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.

[edit] 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:
1. 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)
2. 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, but confers NO additional legal authority. An actual brigadier general could issue an order to any colonel, for instance. A frocked brigadier general is a colonel with permission to wear 1-star insignia, and that star confers no right to give orders to a colonel with more time in grade.