What are the best ways to get promoted to E-5, even though your promotion points are at 798 and you have not been deployed?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 08:49:30 -0400

Response by SGT Neil Doty made Jul 14 at 2015 8:51 AM

SGT Neil Doty — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 08:51:55 -0400

Take all the classes you can and air assault school helps but keep working on the points.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Jul 14 at 2015 9:01 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 09:01:17 -0400

Take a look at your points, see what you are missing and work in those areas. Keep working at it piece by piece rather than taking it all on at once.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jul 14 at 2015 9:04 AM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 09:04:21 -0400

There is no best way. There is an only way which would be that you need to max everything.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Jul 14 at 2015 9:18 AM

SGM Matthew Quick — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 09:18:02 -0400

Reclassification...Special MOS Alignment Promotion Program (SMAPP).

http://www.armyreenlistment.com/smapp.html

Special MOS Alignment Promotion Program (SMAPP)

The SMAPP identifies specific critical skill MOS that Soldiers may reclassify into and receive a promotion upon graduation from MOS training.

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Jul 14 at 2015 9:20 AM

CMSgt Mark Schubert — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 09:20:03 -0400

The best way to get promoted to E-5 (or any grade for that matter) is to be the BEST E-4 you can be and not worry about it. It will happen when He's ready for it - which might be a different time scale than what you want. :-)

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2015 9:53 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 09:53:49 -0400

Where are your points at now? Have you maximized every category? If you haven't, then you need to look into seeing how you can get as many areas maxed that you can. And then, have patience. Eventually, the points will drop.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Jul 14 at 2015 6:59 PM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:59:04 -0400

That had been a question since before I enlisted in 1987.....I can only tell you to work your rear-end off and acquire the max points you are capable of while doing the utmost to perform your job to the best of your abilities, I got promoted to SSG back in 1993 in the secondary zone, 913 points is what I had.....there are no easy answers other than your hard work!!

Response by SGT Richard H. made Jul 14 at 2015 7:25 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 19:25:22 -0400

I guess my first question is: Have you been to the board? That's as much as 200 points right there, then WLC adds points. Also correspondence courses & college courses. If you haven't been to the board, I would start asking your CoC what it will take for you to get there. Without that (p) behind your rank, all the points in the world can't help you much.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2015 8:19 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 20:19:02 -0400

I got a new twist to this. See Special catagories for promotion in AR 600-8-19. For instance, once completed ranger school and the SM passes the promotion board his points are basically "boosted" to 799. I know I have done it for a few people who have completed this process. Your BN S1 has to submit a packet to HRC for them to give you the 799 points. It may be the hardest thing you do in life(based of off what I hear), but it will pay itself off.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 12:24 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:24:05 -0400

Take a lot of civilian educational classes and if you can't go to as many military schools as you can get slotted for and if worst comes to worse reclass

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 12:33 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:33:06 -0400

Join the national guard band.

Response by SGT Timothy Rocheleau made Jul 21 at 2015 12:38 PM

SGT Timothy Rocheleau — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 12:38:43 -0400

If you really love your MOS don't change it just to get promoted. Changing your MOS to one of a lower cutoff leaves you entering an entirely new career track and becoming an NCO with little to no experience in the new MOS. My advice would be to max PT, expert qualifications, max out military education and do your best to get as much civilian education as you can. It's so easy to get those college credits now with all the programs available to do via the Internet.

Volunteer for a deployment, do some volunteer work to get your name out there. Step up and ask for more responsibility so your superiors see that your motivated and will maybe send you to another school that falls in line with your MOS. ask for a sit down with leadership team and ask them what you can do to advance farther, you'd be surprised at what they can tell you that you get points for that you aren't thinking of. Go to any and all schools you can, even when you're maxed out. The chain of command loves those troops who are motivated and do things even though they aren't going to gain personally from it and will find a way to get you the needed points.

Make yourself irreplaceable, make your self highly visible, up front and volunteer for everything that you can.

Are you maxed on PT, weapons qual, awards, education? What did you score on the boards? Have you been? If not study study study, it is possible to max the board. I scored a 195 out of 200 on my boards, got docked 5 because I didn't have orders in my 201 for an award. My board members were cool about it though, they gave me til the end of the day to show proof of the award. They didn't bump me up but had I not shown the orders they would have docked me an additional 25pts.

It seems impossible to get 798 points but it's possible. Do they still do SQTs? If so work on it until you get maxed in that too. When your required cutoff score is max you need to max everything.

Response by SSG Samuel Sohm made Jul 21 at 2015 1:08 PM

SSG Samuel Sohm — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:08:58 -0400

Reclassing is a foolproof answer that everyone is saying so I wont go into detail. If you haven't gotten a college degree, there is problem #1. Maxing correspondence is another good one. Also try to look into airborne school, as the airborne advantage is a great leg up for those who are in an airborne coded position.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 1:11 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:11:59 -0400

They are changing the point system again on 1 oct 15 to no longer include deployments. The points have been shuffled to include more cc's, resident courses and etc.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 1:29 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:29:10 -0400

i tend to agree with CMSgt Schubert, (and not to sound like a commercial) be the best you can be. Superiors and supervisors alike will see the good work. Also, let's face it, unless we find another conflict, deployments are pretty much over.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 1:54 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:54:06 -0400

I don't know what "the best" way is... but I can tell you what "the fastest" way often is - and it is so far removed from the Army Values, but it is to be in the little good ol'boys club.
I wasn't when I was AD. I didn't have the time, and I didn't like to fish or bromanticize over the small town ideal. I had way too much world knowledge to be accepted, and I also read a lot... and books are like kryptonite for some people.. and if my story was an exception or even a unusual one - then it could be discarded. But it is so very common. Shame, but nepotism runs deep in all layers of society - not exclusively the military.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 2:37 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 14:37:04 -0400

I got grandfathered in when I got promoted to E-5

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 3:05 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:05:11 -0400

Best way to be all you can be is just that. Max PT score, get involved with the mission at hand. Get to any and every school you can, and I'm not talking hooah schools like air borne or air assault. Leadership schools like wlc, ssd1-2, alc. Talk to your chain of command and tell them you want multiple MOSs. Get involved with learning jobs that have nothing to do with you. When things need to get done... It's your time to shine.. Yea you'll look like your trying to earn a promotion. *cough* but without the ability to write your own awards... Your gunna have to go out your way to earn them.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 3:39 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:39:50 -0400

The best why I would say is to max out everything else on your plate. Deployments are a thing of the past until the next war or your assigned to a special unit. If you have maxed everything else minus deployments then you have done all you can for the MOS and you must wait tell the Army has a need for E-5s in your field. Another was is to reclass.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 5:56 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 17:56:44 -0400

In some units... show up as an E6 and get busted down

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 6:08 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:08:32 -0400

Well, to start this off, you're looking to get promoted at Sergeant not E-5 as we all know that is just pay grade with lots of responsibilities. Unfortunately you're in a MOS that requires high promotion points and the best way to maximized your points is to start early. College for as example as soon as your available at your one year mark, score high in your APFT, shoot for expert (don't get off that range until you shoot a 36 or higher), volunteer (Red Cross) with proper documents so that your eligible to get a volunteer award. Max out on correspondence courses and go to any school your unit is willing to send you too whether you think it's stupid or not. This was my mentally if I could spend time in the weekend to hangout I could double that time and place it into things that will help me become a better Soldier for tomorrow. Good luck!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 6:33 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 18:33:24 -0400

I have this issue going on. Promotion points for my MOS has been at 798 for over a year now. My only solution is to reclass.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 7:45 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 19:45:25 -0400

Sorry to say, but not going to happen. Without deployments you can only get a certain amount of awards. Even college maxed out with coorespondance courses and maxed PT test and maxed BRM. It's not going to happen.

Just keep your head up, go to the board, get as many points as possible and hopefully they will drop to the points you have accumulated at that point.

Oh and stay on top of your S1!!!!

Response by SPC Paul Vaneizenga made Jul 21 at 2015 8:26 PM

SPC Paul Vaneizenga — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 20:26:33 -0400

Ask your platoon sgt to get you into a school ( like airborne or air assault) and complete army correspondence courses ( they are free for you) those will definitely up your points.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 9:20 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 21:20:42 -0400

You may think about changing to another mos or even changing to the officer in hopes to work in the same field

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 10:39 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 22:39:27 -0400

Having been deployed does not make you promoteable, but completing, as many SSD's, Wlc,BNOC common core, ALC those are the prerequesites, for promotion, so start with SSD{1}, as always height and weight , PT, marksmanship, all that must be up to, or beyond the standards, and stay away from having profiles, and get a good enlisted rating,from your senior leaders. Now good luck.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 21 at 2015 10:57 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 22:57:23 -0400

I heard that the best way to become an E-5 SGT is to deploy as an E-6 SSG, but I don't have any experience with that yet.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 3:44 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 03:44:51 -0400

Volunteer for service with the 75th Ranger Regiment and go to Ranger School. There may be slots at the Regimental HQ for your MOS. Ranger qualified personnel may be entitled to a lower cut off score than non-Ranger qualifed personnel. If you really want to make it, you should look into it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 4:18 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 04:18:29 -0400

Max out your points. Correspondence courses, resident courses, PT, weapons qual....if there are points to be had, get them.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 10:08 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 10:08:09 -0400

Ok, first thing. Do you have enough time in service & do you have enough time in grade? Schools? PT score? BRM? DO YOU KNOW YOUR MOS? Can you teach other soldiers? Are you willing to transfer to another unit? Is there a slot for you to get promoted to? Are you willing to take on the responsibility? Are you confident and competent enough? If you are ate up other soldiers will see this and he will lose their respect!!

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 11:11 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 11:11:55 -0400

My advice would be to look into a voluntary reclass or just do everything you can to start maxing everything you can. My points were up at 798 and I just started chipping away at everything I had control of (ranges, pt, education, Web based training) and eventually points dropped a little and I was fortunate to get picked up.

Response by SPC Tony Bucaro made Jul 22 at 2015 11:29 AM

SPC Tony Bucaro — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 11:29:51 -0400

Good luck on that one brother! That was the problem when I was in the Army during the first draw down thanks to Clinton.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 12:03 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:03:59 -0400

There is no best way to get promoted while waiting for maxed points. There is only so much that you can do on your own to raise your points. PT score as high as you can get it? Tried to shoot 40 out of 40? Did correspondence courses? Gone to college? All of this is under your control and will raise your points. There is a time where you can do nothing more to raise points. You must depend on your leadership to award you for your performance, and send you to military schools such as WLC or other 40 hour courses that will raise your military education. All I could say is volunteer for schools and tasks that an E-5 would normally be selected for. Get your name out there, make your leadership trust in you to send to school and then bring back that education to teach your company what you learned. I know how you feel, I am an E-5 promotable in an MOS with maxed points. I have done what I could and now I am just playing the waiting game. If the Army doesn't want us promoted then it won't happen. Eventually a space will open up and you will get your rank. Just remember that the rank doesn't make a leader, ensure that you don't forget why you want to lead soldiers.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 5:26 PM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 17:26:18 -0400

Max what you are lacking. If you truly want it, you can achieve it or you can change your MOS and hope for lower a lower cutoff score if that options is available.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jul 22 at 2015 6:06 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:06:12 -0400

Back in the Day the fastest way to get promoted to E-5 was to start off as an E-6...lol

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 6:45 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:45:56 -0400

There is only one best way, one that is fool proof and guaranteed.
It's RANGER SCHOOL!!!
http://youtu.be/Lzbr6fPDmkE

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2015 10:05 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:05:31 -0400

Work at being a leader and then max all the areas where points and given.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2015 9:34 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 09:34:50 -0400

Max out correspondence courses, max pt test. Volunteer for military schools like airborne, airassult, ranger, anything to get your points up. Then there is always the option to change your MOS. You have to show your leadership you are ready and deserving to be a NCO. It's not just a paycheck, it becomes your job where your MOS becomes secondary.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2015 5:29 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 17:29:42 -0400

I will state this once more getting deployed will not get you promoted, but having all (SSD's), as many as you can complete, and WLC, BNOC COMMON CORE, ALC, also meeting height , and weight, a passing PT, marksmanship, stay away from having profiles, and to help all that out get a good enlisted evaluation from your first line leader, and your senior leaders. If you get all that done, all you have to do is wait for it, and your promotion will come .

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 5:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 17:38:46 -0400

To put it bluntly. Work for it.

SGT and SSG are no longer handed to you, just for hanging out long enough... that only works for PV2 through SPC. Part of the selection to the junior NCO ranks, is to earn the points to get promoted. It is now entirely on you, to earn the awards, ask for and successfully complete the schools. complete correspondence and college courses, and to improve your PT score.

As some have previously mentioned, it may also be the time to reconsider which MOS is best for you.

Response by SPC Brian Parramore made Jul 25 at 2015 1:00 AM

SPC Brian Parramore — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 01:00:43 -0400

I walked the line of a soldier that was motivated and always seemed knowledge to further my experience. I was never sent to the board, or even laterally appointed. Meanwhile, a few of my battles got article 15s, one for dui. No jail time. Got sent to WLC, just as the other did. I was denied WLC, and overlooked. I'm not crying and miserable about it, so I will say, score well on your pt test, correspondence courses, college credits, award ribbons if possible, and master your weapon. If you show you have a desire for leadership, someone will take notice. Memorize the NCO Creed, the soldiers Creed. Bust your ass is what I'm saying. Just remember, leaders have to know their soldiers, so respect your peers. You can never stop learning, and never forget how to follow. Good luck.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 28 at 2015 2:29 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 14:29:13 -0400

Certain MOSs give automatic promotion to SGT such as 17C or 35L. You don't need to wait till your Reenlistment to request. All you need is to submit a packet. For 35L talk to your S2 for more information.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 27 at 2016 8:02 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 27 Mar 2016 20:02:50 -0400

Go to every school they offer in the unit. I knew an African American E-3 who got promoted very shortly to E-5 because he went to Airborne School (Civil Affairs Airborne Unit) and other schools that I can't remember. This was a USAR unit. He was only working part-time or was unemployed so the unit had funds and he took advantage of it. Doing well on the APFT 290 or above, helps you in the order of merit list. If you meet height and weight even better. I feel there is going to be a conflict soon (since we are so wimpy since 2010) so I forsee funding(we now see more training in the pacific to be prepared against China and N. Korea ) and such since our peace dividend and cutting back will go away and contingency money will be available for your training and it all works into the promotion scheme of things. If you can take advantage of your college courses in the 25th ID you will eventually get your degree and that helps too. Find out if your MOS is overstrength too and reclass to another MOS if necessary. I would try to go officer someday. If not on the active duty, on the reserve side. Max age is 32 1/2 in the USAR and just before 35th B-DAY in the National Guard. I became a 2LT when I was almost 34!

Response by SPC Brandon Hamilton made Mar 29 at 2016 4:29 PM

SPC Brandon Hamilton — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 16:29:46 -0400

Earning Tabs, Badges, and Medals(All Army Sports)=Bonus Incentives. Doing Skill-Port courses first.

Response by SPC Joe Wright made May 2 at 2018 11:10 PM

SPC Joe Wright — Wed, 02 May 2018 23:10:02 -0400

Start out as an E6

Response by SPC Joe Wright made May 2 at 2018 11:14 PM

SPC Joe Wright — Wed, 02 May 2018 23:14:24 -0400

Best way to get promoted to E5? Start out as an E6!! Lol

Response by CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana made Oct 13 at 2018 9:38 AM

CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana — Sat, 13 Oct 2018 09:38:19 -0400

How does deployment matter SSG Private RallyPoint Member? Surely deployment gives you awards, recognition and retirement points; however, there's much that can be done in garrison which earns promotion points too. Don't get fixated on deployment Sergeant. Although deployment can earn a Specialist promotion with a Medal of Honor, which provisions salutes from enlisted and officers alike. The question should be can one earn promotion or a Medal of Honor without deployment?