions under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, and certain procurement-related actions.

Notes

1. [http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/10C45.txt United States Code, Title 10 - Armed Forces, Subtitle A - General Military Law, Part II - Personnel, Chapter 45 - The Uniform, Sec. 777]

2. [http://www.hrc.army.mil/site/Active/select/FrockRequest.htm FROCKING REQUEST EXAMPLE, U.S. Army Human Resources Command]