Silvia Jemutai, a Kenyan-born U.S. Army officer from Kopsiya, Poror in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel (O-5) in the United States Army.
Her promotion ceremony was held on November 14 at the Ordnance Training Support Facility in Fort Lee, Virginia, where family and friends—some travelling from Kenya and others from across the United States—gathered to celebrate the milestone.
Her elevation to Lieutenant Colonel places her among the senior field-grade officers in the U.S. Army.
For Jemutai, the promotion marks not only a personal triumph but also a proud milestone for her community in Baringo County.
Silvia Jemutai Military Role
The O-5 rank is typically reached after 16 to 22 years of exemplary service and is awarded to officers who demonstrate superior leadership, strategic judgment, and operational expertise.
Lieutenant Colonels commonly command battalion-sized units ranging from 300 to 1,000 soldiers.
In these roles, they are the final authority on everything the battalion does or fails to do, supported by a Command Sergeant Major (E-9) who advises and assists in ensuring mission readiness.
Lt. Colonels also serve in influential staff positions at brigade, division, corps, and national headquarters, where they contribute to planning, resource allocation, and coordination of complex operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Paygrade
Beyond responsibilities, the rank also reflects a significant pay elevation.
According to federalpay, a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel is classified under the O-5 paygrade, roughly equivalent to GS-13 or GS-14 in the federal civilian service.
Starting monthly pay stands at $6,725.70, rising to a maximum of $11,426.70 with years of service.
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US Military Rankings
In the United States Air Force, commissioned officer ranks begin with O-1, the rank of Second Lieutenant, followed by O-2, First Lieutenant, and O-3, Captain.
The field-grade officer ranks start at O-4 with Major, then O-5, the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and O-6, the rank of Colonel.
Above them are the general officer ranks: Brigadier General at O-7, Major General at O-8, Lieutenant General at O-9, and General at O-10.
The Air Force also has a special, rarely bestowed rank, the General of the Air Force, which stands above all other general officer grades.
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Difference Between Paygrade and Rankings
Military rank should not be confused with paygrades, such as E-1, W-2, or O-5. Paygrades are administrative classifications used to standardize compensation across the U.S. military.
In this system, “E” stands for enlisted personnel, “W” for warrant officers, and “O” for commissioned officers, while the accompanying number indicates the pay grade within that category.
Some paygrades include more than one rank.
For instance, in the U.S. Army, both corporals and specialists fall under the E-4 pay grade.
However, a corporal holds a higher rank because the role carries leadership responsibilities, whereas a specialist does not.
Similarly, in the Marine Corps, both master gunnery sergeants and sergeant majors are classified as E-9, but the sergeant major outranks the master gunnery sergeant due to the leadership and advisory duties inherent in the position.
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