Should we bring back MOS testing as part of a promotion criteria?

I have been tested the past 2 years and going on my 3rd year this year to promote to the rank of E5 in the USAF. Regrettably i have not made it obviously due to one particular reason. I for one have a hard time studying for a length of time and remembering what the books have in them. I have a job that allows me to be creative and learn with my hands and use my mind on a job site. I also think on my feet to figure out and solve problems to resolve an issue that arises within my career field, what is my carrer field you ask, that would be structures. As many of you know we are hard working individuals that sometimes doesn't have the same recognition as others cause we are precived as just blue color workers and our job isnt as important as yours may be. While I agree with that statement our job may not affect any mission at times. But when it comes to resolving and figure out problems engineers are among the best in that aspect because without us the nice offices you have wouldn't have that professional look, your heater may not work making you freeze during the winter months and the air conditioning may not keep your office cool during the summer months. We have electricians that ensures you have the power source required to run your equipment to complete your mission, we have plumbers that takes care of all the nasty jobs that most would feel that are too good to still even do at their own residence. We also have the dirtboys, while that have equipment that does alot of the manual labor when they can't use that equipment they work very hard doing manual labor, from any where to fixing fences keeping those that shouldn't come in from entering to repairs to parking lots so your not tripping in gaps in the asphalt or driving in pot holes ruinning your vehicles. And then for my job, we do carpentry, welding, drywall, tile,concrete, roofing, cabinetry and finish work, flooring as well as maintain personal doors, safes, windows, runways and garage doors. We have a variety of jobs that expects us to fix problems and think on our feet. My problem along with others like me is that im a hands-on and visual learner. I have books called Career development Courses (CDCs) while some information can be helpful to refer to, alot of it can be avoided as the material is outdated in some aspects. Our jobs require us to be thinkers and resolve issues we tend to learn easier and better ways to do things than what the book may tell us to do a repair. But when it comes to testing i have an issue with that. I know how to repair an issue i dont need a book test to make sure that I know my job. While testing my brain acts differently than while i am performing a task. We get tested on our knowledge of the career we are in, but answer me this, how can one be accurately tested in a hands-on career field if the test is out of a book. Our job isnt full of book smart people. I for one aren't amoung that group of book smart people in my career. I may not be book smart but i do know how to do my job and i do it very well might i add. While we have some that are book smart but can't seem to come to terms with how to do the job but yet they get promoted without being able to do a job in the field. But lets promote him because he tested high on his test, you sir did not so you will not be promoted although you can accomplish the task given to you. There will always be those that disagree with this but i would like to see the option to be tested on skill and not the book. Here is how i would have the task set up, we have more than one career field in our group of maintainers give us a task to perform and complete and grade upon that aspect have a joint career test, here is the reasoning what i do affects the other career, so working together helps support the mission and task while also building good leadership skills by working together to resolve issues to accomplish a task

Navy has testing in each rate(Mos)

Personally Almost every nco I’ve worked with that knew their job was a great nco

This was true for us in 1973. I appeared in front of an E5 board. Demonstrating knowledge in your MOS should be a part of the determination of whether or not you get promoted

Have a SQT, PME, and board score combined for an overall score.. Or Have the SQT and PME scores combined to qualify to get to the board. Then say you’re promoting 20% of SPC to SGT. The top 20% of SPC promote to SGT. Those who have been out of the career field for special duties, Commander Support Staff, etc (Where you aren’t performing your typical duties for your MOS) for 1-2 years have them take the PME score and double it in place of the SQT score.

The navy still requires rating knowledge tests in order to promoted.

Frankly, I think all branches should have testing for promotion, even at E-5 and below. Test in knowledge, and hands on competency in your MOS. Then test in combat knowledge and skills as well. PT scores should be evaluated too. And leadership skills. That should get you on the list. Then you'd need a recommendation and go before the boards if and/or when a billet opens up. Promote the best you have, when and where you need them.

I knew soldiers who started in the infantry, than switched MOS to a more technical MOS like aviation. Naturally, soldiers who had less rank than the infantry soldier would have greater knowledge concerning Aviation. However, we also went on patrols when deployed. On those patrols, I followed the soldiers who were in a combat MOS. They kept us a live because they had the experience in that MOS. In the end, it’s about all around.

This would not work these days. Their are a lot of jobs that work outside there MOS when deployed. Especially in rapid deployment units. So it would make those service members less qualified. I could see this working if we were not in a time of conflict but not at this point in time.

My MOS was messed up by transferring combat arms NCOs into it at the senior level in the 60s. If you were well-trained they had it in for you.