Promotion Ceremonies: How do YOU do it?

2014-05-13T19:18:49-04:00

I saw a post of somebody getting promoted and saw a few things that the Corps would never allow and that interested me in asking how you were promoted or how your branch of service conducts promotion ceremonies.

For Marines, promotion to Sergeant and below typically have the entire platoon and sometimes company formed up to promote the Marine (even if it's to PFC). These Marines typically do not get any say in how they want to be promoted. SNCO's (Staff Sergeants and above) and Officers typically get promoted with just SNCO's and Officers but this varies and many times it's up to the SNCO/Officer what they want, and Ive seen them be very seclusive especially for more senior ranks.

Our rank insignias are made of metal and we wear one on each collar. Marines are typically given the options of selecting up to two individuals to pin them on. Your'e not suppose to smash the spikes (hazing) of the rank into the collars of the newly promoted Marines, but it's a very common practice.

I was always told (by tradition) that the rank should not be readjusted to conform to Marine Corps orders until the following day and that if it's tacked on crooked, it remains that way until tomorrow.

Wet downs anybody? Promoted in combat? Ive been around a few promotion ceremonies involving other branches of service and even had the honor of promoting an Airman. Some have velcro patches, sewn on patches, some type of sleeve that's fixed to the chest, etc... Some do it outside, some inside. Some need flags posted and there are ceremonial things that are required. Tell me!

Response by SFC Stephen P. made May 13 at 2014 7:37 PM

2014-05-13T19:37:48-04:00

My last promotion ceremony was to PFC. It involved pushups, and the rest is a bit fuzzy.

Best I can tell, there are no standards for these in the Army. Ceremonies I've seen vary from one to the next, even within the same unit.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2014 7:48 PM

2014-05-13T19:48:32-04:00

My promotion to SPC and SGT were in front of a unit formation and I was pinned (SPC) and velcroed (SGT) by the commander.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2014 7:48 PM

2014-05-13T19:48:55-04:00

Each promotion up to SGT (E-5) was still in BDUs and involved a little bit of...induction. I loved it, and I think its something we have lost when it comes to Espirit De Corps. When I got promoted to SSG, I was in Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course (BNCOC) and we had switched to ACUs at this point, so my promotion was much more subdued. My first ex wife pinned on my Sgt, and before it, it was always a Senior that I requested to pin me.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2014 10:02 PM

2014-05-13T22:02:44-04:00

As a company commander I hold formation and do all my promotions in formation then put the company at ease and we give them round of applause. The platoons then congratulate that individual when 1SG turns it over to the PSGs. When I was in a brigade headquarters as the HHC Commander I pinned E6 and below and the CG pinned E7 and above. I personally was told to just pin myself when I got promoted to 1LT. I was pinned in Afghanistan in a formation. The only downside of that was I was in the TOC and my Soldiers could not come as they were working. I wanted it in the TOC as those were my Soldiers and I wanted to share it with them, but I was instructed by the G1 otherwise.

I think if they have any special requests they should be given that option if reasonable as many get to do that for their reenlistments.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2014 3:17 AM

2014-05-14T03:17:58-04:00

Forme it has always depended on my CO. My first two promotions to PO3 and PO2 were done on the pier with a group of people. When I made PO1 two years ago, the different CO brought each person for each rank up individually. It is like this for all ranks, at least on my sub it was, officers included. One thing we would do also is if someone within the division was promoted to FCPO, then they got the rest of the day off, plus got the privilege to buy the division lunch.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2014 5:42 PM

2014-05-14T17:42:36-04:00

In all honesty I think many of the rule changes as of recent years have greatly watered down the impact of the ceremony. Anything seen as hazing, even if conducted at the request of the Service Member is almost career suicide. All it takes is for someone else to believe its hazing and file a report and its all over. Because of that many things that many would consider traditions (even an NCO having to stand in front of formation and recite the Creed)are not allowed. I believe ever Soldier should be recognized in ceremony for their accomplishments. However, that ceremony should be about the individual. I recently had a unit Commander upset that a individual had asked me to pin him SGT over him. Was that really about the promotion and what the individual had accomplished or was it facetime for leadership and Look what I am giving this individual?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2014 6:36 PM

2014-05-14T18:36:34-04:00

This is how my SGT promotion was like downrange. My SSG promotion I had my wife pin me.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2014 11:08 PM

2014-05-14T23:08:27-04:00

I've been allowed to pick the where and when. In keeping with my desire to be lie key I did 2 in my office but when I pinned on 7 I did that in front of my company. I think like reenlistment troops should have some say in how it happens.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 29 at 2014 4:21 PM

2014-09-29T16:21:23-04:00

To somewhat "revive" an old post, I'll be promoting one of my Soldiers to SFC this week. I've combed through regulations regarding promotions and also drill and ceremonies, and there's nothing that gives concrete guidance, which leads me to believe it's up to the individual being promoted. I know HOW to conduct the ceremony, but we had a question. Our company commander is on emergency leave and the OIC of our office (a major) is also on leave, and the other Soldiers were like "Who is going to promote her?", and I'm thinking "Why does there have to be an officer present over an NCO's promotion?". From what I see, a person of senior rank can conduct the promotion ceremony, and she has requested that her husband place her rank on, so...good to go, right?

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Jan 13 at 2015 12:40 PM

2015-01-13T12:40:43-05:00

We too had what you described with the smashing of the rank, called blood rank.also we had a large trash can (50 gallon) placed next to the window over top the main entrance (on the 1st floor)... the ceremony usually took place at the noon formation so from the time the garbage can was placed up there til its contents actually went out the window gave soldiers plenty of time to throw some pretty weird and lewd things into it. It was accustom that the soldier would get into front leaning rest just below the window and people would hoist the can to the window and dump the contents on the poor soul below.

Response by LT Jessica Kellogg made Mar 19 at 2015 9:42 PM

2015-03-19T21:42:58-04:00

Reviving this thread to see in anyone else wants to share.

Response by Cpl Christopher Bishop made May 12 at 2015 4:25 AM

2015-05-12T04:25:56-04:00

My experiences would today be considered Hazing, but I "Manned Up" and didn't whine about it.

As I pinned on E3, after the Formation and usual formalities, the platoon (and it was a large platoon of around 60-70 members), we all went into a barracks interior hallway. Those of us promoted to E3 had to walk all the way down and all the way back, stopping in front of each pair of other more senior E3s and allowing them to "strike" you at the side of your upper arm. Walking back through "The Gauntlet" meant each Marine struck you twice in total, once per side. The NCOs did not participate except to organize, watch, and giggle some. A promotion to E2...would only be the other E2s doing any striking.

The impacts were timed such that both sides were hit at the same time...there was no leaning out of them. Many didn't just punch you, but threw a pointed elbow at you. Most were actually trying to drop you...as if you fell, you weren't worthy of the new rank.

I ain't gonna lie...they got me to drop to one knee...probably about the 80% mark. I took a quick breather and plunged forward, not falling again.

This was of course done on a Friday. The entire following week, I literally could not hand-salute anyone from a stationary position of Attention...and if I was walking towards brass, I had to start swinging my right arm prematurely, 3 steps and 3 swings, the third swing being the one high enough to bother with "G'mornin / G'afternoon Sir", and most of the time the Officer had already noticed I was having to give that effort my 100% and yet was struggling a bit...they would stop me only to politely inquire if I was OK...my arms were bruised so bad that the purple had wrapped around to the insides of my arms. After seeing that, they would ask me what unit I was with, and my answer told them it was a huge platoon. Then they would just say "Dang, Devil-Dawg, did you make it through?" And I'd say "I was a little sloppy, but I made it, Yes Sir."

When promoted to E4, its Charlie Horses u get from the Knees of other NCOs. There are of course a lot less NCOs you have to take blows from.

Marine Infantry Battalions (used to?) have 5 Companies. 1 H&S (Headquarters and Service), 3 Line (read 0311) and 1 Weapons Co, which would have a Heavy Machine Guns Plt (0331), a Mortar Plt (0341), and a "Dragons Plt" (0351), and these are usually considerable larger than the Line Plts. So these Promotion Parties usually stayed at the Platoon level for the E2-E3, and same for E4 unless there were very few, then the other Platoons' NCOs may be invited.

The tradition part of it, is E2-E3 are struck where enlisted ranks are worn when you are in any uniform also displaying ribbons. The E4-E5 are having their "Blood-Stripe" pinned on (see USMC Dress Blues pants). I don't recall if its anything different for E5 than for E4.

We used to joke about a Day Off for a Promotion...this was because you were likely to be useless the following day. Not really a day off, but definitely Light Duty. Of course, that was also part of why they went down on Fridays.

Perhaps Gunny Ekblad can correct me here if I missed any pertinent details.
Semper Fi

Response by LTC Gavin Heater made May 16 at 2015 9:04 PM

2015-05-16T21:04:44-04:00

Most of my promotions were in front of my units. My promotion to LTC was unique. I was selected while deployed with a promotion date during the week I redeployed. My Brigade Commander delayed my promotion until our flight was over US soil. The whole plane heard my promotion ceremony over the PA. Very memorable.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made May 17 at 2015 12:58 AM

2015-05-17T00:58:26-04:00

When I got my MSG stripes, we were out on a FTX. I was called out of the formation and the CDR pinned me, along with the XO. It was good. For me I liked it, with the troops I'd be leading in a setting that blended in. My family couldn't be there, so this was best for me.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Nov 7 at 2016 12:22 AM

2016-11-07T00:22:53-05:00

My promotion to Senior Master Sergeant, at Hanscom AFB, MA My wife Joanne sliding the rank insignia over My right shoulder, and Colonel Moor, Director of Security Police from Hq. Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, MD the left shoulder. Also a former enlisted friend, who was a MSgt was also promoted there from Captain to Major and Nicholas Zallas, liked the way i had My wife participate and asked for the same. There were also a large number of the Officers, NCOs and Airmen from the unit, the 3245th Security Police Squadron present during that ceremony.