Can I be forced to go to the board even if I’m not ready?

yes, if you are in your Initial entry to your primary zone, you must go, or you get a Bar to continued service

Experience will never hurt ya. Do your best

It doesn't take very long to prepare for a board. I was told I would be sent to the promotion board a week and a half prior to the actual board. I studied and earned my promotable status no problem. Ensure you a dedicating time to study the regulations/MOI.

Let's say you go and pass. Now you're promotable. Let's say you're a soup sandwich. You'll learn from it but more importantly it will eliminate the dreaded "fear of the unknown". What's the turn around time on re-boarding? Probably not too long. The board experience will settle you down and focus your efforts in preparation. Its actually a good thing. Jump in with both feet. If you land feet-knees-face and then go back for more you'll have greater credibility than someone who is reluctant to step up to the challenge. Your existence as an NCO will be full of situations that are dumped in your lap. You will be expected to get good results. Learn to embrace uncertainty. Learn that you've got to be ready to fight with what you've got versus what you wish you had. Preparation is great, when you can get it. Eventually things like this will become just another battle drill to you. You can do this!

Not ready? Then there has been a serious breakdown in your chain... and you, for not being "ready" at anytime.

You can be ordered to go to the promotion board, show up and do your best. If you do not do well, normally the president of the board will ask you how long you have been studying and when you found out that you were to attend. If your NCO was doing his job right, you would have been counseled and the month prior that you were recommended for the board. Remember that when you become a leader.

Think of yourself as a hammer can a hammer say no I don’t want to nail that nail no you gave up the choice when you signed up you know what is expected of you as a member of the armed forces and if your not prepared go to the man in charge of you and let him know your not ready you don’t have your shit together and your not prepared so he can go up the chain and let them know they have a broke hammer and need to fix it and if your in the marine corps trust me your cpls will straighten you out no worries buddy remember your chain of command follow it and be a man you protecting my freedom son don’t be a dumbass you know what the write thing to do is now go do it and always remember no one can make you do anything it’s if your ready for the consequences you sighted a contract and swore to god

Have you been studying your MOI? If you've been studying your MOI that was given to you, don't worry much about it and go for your P status. You can't grow if you don't challenge yourself plus you won't hear the end of it from your chain of command lol.

I'm sure you'll be fine, just take it one day at a time and don't swamp yourself with the study material. Your peers and team leader should also offer some bit of guidance and help.

Its called volun -told!

Yes they can. I can remember having to go before a board when they had the dates mixed up (it was supposed to be in a week). Even though I got a lot of questions wrong, I kept my bearing and held true to my answers. I can only imagine how the others did because I ended up winning and earned my promotion to corporal because of it.