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The below-the-zone (BZ) or secondary zone promotion capability is designed to allow the accelerated promotion of outstanding officers who have demonstrated performance and indicated potential clearly superior to those who otherwise would be promoted. Below-the-zone promotions apply only to promotion to the grades of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel. Officers will receive only one BZ consideration per grade. By law, the number of officers recom­mended for promotion from below-the-zone may not exceed 10 percent of the total number recommended; except that the Secretary of Defense may authorize that percentage to be increased to not more than 15 percent. Army policy sets the Army Competitive Category (ACC) below-the-zone promotion capability at 5.0 to 7.5 percent. Note that AMEDD, Chaplain Corps and Judge Advocate General’s Corps are not part of the ACC.

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Above information derived from Army Pamplet 600-3