E-4, APFT, qual range, BLC for 7 years, civilian degree, federal tech, SSD1, 2, and 3, National Guard. What can be done to be promoted?

2017-10-05T13:56:35-04:00

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2017 2:03 PM

2017-10-05T14:03:44-04:00

Sounds to me like you just need a slot and be boarded, but I have heard the guard is hard to find slots, since there is not much movement between units, like the reserves.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2017 2:11 PM

2017-10-05T14:11:35-04:00

As far as I know it all depends on the amount of slots available for your MOS within your designated state. That's in regards to you being NG though, which as already stated, can take forever for soldiers to be promoted into E5 and up.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 5 at 2017 2:21 PM

2017-10-05T14:21:46-04:00

I will echo the response you've gotten thus far. I had friends who went into the Guard, and their experience was similar: All boxes checked, but advancement was painfully slow if at all. It sucks, no doubt, but don't lose faith, keep being the example of what right looks like. Good luck SPC!

Response by Jordan Gaudard made Oct 5 at 2017 3:14 PM

2017-10-05T15:14:22-04:00

Change your Military Occupational Specialty, you are over qualified at this point to be a Sergeant.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2017 4:38 PM

2017-10-05T16:38:55-04:00

Ranger School

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2017 5:07 PM

2017-10-05T17:07:12-04:00

All my Guard friends say someone has to die for you to move up.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2017 5:13 PM

2017-10-05T17:13:37-04:00

Go active duty

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 5 at 2017 7:04 PM

2017-10-05T19:04:59-04:00

Reclass

Response by CW4 Angel C. made Oct 5 at 2017 8:38 PM

2017-10-05T20:38:03-04:00

Honesty this doesn’t tell me anything specific. Does the NG use promotion points? That’s where I would start. Either max out points or change MOS if they’re pegged out. Heck I don’t know about the Guard, but I do know Active Duty is much better in promoting. If you have a 4-year degree you should also look into OCS. Good luck!

Response by 1SG Frank Rocha made Oct 5 at 2017 10:34 PM

2017-10-05T22:34:24-04:00

The fact your a fed tech makes it tricky because that prevents you from reclassifying into an MOS that's incompatible with you fed tech job.

AR 600-8-19 chapter 7 gives you the run down on how the process works for the most part. its a 1000 point system so maximizing your admin points would be where I would start. It's difficult to do though since you get points for time in grade and time in service. The way your promotion packet looks and how clean it is also makes a big impact. presentation makes a big impact on boards. Board points amount to up to 400 of the 1000. Normally no points are awarded for Basic, AIT, BLC, ALC, SSD's, etc. but courses outside of this are so maximize those when you can. Correspondence courses also give points. APFT and weapons are completely within your control to benefit you. The better you do the more points you get. finally, and most important, you will want to show your chain of command and NCO leadership that you have a positive and motivated attitude, your are responsible and mature, and have the potential to serve at the next level.

Now in the guard you are offered positions. Meaning if you are the next up, within your geographic commuting distance, they call or send an email offering you the promotion. You have a certain amount of time to respond (in California its 7 days) before they remove you from the list and go to the next guy. Be careful where you choose to go because the drill check for a Sergeant doesn't always compensate fully unless room and board are provided without cost. Add travel costs and you can end up financially upside down every drill. In smaller states this isn't as much of an issue.

Hope that helps, good luck.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2017 9:18 AM

2017-10-06T09:18:27-04:00

Leave the National Guard and join the Reserves. The last few years we've had a lot transfer over because they couldn't get promoted.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2017 11:35 AM

2017-10-06T11:35:56-04:00

What MOS? Some very low density MOS's don't feed into E5 slots.

Response by SFC Kevin Zoll made Oct 6 at 2017 4:05 PM

2017-10-06T16:05:29-04:00

Bottom line no slot, no promotion. If there is not a vacancy within your unit for your MOS, look for one that does and ask to transfer to it.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2017 9:39 AM

2017-10-07T09:39:14-04:00

As a Unit Training NCO I would look at those qualifications and say you are set up for success. You can board for SGT. The issue lies with slots just like many have already mentioned. Depending on your MOS your unit may not have an E-5 position on their Unit Manning Roster. If they do it needs to be vacant and then YOU have to be at the top of the promotion list to be selected for that slot.
There are more factors to getting promoted than just having all the qualifications you cited. I will say this though. I'd be happy to have a troop at the E-4 level who has already completed all SSD's. That would make my life sooooooo much easier.

Response by CW4 Russ Hamilton (Ret) made Oct 9 at 2017 6:15 PM

2017-10-09T18:15:13-04:00

We've got a vacant AGR E6 supply sgt slot open in my unit - C/301st MI BN in Phoenix, AZ (USAR)!

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2017 10:39 PM

2017-10-10T22:39:40-04:00

Apply to be a warrant office.