What can I do to help my promotion to E-5?

Under STEP, Select, Train, Educate, Promote, you must have BLC completed to be promoted, however, you will still get put on the OML or EPS list with SSD1 completed, once you have one year time in grade. If you are high enough on the list to get a sergeant slot, you will get sent to BLC and promoted.

With that in mind get SSD1 done and work on being the best soldier you can. Funding is short in the guard right now, and schools always go to soldiers who have set themselves apart from their peers. Whether you get a school or not doesn't make a lick of difference, be a compent, reliable, and self motivated soldier and you will be rewarded.

The great thing about the ranks of SGT and SSG is that it's in your hands. It's up to you on getting them. How much you study, how much work you put in to stand out, how well you perform, and how much work you put into your academics.

I'm not sure if you being in the guard makes it where you must go to BLC for promotion, I know for us active duty folks this Is now a prior requirement to promotion to SGT. But until your name comes up on the OML, you can put forth work on standing out above your peers (taking charge, volunteering, etc). Boost your promotion potential: correspondence courses, marksmanship, APFT score. Volunteer for those weekend activities or something big within your company. Sometimes those'll come with COA's and other awards. College is also a big one. It's free and you can do it online at your own pace.

But like I said, it's in your hands man. Keep up the pursuit!

Number one stop referring to it as a pay grade. Those are the worst leaders the Army has. Attend as many boards as you can to prepare yourself for the promotion board. Get enrolled into college. Most of all don't get discouraged. Promotions are hard to come by right now. It has nothing to do with your ability it's just the majority of MOS are over strength. But while you wait keep working on your PT score, weapons qualification, and adding credit hours and you will earn the rank of Sergeant.