Should a soldier be switched units upon promotion to E-5?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:20:45 -0400

IMO, yes because I do not think the newly promoted E-5 will foster a healthy work environment. The junior enlisted soldiers as well as the NCO will have difficulty adjusting to the new status quo. What do you all think?

Response by SGT Javier Silva made Jul 14 at 2019 2:28 PM

SGT Javier Silva — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:28:37 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member I would say yes as well. However, we know that the overall Army mission drives this. If the Soldier does not get new orders to another unit, that Soldier will need to know when/how to separate Army and personal relationships. As long as you remain a objective person, there should be no problems.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 2:29 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:29:06 -0400

So personal opinion is yes, for most soldiers this is definately one of those situationally dependent moments, new E-5s are going to have a difficult time making the transition from "buddy to boss" however an interpost or inter unit transfer is not always able to be executed. At the very least the soldier should be moved between platoons or companies in the same battalion to ease the transfer.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 2:29 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:29:47 -0400

It's all in your perspective as the new NCO. Will you choose to be a leader or will you try to remain buddies with the lower enlisted? Can you step up to the leadership you've been handed and be an effective role model? I think new SGTs can in many cases. The Army has placed trust in them to do so. So to me, if you can't lead your former peers, then you have no business accepting a promotion.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 14 at 2019 2:35 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:35:57 -0400

Well, there was that whole thing during WW2, depicted in the HBO Band of Brothers series, where, apparently, Lt Careood Lipton got switched out after his battle field commission, as told to him by Maj Dick Winters, I’d read a direct commission couldn’t stay with their old unit, though the Audie Murphy biopic didn’t depict that aspect, so I don’t know if he was, the film showed he’d stayed with his unit in Italy afterward....

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jul 14 at 2019 2:37 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:37:11 -0400

Depends on if there is an opening for him, or her within their MOS, or they need to retrain for a different MOS.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 14 at 2019 2:37 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:37:21 -0400

And I think I actually saw Maj Dick Winters in Hershey PA once at a hotel my wife and I stayed at, there was a 101st reunion from WW2 there purely by coincidence....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 14 at 2019 2:37 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 14:37:48 -0400

I only realized it later watching the series....

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 3:28 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 15:28:35 -0400

Absolutely not. You'll be dealing with your peers being placed above you, or being placed over your peers, your whole life. There's no reason to try to pretend it's not an issue by avoiding the conflict. The sooner a new NCO can overcome that first obstacle their authority, the sooner they can grow as a leader. It's better to face that early in your career and understand how to deal with it than it is to face it for the first time as a senior NCO and not know how to navigate that thorny issue. As you get promoted higher and higher, the promotions slow down and suddenly you're all the same rank with people who out ranked you years ago, and people you out ranked as well. You'll be placed on projects where one of you is in charge of the others and you have to know how to lead them

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 3:45 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 15:45:58 -0400

In my opinion, yes and no. All depends on how the new NCO handles the position. Some people go hard directly after getting pinned and that just causes issues with former peers, so those people should've been moved. If a nee NCO is able to ease their way into the position and is respectful but firm with his or her formers peers then they should be fine. I think it all depends on the person.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 4:44 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 16:44:50 -0400

Then have never been around guard unjts. Cause usually soldiers are promoted at their home unit. Have no issues based on that. If active does. Then you have a discipline problem with soldiers aren't respecting the rank.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 5:16 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 17:16:33 -0400

Transferred out of the unit seems excessive, it is far more common to move a newly promoted SGT to a vacant slot in another squad or platoon.

Response by SGT Mark Rhodes made Jul 14 at 2019 6:02 PM

SGT Mark Rhodes — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 18:02:10 -0400

I was promoted in the same unit and was able to make the transition pretty smoothly. I think it’s up to the new NCO to make sure it goes off without a hitch. When in doubt seek assistance from a senior NCO

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2019 7:14 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 19:14:44 -0400

It really dpeneds on the NCO and the joes. When i first picked up my 5 it was in a very small and close knit shop so my relationship with the only other SPC didnt really, i was the senior SPC and already "said to do things" so nothing really changed.

On the other hand, I have seen people who are then not respected by their now joes and should be moved. Or be better supported by their up line to ensure their posistion is noted and respected.

Response by SGT(P) Jeremy Anderson made Jul 14 at 2019 7:53 PM

SGT(P) Jeremy Anderson — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 19:53:31 -0400

This is true. I was a SPC in a section then CPL then finally a SGT. My team never changed their perception of me and the joes never did either. This made being an outstanding NCO even harder because of the discipline you had to assert in order to start to get recognition for your rank.

Response by SSG Arthur Williams made Jul 14 at 2019 8:58 PM

SSG Arthur Williams — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 20:58:59 -0400

AT FT. HOOD WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED TO 664 ORD CO. I WAS A THREAT TO HIM BOTH OF US WERE E-6S. ONLY HIS DATE OF PROMOTION WAS 3 MONTH BEFORE MINE, HE WAS HAPPY ABOUT THAT, I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, I WAS RETIRING THE NEXT YEAR.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Jul 15 at 2019 1:07 AM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 01:07:55 -0400

Yes but pin before transfer

Response by SSG Brian G. made Jul 15 at 2019 1:40 AM

SSG Brian G. — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 01:40:30 -0400

No. The newly minted Sergeant deals with it now. Will there be some issues? Yes. But by and large most are professional and respect the rank change. The E-5 needs to evolve as a leader and learn that line of separation between them and those they lead just as every other NCO before them and those that will follow them.

Response by SrA Chris Forster made Jul 15 at 2019 8:52 AM

SrA Chris Forster — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 08:52:40 -0400

I agree with you. I saw it all the time while I was in. Had a friend who made E-5 first go round and almost all the E-4's he came in with had difficulty respecting the rank. Partly the familiarity is hard to put aside when someone ranks up. Much easier transition if they move to a different unit.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 15 at 2019 9:49 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 09:49:01 -0400

Absolutely not. It’s better to stay at the same unit you were at. Reason being, the new NCO already built that trust and confidence in their peers when they were at the same level so when stepping up to that leadership role they will already know what you expect from them. Granted, if the new NCO is one of those types of people that let the new rank get to their heads, and they start acting like they’re Jesus walking on water, then that’s a fault on them and not their new subordinates.

Response by PO3 Adam Stoflet made Jul 15 at 2019 12:45 PM

PO3 Adam Stoflet — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 12:45:51 -0400

As someone from the Navy I might have a different perspective on this. In the Navy E1-3 are treated pretty much the same as a group that generally doesn’t know any better. E-4 is you should know better start getting you act together because your gonna want to start getting your career on track. E-5 is when it really takes off, and people expect you to have your stuff together because now you should be ready to take real leadership positions that actually affect the Division and Ship, I.e. what watches you stand such has Fire Marshal, what jobs you preform such as work center supervisor for maintenance. For the junior enlisted aware enough to pay attention to these changes of responsibility and what’s expected of them and how their pier reacts and handles this change could help them get ready for when their turn comes. How does that saying go again “You should know the job of the person above and below you”.

Response by SPC Rob Lewis made Jul 15 at 2019 1:20 PM

SPC Rob Lewis — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 13:20:03 -0400

IMO, yes. The pull of the E-4 mafia and "Good buddies" may cause issues with you doing your new job as a NCO.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 15 at 2019 8:02 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 20:02:11 -0400

Yes. Change in one's unit is typically imminent anyway. Moving a newly promoted SGT to a new unit can help with your initial start as a leader because your peer group is no longer mix matched with friends who are still junior enlisted. It also helps to establish an environment of more solid respect because your soldiers will have now only known you as a SGT. Embrace the change because it's going to happen regardless.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2019 3:21 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 03:21:57 -0400

I think it happens all the time, and there is definitely a learning curve. But, IMO this is the best environment to develop this new NCO. They will have to understand where they stand and will need to prove themselves time and again. As it says in the regulation the challenging assignments or positions are what develops you the most and you should continues to seek them out. This said, the new NCO will have their work cut out for them, but as long as they remain professional it will set the tone for what’s to come. After all, if they were groomed properly and determined ready to be boarded then they should have held a leadership position above their peers, unless were talking about someone who is clearly not ready

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2019 6:41 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 06:41:38 -0400

Speaking from the ARNG side of the house, movement to another unit is unnecessary. I was promoted to SGT in the same unit I have been serving with since 2011. That being said, I can see how an individual may come across some friction from past junior enlisted friendships. In my experience, the rank will always be respected. As for the Soldier wearing that rank, you are either going to be liked or respected. In My opinion, choose being respected.
My advice, eliminate that junior enlisted mindset when you make that transition from SPC to SGT. Yes, some bridges may be burned but others will stay accessible.

For those junior enlisted who were once a fellow team/squad member, that support you, keep them busy and treat them good. These are the individuals who will bring out the qualities every young SGT needs to polish up.