How do I increase my chances at making Sergeant First Class with derogatory paperwork in my file from a DUI?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 18:35:41 -0500

I have a GOMOR from a DUI a few years back when I was a Sergeant. I am a Staff Sergeant now and I know I will be coming up for a centralized promotion board in a couple years. What should I do now to get the best shot at this?

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2019 6:53 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 18:53:48 -0500

You might try a defensive driving course and then write a letter to the board explaining how you've changed your ways and the things you've done to show that.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2019 9:05 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 21:05:58 -0500

Performance, performance, performance.
NCOERs; NCOQ/Y; NCOES DHG/Leadership Award; SAMC.
Folks on here who have sat on boards can provide better advice with regard to how a board considered a DUI at that grade and length of time since.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2019 10:23 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 22:23:15 -0500

Is there an ASAP additional duty NCO spot available? The reg states that the Garrison is supposed to have these positions. I know there are for SHARP/EO but I’ve never ran into a ASAP rep.
It would be a good bullet point to go out and show an intervention effort from a mistake that you made and help others so they know the cost on a personal level.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 30 at 2019 2:27 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 02:27:25 -0500

Boards are required to view derogatory information, no matter how old.
With your derogatory information you will probably never be eligible to hold a "position of trust" such as instructor or recruiter that will make your peers more competitive than you. So, you'll have to seek out other challenges. Being rated (and doing well) in a higher rated position is always an excellent way to show the board you are capable of doing the job. But, most likely that opportunity won't present itself unless your post is drastically understaffed on 35P4.
Next step is to take on additional leadership responsibilities or compete in leadership roles. NCO of the QTR/YR, SAMC, or other competitive boards always receive high marks from the board AAR's.
One of the best things you can do is find a need and fill it. My battalion was lacking in knowledge about the new BRS so we arranged briefings for family members. The post BSEP class was over full so our brigade made a deal to provide instructors if they certified us to teach our own people. Any way that you can be an asset to your unit will raise your value to them and stack your NCOER.
Then, of course there are the basics:
PT - consistently score 270 or above on all NCOERs
Civilian Ed - self explanatory
Military Ed - you should always be showing consistent self development
DA Photo - DON'T LOOK FAT

As for the other stuff, try to find things that benefit the Army or the community and make an impact at a higher level than your Brigade. Community volunteer work is good. Volunteer for taskings that require leadership. Maybe there is a crappy tasking to take a party ADVON to NTC, or be a detachment somewhere no one else wants to go. Volunteer to be the Color Guard NCOIC. By being the person who is the go-to guy you'll learn a lot and when career progressing opportunities come up, you are the one who will be recommended to fill those challenging roles.
If you're not Airborne yet, your Airborne colleagues have a higher rate of getting picked up, especially the ones with Special Operations time because it's a challenging assignment.

Response by Cpl Rc Layne made Feb 3 at 2019 1:09 PM

Cpl Rc Layne — Sun, 03 Feb 2019 13:09:56 -0500

Bust your ass doing the shit jobs nobody else wants to do, and make them the jobs everyone else wants. There is almost always a way to recover from damned near anything. But you always have to bust your ass to do it.

Response by SPC Steven Depuy made Feb 4 at 2019 8:50 AM

SPC Steven Depuy — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 08:50:38 -0500

Stop drinking would be a good start. Prove your dry, and hope and pray people will see you have changed? We all do stupid things when we are young. It would be easy to sit here now and say destroy them for doing it, but I remember being young and driving drunk once. I didn't get caught, didn't have an accident, and got home safe. I don't think I ever did it again, but I only have no DUI on my record, because I was lucky now. So I will pass on judging someone to eternal hell for being stupid like I was once. If your a repeat offender, thats different.

Response by SFC Bill Kurtz made Aug 25 at 2021 10:33 PM

SFC Bill Kurtz — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 22:33:26 -0400

I don’t know the circus behind your DUI, but most convicted DUI troops were cycled out in my day.