Posted on Sep 14, 2014
Battlefield Promotions Better/Harder Requirements?
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Ok so I am sure a lot of people downrange have witnessed something like this. Battlefield Promotions given to people who don't deserve it over people who do. For example we had a Specialist who wasn't even a SPC for a year and who had only been in less than three years. We had two other SPC's who had been in over 4 years each. Now before this SPC got his Battlefield Promotion to SGT, he was always the "HUAA SSG, ROGER SSG!!, I'LL DO THAT FOR YOU SSG'' kind of Soldier. But as soon as he got his SGT handed to him (While the rest of us were working our asses off to make points, and he never once did any Correspondence Courses, just Facebook) he became the laziest NCO we had in the group, even when there were other NCO's doing work. Could never get him out of his seat to do anything without him complaining.
The point of my discussion is this: I think the Army needs to look into the standards of Battlefield Promoting someone. I know the Regulation states Time in Service and Time in Grade does not matter, but don't you think competency, leadership skills, professionalism and everything else should?? I don't think someone should get Battlefield Promoted just because someone else wants them to get promoted. There needs to be a basis as for the reason why they deserve it. Not just because he/she is the first one out of their seat when a task is given out. I know you can't take away from the Regulations but I think we should add to this one. Too many wrong people getting Battlefield Promoted over Soldiers that actually deserve it. Feel free to share your thoughts.
The point of my discussion is this: I think the Army needs to look into the standards of Battlefield Promoting someone. I know the Regulation states Time in Service and Time in Grade does not matter, but don't you think competency, leadership skills, professionalism and everything else should?? I don't think someone should get Battlefield Promoted just because someone else wants them to get promoted. There needs to be a basis as for the reason why they deserve it. Not just because he/she is the first one out of their seat when a task is given out. I know you can't take away from the Regulations but I think we should add to this one. Too many wrong people getting Battlefield Promoted over Soldiers that actually deserve it. Feel free to share your thoughts.
Posted in these groups: 
Promotions
Deployment
Promotions Deployment
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
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SGT Del Rosario, you will always encounter a "bad apple". There are sergeants (I intentionally did not use NCO) who get promoted even through the normal promotion system that display the exact same behaviors that you describe here. I am certain that the leadership felt they were doing the right thing when they promoted that individual with the battlefield promotion. That being said...... A battlefield promotion does not stop one form being reduced back down by means of a reduction board if the board sees fit. Reduction boards are few and far between these days, but in cases like you describe they are fitting in my opinion. I also want to point out that there are always two sides to every story. Not that I don't believe you, just that you are speaking one perspective on what is going on.
Talk to him, mentor him, guide him, lead him if need be. Try to help him out before we decide he is not fit to be a NCO.
Purpose, direction, and motivation!
Talk to him, mentor him, guide him, lead him if need be. Try to help him out before we decide he is not fit to be a NCO.
Purpose, direction, and motivation!
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SSG (Join to see)
One thing The SSG said after the Soldier got promoted was that he did it to prove a point and motivate the other SPC's. In no way did he once mention or support his actual reasons for promoting him. They pretty much did it to kick dirt in faces.
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The buildup of forces during the Vietnam war was handicapped by a lack of commissioned and noncommissioned officers. OCS was expanded to address the one need. However, it was a couple of years before the Army created an NCO academy to address the other. When I arrived in Vietnam, I was handed SGT stripes and told to give them to the most likely candidate. Most LTs played a game of musical chairs with them. I got lucky and the stripes remained with one man.
Now that we are downsizing the military precipitously, I fear that we will see the same thing happen again during some future need.
Now that we are downsizing the military precipitously, I fear that we will see the same thing happen again during some future need.
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Battle Field Promotions were meant to replace the losses of leaders during combat. I do not agree with current "battlefield" promotions based on my experiences. On my last tour 3 solders were promoted to E-5 encourage them to re-enlist. Apparently each company was given one slot every 2 or three months. One of them was ok. I don't know if she was ready but she was a good soldier. The last one pissed EVERYBODY off. She did not want to be promoted. She refused to go to any board, WLC (twice), or even do correspondence courses. She worked in the mail room and wanted no part of any other position. She was admit about getting out and was outright hateful. When they called her name, even she was shocked. When 1sgt told her to say the NCO creed she just told him she didn't know it. He laughed it off and told her to learn it. She ETSed 3 months after we got home. I don't know what the other two did.
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