Officer Promotion Freeze - for 5 years

Don't panic, for now. This is for the Royal Navy.

Promotion for Royal Navy officers is to be frozen for five years in a cost-cutting measure that has caused fury in the Fleet, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

If the warship cuts go ahead, 1,500 sailors will probably lose their jobs

Morale is plummeting as officers stand to lose more than £10,000 a year in pay.

An official Navy document passed to this newspaper states that all promotions to the rank of Lieutenant Commander or above will be halted until 2012. The internal memo, labelled Galaxy 36/06, said that a temporary halt will be required to "rebalance in favour of the front line". ... The fleet will lose almost half its warships with 19 out of 44 laid up in port.

If the warship cuts go ahead, 1,500 sailors will probably lose their jobs in a service that has already been reduced to 36,000 personnel in recent years.

Good discussions by Bubblehead, Greyhawk and Chap over at MilBlogs. Looks like a way to clear away mid-grade officers without paying anyone to leave. Like this quote from a man who likes the same movies I do.

"People who have worked extremely hard and given their careers to the Navy, have bled for the Navy are now being rewarded like this, he said. "It is also a real kick in the teeth for those commanders who will now probably never have the chance to captain a ship."

Another officer based in Portsmouth, with 27 years service, including action in the Falklands war, was told by his commander that he should start looking for another job.

"I'm in the position of five years until retirement and after having given 27 years service it's now 'so long and thanks for all the fish'," he said.

I too find it hard to believe - but it looks ligit, though it may be just a proposal at this time. Let's see. It does have the ring of truth though; the Labour Party of Blair has been chipping away at the UK's military for over a decade. Also, I wouldn't laugh to hard. The bill for the Long War and the need for a larger Army and USMC will in many ways come from the USN and USAF's piece of the pie.