SGM Matthew Quick 12863 <div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Before this question is demonized as 'This is the way it's always been?', consider the significance of the actual promotion board...no more points and only a 'Go' or 'No Go' recommendation.<br><br>These Soldier's promotion statuses are being determined by (at least) three-unbiased voting members...senior NCOs that have no knowledge of the recommended Soldier's/NCO's daily performance or leadership potential.<br><br>Unit commanders (normally with the 1SG's recommendation) are charged with making retention assessments (based on the 'Whole Soldier Concept') and they make recommendations to the Command List Integration (automatically promotable based on time-in-grade/time-in-service requirements), so why is promotion board still needed?<br><br>What other services still use promotion boards to evaluate a junior NCO's leadership potential?<br><br>Looking forward to reading your comments. 2013-11-27T23:38:32-05:00 SGM Matthew Quick 12863

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Before this question is demonized as 'This is the way it's always been?', consider the significance of the actual promotion board...no more points and only a 'Go' or 'No Go' recommendation.<br><br>These Soldier's promotion statuses are being determined by (at least) three-unbiased voting members...senior NCOs that have no knowledge of the recommended Soldier's/NCO's daily performance or leadership potential.<br><br>Unit commanders (normally with the 1SG's recommendation) are charged with making retention assessments (based on the 'Whole Soldier Concept') and they make recommendations to the Command List Integration (automatically promotable based on time-in-grade/time-in-service requirements), so why is promotion board still needed?<br><br>What other services still use promotion boards to evaluate a junior NCO's leadership potential?<br><br>Looking forward to reading your comments.

2013-11-27T23:38:32-05:00 2013-11-27T23:38:32-05:00 CSM Mike Maynard 12934

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Definitely some valid points with respect to why does there need to be another level above "company" that determines whether a person should be recommended for promotion.<div><br></div><div>I look at the battalion promotion board as training. If you want a "forcing function" to cause Soldiers and their Sponsors to study certain things, then a promotion board is a great vehicle for that. </div><div><br></div><div>I have carefully tailored the subjects of our promotion boards - SHARP, Training Guidance, Military History, Army Profession, etc. Notice the "usual suspects" missing - Map Reading, First Aid, NBC, etc.<br><br /></div><div><br></div><div>I believe that the company can and does assess their candidates on the Army Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills and their required Individual Skill Level Tasks. If all the battalion was doing was assessing those kind of things, then YES, I would think the Battalion board would be redundant and unnecessary.</div><div><br></div><div>With that being said, we give our Privates and our new folks a copy of the Board LOI. It basically serves as the "Required Reading" and helps focus everyone's attention to the right areas. Units hold Mock Boards that focus on these same subjects that are covered at the battalion promotion board. So, not only are the candidates, but sponsors and first-line leaders are all focused on studying the same stuff.</div><div><br></div><div>I have found that my Soldiers are reading, studying and learning about the things me and my Commander want them to know - and it's all because we've created an environment (battalion promotion board) to accomplish this.</div>

2013-11-28T04:02:38-05:00 2013-11-28T04:02:38-05:00 CMC Robert Young 12971

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>MSG, the USCG uses a very different system. E1-E3 advancements are determined by completion of specific training benchmarks. E4 advancements usually occur once the member finishes A School (AIT) and meets time in grade requirements. From E5-E9, there is a centralized system that encompasses the entire service so that all members compete against all other members at their same pay grade and in their same rate (MOS) regardless of geographic location. Twice annually the USCG conducts the Service Wide Examination (SWE), an academic test which evaluates members' specialty and general military knowledge. The test score, members' time in service, time grade, medals/awards, performance evaluation and sea or surf time are combined to provide each member with their "final multiple". The SWE final multiples rank orders everybody at each pay grade and each specialty from top to bottom and then as openings become available, members are advanced in pay grade starting with the top member on the list and continuing until the list is exhausted or it expires (each list has an effective time limit). The advantage is that the SWE process compares all members who choose to participate in the test equally so there are not differences in application of the promotional process between units ensuring fairness. The downside is that members advanced are almost always short toured and required to PCS immediately to a unit where the empty higher pay grade billet is located. This drives accelerated personnel turn over in the unit, and frequently prevents the members from developing any geographic stability. 

2013-11-28T09:28:57-05:00 2013-11-28T09:28:57-05:00 SPC Private RallyPoint Member 12975

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I believe that a promotion board is pointless as a tool to determine if someone would be a good NCO or not just because u can remember things from a book doesn't make a good NCO. I have seen some of the worst NCO's that do really well at the board but are not good at the actual job of being a NCO <div><br></div>

2013-11-28T09:40:26-05:00 2013-11-28T09:40:26-05:00 SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member 13277

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I believe that a promotion board is relevant, if only a soldiers daily jobs are also evaluated. Anyone can be a tactful speaker in front of a group. But I believe to considered to be promotable to the next grade, the soldier should have relevant knowledge of not just the Army way, but also there MOS. Have some type of written test, or a senior person in that MOS on the board, non voting, ask questions that would be expected of the soldier/NCO in that MOS, and at the end of the board, they are a non voting member only there to explain to the board members if the soldier/NCO were correct and answered appropriately, leaving the "Army/Leadership" questions to the actual voting members. As far as a point system, I believe it is and can be a very biased rated opinion. There could be senior leaders on the board who favor one soldier over another and that can weigh on the outcome.

2013-11-29T06:55:59-05:00 2013-11-29T06:55:59-05:00 SFC Michael Boulanger 13379

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>In the Army Reserves TPU land they have paper boards all the way up to SSG held by BN level and above for their Soldiers and yes they usually know everything about the Soldier and in most cases they know the Soldier.  If you are AGR you appear in the board in ASU and answer questions.  When you go to SFC and above they do the electronic packet and HRC holds a board and decide on all whom are eligable.  So I will answer your question with a question;  Which of these 2 methods should be the preffered method for holding a promotion board?

2013-11-29T13:47:45-05:00 2013-11-29T13:47:45-05:00 SGT Private RallyPoint Member 104683

<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div><div>What I could see doing is Company level, BN level, and BDE level promotion boards. When your supervisor says you are ready for the board you go to the next company level board. If you receive a GO there the next week you go to the BN level. Receive a GO there and you go to BDE level.  3 GOs and you are promotable! Three different levels of NCOs, they all view your ability differently based off of the positions they have filled. They each know what it takes to operate at the level they are currently at. As a SGT (E5) you are incorporating SFC into the mix a rank you should be ready to assume at any moment(always 2 up,right?). All of these levels do a NCO of the month competition already just add in the promotable guys on the last day of the competition to just attend the board.</div><div><br></div><div>The company level board would be all PSGs(yours does not get a vote) and the 1SG. </div><div><br></div><div>Then BN all 1SGs (Yours does not get a vote)and BN CSM. </div><div><br></div><div>BDE would be made up of all BN CSM (again no vote from yours) as long as the whole BDE is on one post, if not BDE "S" shop NCOICs would be substitutes. ***Now if the NCO seeking promotion is not on the same post as the BDE, I havent thought that one out yet! Possibly have a sister BDE board they can attend??***</div><div><br></div><div>Now if you work at BN  </div><div>The company board would rotate monthly so depending on when you were recommended for the board would determine what companies board you would attend that month. BDE Board No change!</div><div><br></div><div>If you work at BDE </div><div>The BN board would rotate monthly also so depending on when you were recommended for the board would determine what BNs board you would go to and what ever company in that BN is tasked with the board that month you would attend that company board.<br><br /></div><div><br></div><div>If you work at a level higher than BDE! I have no clue how that will work. LOL!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Just some thoughts, Im open to any ideas as usual.</div>

2014-04-17T18:11:56-04:00 2014-04-17T18:11:56-04:00 2013-11-27T23:38:32-05:00