How do you feel about unearned promotions?

While I do see some good points in the OP and comments, I also know to take these types of posts with a grain of salt. As with many other situations, whether or not a Soldier is "deserving" of promotion is a very subjective subject. Just because the promotion system was different when you or I or anyone else got picked up for SGT and above, does not necessarily mean it was a better way of determining good leadership potential. IMO, a monkey could memorize regs and regurgitate them at the modified position of attention in a chair in ASUs, as well as do any number of basic warrior skills. Does that make the monkey a good leader/future NCO?? Just some food for thought. In closing, ensure that you have performed personal PCCs/PCIs before you try to judge someone else's performance and potential. You can lie to yourself if you want, but the mirror won't. Just saying.

My first question to you SSG(P) (Join to see) is what have YOU done to fix this? Have you voiced your concerns to your PSG? Have you provided any counselings to the PSG on the undeserving board attendees? While I would agree that promotions seem to be too easy, this has been going on for the last 7-8 years and we NCOs have all kind of had to deal with leaders that "force" us to send people to the board before they are ready or deserving. I am not trying to bust your chops, but again what have YOU done to attempt to fix this?

While I don't know how other branches work on the promotion side I have to say I have seen this happen way to often on my side. We just changed how our "test" works, but in the past time in rate and awards were a big help for points towards the tests. If you study and scored high you made rank. Than there's those that by attending "schools" were promoted and send to the fleet. Book smart but no common sense. It was very frustrating, especially when an E3 has to train an E5 whose never been on a ship but that E5 is senior. Even if you get a promotable eval and score high on the test part you could out do that early promote guy who knows everything but just can't get the test down, but knows the daily operations and requirements to run the shop like no other. I've looked at the tests a few times and said to myself when have I ever used this question when will I ever? Example: what temperature is a torte cooled to and served? When the hell am I gonna make a torte? It's not on any cycle menu?!?! Maybe if I worked in a flag billet (which I have and no Admiral ever asked for a torte) I know it's not suppose to be "easy" but can it at least deal with what will be used in the fleet? Questions on fresh herbs and spices? Never once have I worked with those for a "service" meal! These people aren't certified professional chefs, the questions come from civilian chef books? Most meals now days are pre-made, or half prepped. I'm not shocked or amazed when I have a kid come in and asks how to make mashed potatoes from scratch anymore, because they made E4 out of school, or E5 off a test and don't know the basics of their job. No training but hey they got the rank now it's our jobs to teach em the basics. It's sad.