Can my Chain of Command deny my promotion after I've already made the list?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 23:02:01 -0500

Ok battles here's one for u yall. I came up on the promotion list to sgt E5. I am a SPC E4 with 5 years on the 2nd of February. I know that's not the best way to get promoted but I came up on the list and my chain of command doesn't want me to be a NCO and from what I have read up on about the reg on promotion there is nothing they can do. Is this true. I haven't had a promotion counseling and my current NCO told me they want promote me unless I go to a soldier of the month boarding win it. Then they well pin me E5.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2015 11:03 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 23:03:20 -0500

I would personally go to your IG about this because it sounds like they are treating you differently than other people because of maybe some chip on their shoulder or something else

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 14 at 2015 10:54 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 10:54:10 -0400

Did you make the promotion? The way the reg reads (going from memory here) they have to promote you because they did not give you counseling as to why you would not get promoted. How are you supposed to improve and do the things you need to do in order to be a good NCO if they are not telling you how to improve and documenting it? Legally, they have no leg to stand on. You get the promotion, deserved or not. They did not do their job as NCOs, so that is that.

Response by 1SG Charles Hunter made Nov 18 at 2015 11:25 PM

1SG Charles Hunter — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 23:25:45 -0500

Granted, I've been out for awhile, but. . . As I recall, you have to be recommended to appear before the promotion board or counseled as to why not. The members of the board vote on their recommendation to promote or not. Once those procedures have been followed, the chain of command has done its job. If you meet the points cutoff for a given promotion cycle, you get the stripes. Chain of command can't add criteria at this point.

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2015 11:26 PM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 23:26:58 -0500

You must be in a promotable status on the date the promotion is effective... if you are removed from the promotable status ranks - i.e. get flagged - you are done, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. You may have been recommended/boarded by a command that just wanted to see people boarded, never expecting the DA message to come out, and this command did the lazy thing and didn't flag you to begin with to remove you from the list.

Yeah, they can pull your promotion all the way up to the date of promotion, and even administratively bust you afterward if they feel strongly enough.

That you haven't received counseling on it is on them - AND YOU!! You knew it was supposed to be done - why didn't you ask?

This is one of the reasons the Army should go back to (and the rest of the services should adopt) the Specialist tier system - tactically proficient, but not leadership material.

Good luck. I'd advise you to go talk with S-1 or a higher admin shop to get more info.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made May 2 at 2018 8:19 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Wed, 02 May 2018 20:19:42 -0400

Well Specialist... there’s your Sign ! Get studying for that board and by the way, lotsa luck !