Does a degree earned before enlisting count for promotion points towards E5?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:08:23 -0400

MY S1 is telling me that if I enlisted as an E4, due to a degree, that I am unable to use the degree for promotion points to E5. The degree is on my ERB and my PPW but shows 0 points on the PPW.

I believe they are confusing the reg on extra points for a degree earned in service with the one that says credit hours are worth points. This is the phrasing:

“If recommended for SGT, the degree must have been awarded after enlistment in the Army, USAR, or ARNG prior to being promoted to the rank of SGT”

Do you get points for a degree if you “used it” to come in as E4?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 11:16 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:16:44 -0400

The Degree Completion program offers 10 Army Promotion points to any Soldier who completes a degree while on active duty. If recommended for promotion to SGT, the Soldier must have completed the degree since joining the Army to receive these points. If recommended for promotion to SSG, the Soldier must have completed the degree while in the next lower rank to receive these points.

So it sounds like if you use them for promotion to E-4 you cannot use them for promotion to
E-5.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 11:25 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:25:00 -0400

Per AR 600-8-19, in Section 3-19c, it states "Degree completion. Twenty promotion points will be granted to any Soldier who completes a degree while on active duty. If recommended for promotion to SSG, the Soldier must have completed the degree while in the rank of SGT to receive these points. If recommended for SGT, the degree must have been awarded after enlistment in the Army, USAR, or ARNG prior to being promoted to the rank of SGT."

So, those 20 points are gone since you achieved your degree prior to enlisting. However, you should be able to use the Credit Hours for points under civilian education as per Section 3-19a.

I can't find ANYTHING in the regulation stating you can't use the points because you came in as a SPC with a degree. I would recommend you go find your Education Office and ask them about it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 11:44 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:44:53 -0400

You cited your own answer. The degree must have been earned after enlistment. You enlisted with a degree. Also, your S1 doesn't control your PPW. If information is input into eMilpo and PPW doesn't grant points for it, that is handled at the PPW database, not S1.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2022 4:12 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 16:12:21 -0400

One could try and get the Volunteer Medal and that would match the lost opportunity.

Dollars to donuts the least amount of effort exerted for each additional point is rounds on target for weapon qual. After that is doing better on the APFT/ACFT. Those are variable points however.

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Another way to look at it is would one GIVE UP coming in as an E4 at the cost of 10 promotion points down the road for SGT?

I think a conversation with the 1SG would be, do better on APFT/ACFT and you can more than make up those 10 points.

Response by Vanessa Eddy made Mar 14 at 2023 12:01 PM

Vanessa Eddy — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:01:08 -0400

Does anything changed after a year?

Response by SGT Kerry Sommers made Oct 28 at 2023 5:40 PM

SGT Kerry Sommers — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 17:40:51 -0400

They will never meet enlistment goals with this BS. If you have a degree you can probably get a better job in the real world.