Posted on Jun 27, 2022
What suggestions do you have to increase promotion points in an MOS with a very high cutoff score?
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Points in my MOS are VERY high; I need to rank up! Suggestions (outside the obvious).
I've stabilized in Ft. Bliss for another year until February 2023 and I have four years after that on this contract. Currently, the points for picking up E-6 as a 68V are 798; I currently have just over half that. The rub in this contract is that I have to pick up E-6 between now and then or I'll RCP. I have my P status, but I have to make a serious decision about how to pursue my E-6. I know Drill Sergeant Academy looks great on an NCOER and it's an incredibly rewarding position, but given the minimal points, is it a worthwhile endeavor in the brief window I have? I know it comes with a minimal 2-year position as a Drill so that leads me to believe there wouldn't be much time for other efforts to earn points.
With that question aside, I definitely need to start racking up those points, and aside from schools and boards, does anyone have any other suggestions?
I've stabilized in Ft. Bliss for another year until February 2023 and I have four years after that on this contract. Currently, the points for picking up E-6 as a 68V are 798; I currently have just over half that. The rub in this contract is that I have to pick up E-6 between now and then or I'll RCP. I have my P status, but I have to make a serious decision about how to pursue my E-6. I know Drill Sergeant Academy looks great on an NCOER and it's an incredibly rewarding position, but given the minimal points, is it a worthwhile endeavor in the brief window I have? I know it comes with a minimal 2-year position as a Drill so that leads me to believe there wouldn't be much time for other efforts to earn points.
With that question aside, I definitely need to start racking up those points, and aside from schools and boards, does anyone have any other suggestions?
SSG
Drill Sergeant
68V: Respiratory Specialist
Promotion Points
RCP
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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As a former NCOIC of Enlisted Promotions, I suggest taking a college course online SGT(P) (Join to see) . You will receive 10 points for improving your civilian education and 1 point per credit hour earned. That’s 13 points. In addition, correspondence courses is another way to acquire promotion points and I even earned an additional skill identifier C - NBC qualified. Those are the easiest way I know. If you haven’t maxed out your PT score, retaking it could help and if you’re not an expert marksman you could requalify to gain points. Best of luck in your endeavors, Nancy
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Civilian education is maxed with an Associate's and 90+ credits of a Bachelor's so that's covered. Schools and correspondence are the next big two to tackle. Until October, PT isn't an option and I've always been a 33-34 out of 40 on the range so that's nearly maxed.
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SPC Nancy Greene
SGT(P) (Join to see) don’t be discouraged! The cutoff for my MOS was frozen at 998 my entire time on Active Duty! Correspondence courses are fairly easy to complete and you used to be able to take eight at a time. Best of luck and keep me posted! If I think of anything else I’ll let you know! Nancy SGT(P) (Join to see)
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The points are at 798 for your MOS because the Army is at or over 100% on 68V3Os right now. The only thing that is going to change that is 68V3Os promoting to E7 or getting out.
You directly control how many points you have for PT, marksmanship, cived, miled, and indirectly awards.
DS school is a few points, and 2 years on the trail is something that really puts you to the front of the line to make E7.
DS is also an opportunity to pick up points for DS of the quarter and DS of the year, along with the AAM or ARCOMM that goes with that.
And while you are pretty busy as a DS, it's really 12-15 hr days the first 3 weeks of every cycle, and then 10 hr days and a day off for the rest of the cycle, you do have time to complete online DL courses.
You directly control how many points you have for PT, marksmanship, cived, miled, and indirectly awards.
DS school is a few points, and 2 years on the trail is something that really puts you to the front of the line to make E7.
DS is also an opportunity to pick up points for DS of the quarter and DS of the year, along with the AAM or ARCOMM that goes with that.
And while you are pretty busy as a DS, it's really 12-15 hr days the first 3 weeks of every cycle, and then 10 hr days and a day off for the rest of the cycle, you do have time to complete online DL courses.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Thank you SGM, that's a great step toward my consideration of the idea. I'm gonna spend the remainder of the year on correspondence courses and schools (also into next year). Do you know how and what's involved in qualifying for the DS Academy? I'm assuming I'm gonna have to try going while I'm with my current company since they know me and will be willing to put in the recommendation if I ask.
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SGM (Join to see)
SGT(P) (Join to see) - requirements and instructions can be found here:
https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Soldier%20Support%20Branch%20Special%20Duty%20Assignments
https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Soldier%20Support%20Branch%20Special%20Duty%20Assignments
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To get to 798 one needs to essentially max out every single category points are allocated in. If I recall correctly 800 is the "max" when all tallied up. You'll never get there. But logic dictates as the points come down they are still going to be very high. So you'll still need to improve your score on the way there to eventually meet it.
Don't forget, on the way to 800 make sure that progress is annotated in you NCOER's along the way, because someone that goes from 400, to 500 to 600, and well past 700 should always get "PROMOTE AHEAD OF PEERS" comment from Sr Raters.
First work on points that stay with you. PT and Marksmanship are a moving target. Education and training stay the same if you have a bad day at the range. Since you will need to max the military education category you can't be picky with the schools you can get. So if something comes up and you can get on board then jump. It's the only way you're going to get the points.
Marksmanship however, is the highest reward of points per effort expended. Each round on target (past the minimum qualification) is an extra 7 points. Pull trigger = 7 points, pull trigger again = 7 points. Pull the trigger a 3rd time for three more hits past the minimum score and you're at 21 points.
HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! taking the time to earn a degree while on active duty only gets you 20 points. BANG, BANG, BANG = more points than the stress and hassle of education. Again, education maxes at 135 points, and marksmanship maxes out at 160.
Anyway............... get your points via the path of least resistance. Chase the points that stick with you, and make sure you leverage your development that gets you strong NCOERs so you can have them in your packet for SFC and beyond.
It would suck to blow all this effort of development and only use it toward SSG. I'd also recommend chancing your MOS once the opportunity comes up again. It would be a shame to be a 750pt SSG and never see MSG or SGM.
Don't forget, on the way to 800 make sure that progress is annotated in you NCOER's along the way, because someone that goes from 400, to 500 to 600, and well past 700 should always get "PROMOTE AHEAD OF PEERS" comment from Sr Raters.
First work on points that stay with you. PT and Marksmanship are a moving target. Education and training stay the same if you have a bad day at the range. Since you will need to max the military education category you can't be picky with the schools you can get. So if something comes up and you can get on board then jump. It's the only way you're going to get the points.
Marksmanship however, is the highest reward of points per effort expended. Each round on target (past the minimum qualification) is an extra 7 points. Pull trigger = 7 points, pull trigger again = 7 points. Pull the trigger a 3rd time for three more hits past the minimum score and you're at 21 points.
HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! taking the time to earn a degree while on active duty only gets you 20 points. BANG, BANG, BANG = more points than the stress and hassle of education. Again, education maxes at 135 points, and marksmanship maxes out at 160.
Anyway............... get your points via the path of least resistance. Chase the points that stick with you, and make sure you leverage your development that gets you strong NCOERs so you can have them in your packet for SFC and beyond.
It would suck to blow all this effort of development and only use it toward SSG. I'd also recommend chancing your MOS once the opportunity comes up again. It would be a shame to be a 750pt SSG and never see MSG or SGM.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
Thank you for the advice, Sir. Aside from Airborne, I don't have any particular reservations about schools (I'm already 38 and I've dislocated my knees before so I don't need the extra stress on them).
I'll definitely keep that in mind with Marksmanship. Normally I score a 33-34 without any difficulty so it wouldn't be hard to add 3 more if I can just get to range a bit more often. I have my own AR-15 now so its just a matter of getting the time in.
Thankfully, I do have my civilian education done. I hurt and I didn't get anywhere, but I have my associate's via my MOS and I've 92 credits toward a bachelors so I'm maxed out there. Do you know a good source for the correspondence courses that give the most points? I'm gonna start tackling those between now and the end of my stabilization in Bliss. Boards too, of course. I gotta trim about twenty pounds before I do that, but that'll give me plenty of time to study for Soldier/ NCO of the month boards.
I'll definitely keep that in mind with Marksmanship. Normally I score a 33-34 without any difficulty so it wouldn't be hard to add 3 more if I can just get to range a bit more often. I have my own AR-15 now so its just a matter of getting the time in.
Thankfully, I do have my civilian education done. I hurt and I didn't get anywhere, but I have my associate's via my MOS and I've 92 credits toward a bachelors so I'm maxed out there. Do you know a good source for the correspondence courses that give the most points? I'm gonna start tackling those between now and the end of my stabilization in Bliss. Boards too, of course. I gotta trim about twenty pounds before I do that, but that'll give me plenty of time to study for Soldier/ NCO of the month boards.
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CPT (Join to see)
SGT(P) (Join to see) - I've probably been cheating the regulation look up, but here's a link:
https://armypromotionpointscalculator.com/app-online-calculator.html
click on military education and look at what gets points
ATRRS Listed Resident Courses
ATRRS Self-Dev, Army e-Learning, ACCP (Full Course Completion Only)
When the Army posts 798 points as the threshold they Army isn't saying "work hard and you will get promoted" The Army is saying "Change MOS's"
https://armypromotionpointscalculator.com/app-online-calculator.html
click on military education and look at what gets points
ATRRS Listed Resident Courses
ATRRS Self-Dev, Army e-Learning, ACCP (Full Course Completion Only)
When the Army posts 798 points as the threshold they Army isn't saying "work hard and you will get promoted" The Army is saying "Change MOS's"
Army Promotion Points Calculator
A stepper plugin for Bootstrap 4.
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) - This is actually super cool. I'll have to play with it after they update the system for the new PT test. My run is okay at 16-17 minutes but I'm 70% and up in all the others.
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