Posted on Apr 20, 2014
What do you think of these requirements for promotion to Sergeant (E-5)?
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Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?<div><br></div><div>In order to be promoted to E5 you should have:<br></div><div><div>- Completed SSD1<br></div><div>- Graduated from WLC</div><div>- Have a minimum of 70% in each event on APFT for 2 consecutive times </div><div>- Weapon qualified at 32 and above 2 consecutive times</div><div>- Attended as minimum soldier of the quarter on a BN or higher level and won. </div></div>
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Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 50
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You were on track but lost me at winning the board. That will create a bottleneck. We used to have to test for our MOS (SQT) waaaaay back in the day and I liked it. The Air Force tests like a big dog and I think that needs to return.
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In the National Guard the requirements are similar but really different we get promotion packets that are filled out by the Admin NCO which includes points based on reviews from our leaders, awards, PT, weapons qual, awards, schools, and a couple other things. The reviews have two categories which are ability and potential and the NCO writes and number down in each subcategory in both columns 1 through what ever number stated on the side and it varies then all three leaders evals are averaged and max points you can get it approx 500 then the rest is from the other things stated with a max off 1000 points I believe then the SPC will sign and date and choose a area the wish to be promoted within. The whole thing about this system is that the rewiews arent always based on ability two guys in my unit I know for sure theirs wasnt because they still dont know what they are doing well it was based on how much ass they kisses thats just how it is usually till none of the brown nosers are left then the SPC that deserve it get the highers scores. Now as far as WLC you have one year from the date of promotion to go but battalion wants a pt test of 70% or higher before they will approve the school and SSD 1 is also required but your name still goes on the list you just wont get a call to be asked about promotion till you complete it. Im at 8 years of service by the end of the month and 5 years of it at the rank of SPC till I finally got promoted 2 months ago so from what I can tell is that whether its AD or NG the promotion system to E-5 is jacked up and needs to be altered
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None of those criteria really demonstrates an ability to LEAD. An E-5 is a leader first and foremost. True a junior one, but still a leader. I'd rather have requirements that shows they have demonstrated competency in not only soldier skills, but leadership skills as well.
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Except for the first two criteria, I disagree. The EPS already takes your PT score and IWQ score into account. There are minimum scores in place for a reason. The SOTQ board requirement is just plain dumb, because that leaves too few soldiers in the promotion pool.
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In order to be promoted to E5 you should have:
- Completed SSD1
- Graduated from WLC
- Have a minimum of 70% in each event on APFT for 2 consecutive times
- Weapon qualified at 32 and above 2 consecutive times
- Attended as minimum soldier of the quarter on a BN or higher level and won.
I am glad someone is brain storming ideas, but the above tells me nothing on whether or not that Specialist knows how to lead soldiers. When I give my Specialist Team Leaders a task and he or she is given soldiers I tell them, "You will instruct, you will give orders, you will supervise" and most of these tasks involve doing something in the motor pool or prepping for a mission or other tasks.
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In the Army we promoted soldiers who we see to have potential to take on greater responsibilities such a being promoted to Sergeant (E5), but we need to take careful consideration. How do we do see the potential? I see potential by a soldier doing certain things or task such a earning a high number promotion points from Skillport classes, taking a few college classes, volunteering to lead PT, volunteering to be in charge of simple taskings assigned to the platoon.
In addition, if I see potential in a Specialist and if I want to evaluate him or her further, I will request that Specialist to be a Team Leader under my leadership. A Team Leader has a minimum of one or two soldiers. The Team Leader is responsible for his or soldiers well being, their physical and mental health, their living conditions, and their professional growth. It is my responsibility to guide that new Team Leader in all of those areas. By that point, that Specialist should know the ends and outs of their job. Since I am an MP, I expect that new Team Leader to know at least the job of a driver, gunner and as a patrol officer (police officer stuff). That new Team Leader will be responsible to teach those skills to his soldiers and not only teach but communicate effectively verbally and on paper.
The afore mentioned is not the be all or end all to be considered to be promoted to Sergeant however, if that Specialist exhibits most or all that I mentioned, that is what I consider potential and of course meet the standard for all applicable standards such as PT and weapons.
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Tell you what, having NCO's that know dick about their jobs and only getting promoted on the buddy system is a pain in the ass. I have seen a lot of really smart guys get out of the Army while in the E-4 Mafia. Not because they couldn't make points, because the point system is very easy to max, but because the NCO's, politics, and senior level BS of Army life made them sick of it all. So what do the good ones do? They get out, either finish school or get a higher paying job, leaving the Army stuck with it's thumb up it's rear with only a few good NCO's left to lead. The Army does not teach it's junior enlisted leadership roles early enough. Specialists aka Shamurai Warriors... well, you can't hate on them because we all know the code of the E-4, my point is leadership roles are not taught, and no one E-1 through E-4 is going to render proper courtesy to the next highest rank. I saw a Marine Cpl tear into a Lance Cpl... and the Lance actually took it! It was nuts by Army standards of conduct but it happened... the CPL really is an NCO. Now let me see an Army Spec4 or CPL try to tear into a PFC... doesn't happen, and has to be escalated to the next Sgt or above for results... if they aren't already throwing blows.
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