If I get promoted, or even receive my promotable status, could I lose my school seat for 31E?

2017-06-06T23:46:43-04:00

I'm being told if I get promoted or even receive my p status I could lose my school seat for 31E. Has anyone been through this. My school date isn't until March of 2018.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jun 6 at 2017 11:57 PM

2017-06-06T23:57:35-04:00

The first step on this one is to ask your chain, and not the unofficial information system. IF you reenlisted for this slot your reenlistment NCO is a great resource. I think First Sergeant may know best.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2017 4:09 AM

2017-06-07T04:09:47-04:00

It depends entirely on in/out calls for your current and future MOS.

When I signed my BEAR contract in summer 2005, I was a SGT(P). The first school slot available was April 2006. The MOS I was converting to was accepting SPC-SFC. Retention told me that as long as I did nothing to change my status (ie adding points), I would not be penalized for picking up SSG. Meaning if points dropped down to me, I would be OK, but if I added points, got picked up, and my new MOS changed the requirement to longer accept >SSG, I would have to decline the promotion which would remove my promotable status altogether, or the promotion could cancel my contract.

Once you earn your promotable status, you are viewed as a SGT for reassignment purposes because the assumption is that you will make points eventually. If your new MOS isn't looking for SGTs, just getting your promotable status could make you ineligible to switch.

As someone who converted as an NCO, I recommend against it. I was immediately in charge of Soldiers and considered their leader, yet had identical training to them. Then I made cut-off as soon as I graduated so I was now a SSG in an MOS with only AIT training. I was proficient at Army, but it was a steep learning curve to get ahead of my troops so I could provide guidance and mentorship to them.
In the long run, getting promoted now, then lacking the requisite knowledge in your new job will hurt

you in the long run, but putting development on hold for nine months could set you up for rapid progression in your new field. Do everything you can for the next nine months to earn points. Go to all the schools, complete all the correspondence courses, build on your PT, etc so that when you board (which you may even be able to do at AIT, I sponsored two SGTs to the SSG board while all three of us were still in training), you'll have an abundance of points and immediately pick up.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2017 8:07 AM

2017-06-07T08:07:17-04:00

It seems more likely that you'd lose your P status or not get promoted. Unless of course you were promoted before you went to the school. That would likely change things.

Response by SFC Melissa A. made Sep 30 at 2017 3:14 PM

2017-09-30T15:14:36-04:00

You could possibly get promoted and still go. Get a hold of your retention NCO or S1 and see if they can contact the Branch Manager for 31E. There are lots of SGT slots in that MOS. When I reclassed I was a 42L (P) SGT. We had one SPC get promoted to SGT while in AIT to reclass to 31E. It didn't effect his being able to finish the school and move on to be a 31E.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2017 6:51 PM

2017-09-30T18:51:57-04:00

Yes this is very possible. You should be exempt from going to the board.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2017 12:13 PM

2017-11-18T12:13:19-05:00

I reclassed to 31E in 2012. While I was no promotable at the time, a few of my classmates were promotable , and I know they did not lose their promotable status.