Posted on Feb 8, 2020
SPC Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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I joined the United States Army Reserves as an E4, 68w and my recruiter put me into an E5 slot. How does this work exactly ?
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Responses: 10
LTC Jason Mackay
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Edited 4 y ago
You get put in the slot on the unit manning document and you do the job for the position in accordance with regulation, orders, and your initial counseling.

In some cases, the Battalion Commander may laterally appoint you as a corporal but they don't have to.
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SPC Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
SPC (Join to see)
4 y
Thank you, I appreciate the response
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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As a brand new trainee it doesn't really mean anything. Promotions in the Reserve Components are based on filling available slots. By the time you return from training, that E5 slot will most likely be filled by someone who was promotion eligible and took it.
Of course, if it doesn't get filled in the next year, (6 months of training, plus however long to your ship date) you could be leading your section. Because you are new and your subordinates may have more time in service than you they will probably become promotion eligible before you and take that spot. But, if you get lucky you could have a spot to promote into.
Just understand the promotion system between active and Reserve is vastly different.
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SPC Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
SPC (Join to see)
4 y
Thank you I appreciate the response
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1SG Alan Boggs
1SG Alan Boggs
4 y
I think you are incorrect about someone filling that spot. If the soldiers is indeed in that spot on the UMR (unit manning roster) then he/she is the primary and any E5 placed in that slot would be considered excess.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
SFC (Join to see)
4 y
1SG Alan Boggs that would be true once the Soldier is completed training. The way RC spots work is that the Career Counselor or Recruiter finds an open spot and places them on it. The unit could still move them and it's equally possible that the recruiter placed them on an E5 slot when and E4 slot was available, just because. As a Reserve Transition NCO I've made the same mistake and as far as I know they just slot them accordingly when they arrive to the unit.
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1SG Alan Boggs
1SG Alan Boggs
4 y
SFC (Join to see) read what you just wrote. "Finds an open spot" The spot wouldn't be open if he is on the UMR. Each soldier occupies a paragraph and line on the unit manning roster. Anyone added after him would be excess. That doesnt mean a request to change it couldnt be made but theres hoops to jump through
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MAJ Ken Landgren
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It gives you a golden opportunity to show that you have the qualifications of the next rank up.
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