Does anyone have any crazy board questions that you were asked?

2018-03-17T09:11:04-04:00

Currently created a study guide for the Soldiers in my company to use when going to the Soldier of the month or NCO of the month board. Our CSM like history questions so I have some of the big ones he asks. But does anyone have any crazy questions that you wish you had the answer to when going through a board?

Response by SGT Matthew S. made Mar 17 at 2018 9:14 AM

2018-03-17T09:14:45-04:00

Once, a Soldier I was sponsoring at the E5 promotion board was asked "Which of the Army Values is your sponsor the worst at upholding?"

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2018 11:11 AM

2018-03-17T11:11:28-04:00

How many holes are in a C Rat cracker?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2018 12:49 PM

2018-03-17T12:49:39-04:00

I find a lot of junior NCO's lacking in the admin department, so I like to ask questions about flags and bars. How often is a flag reviewed? What can a bar be implemented for?

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 17 at 2018 3:20 PM

2018-03-17T15:20:03-04:00

I took a test for OCS and it had 3-4 questions about fishing, I thought it peculiar.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2018 3:34 PM

2018-03-17T15:34:57-04:00

When my Operations Sergeant was going for E6, he had aced the questions, answering every one correctly. Before being released back to his section, one of the board members said that he was going to find something to stump him on. He opened up a copy of Stars and Stripes sitting nearby and found a random advertisement flyer from the PX. He said, "what is the sale price being offered for this iron."

It turns out that the Sergeant's wife had been looking at the sales that morning and was excited about how cheap the iron was because he had ruined hers on all the uniforms (back when we ironed our shit). So, he actually knew the answer to that question too. The now very amused board members had a good laugh over this.

To answer your original question, one of the more odd questions was "without looking, are your shoe laces on your right foot crossed in a left-over-right, or right-over-left pattern."

Response by CSM Thomas McGarry made Mar 17 at 2018 3:46 PM

2018-03-17T15:46:49-04:00

I remember in my first Board for E-5 I was asked "How many trucks are on this Post" Naturally I had no idea. It turns out there is one truck on Post, If I recall correctly a "truck" is something located at the top of any Post's flag pole. Feel free to correct me if I'm not totally correct on my narrative as it has been many years, and yes I think I lost a couple points because of my inability to answer but was still promoted!!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2018 6:29 PM

2018-03-17T18:29:28-04:00

At Fort Bragg, 82nd ABN Division
1. Where is the division truck?
2. What are the three things in the division truck?
3. What are the three things at the bottom of the division truck?
4, Which way are the three things at the bottom of the division truck pointing?
If you got those 4 things answered correctly, You Da man.
Also, if you want the answers, just ask me, Da Man.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2018 9:29 AM

2018-03-19T09:29:20-04:00

When I was a young e-4 attending my E-5 board, the Battalion CSM asked me with my 1SG sitting at the table next to him, "Is your 1SG soft like a roll of toilet paper or is he a dick?"

My answer, "CSM, 1SG XXXX is a straight up dick!!!" CSM bust out laughing, my 1SG told me to see him after it was all over because we had some additional PT to do (maybe not that kindly), and I maxed the board resulting in a quick promotion to Sgt.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2018 12:14 AM

2018-03-22T00:14:18-04:00

Know the history of the installation and who it was named after. Also, know the post newspaper.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2018 12:22 AM

2018-03-22T00:22:06-04:00

My Soldier didn't answer my questions correctly, pretty much at all, so I voted no for recommend to promote. I was new to the unit, and the CSM asked me why, so I have my reasonings. The other 1SGs and the CSM new the Soldier and thought that he would be a good NCO, but, decided that since the Soldier was mine, to give the Soldier one last chance to prove himself to me. CSM asked him, why do you deserve to be a SGT? He responded with "I'm the best Specialist in the battalion, the best Flight Instructor, and the mission would fail without me". CSM, responded with, we'll see you again in three months.