Posted on Jul 25, 2021
What would cause a soldier to not get promoted to E3 or E4?
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There is a soldier in my guard unit who has good PT, no negative counseling’s that he has mentioned and is well liked soldier but after three years of being in the Army he is still only a PV2. His peers are all SPC or CPL. Is there anything he can do to finally get his promotion?
Posted in these groups: 
Promotions
Promotions
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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The most common reasons are:
APFT flag
HT WT flag
adverse action flag
ADCO flag
commander investigation flag
law enforcement flag
the unit failing to submit the flag lift when it's over
JAG taking 12+ months to review flag lifts
and unit failing to complete the advancement 4187
If your friend does not have a flag, then it's the last reason.
APFT flag
HT WT flag
adverse action flag
ADCO flag
commander investigation flag
law enforcement flag
the unit failing to submit the flag lift when it's over
JAG taking 12+ months to review flag lifts
and unit failing to complete the advancement 4187
If your friend does not have a flag, then it's the last reason.
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SGM Jeff Mccloud
A soldier in the Guard can advance from E1 thru E4 while waiting to complete AIT, or with an MOS but sitting NDMOSQ in a position.
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I'm going to go with SGM Jeff Mccloud final reason of the unit not filling out the 4187. This happens a whole lot more than it should on active duty in combat arms units. Most likely, the Soldier was flagged for some reason when it was time for automatic advancement so he didn't get promoted at that time. The good news is that it's a very easy fix. The commander only needs to fill out a 4187 with the correct date of advancement for each rank. The S1 makes the change in emilpo and sends copies to DFAS and the Soldier receives all the back pay
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Promotion to SPC is automatic unless there is an underlying issue. I have learned that you really have to take what a person says at face value. Soldiers seldom admit to their shortcomings. But something had to happen to prevent that from happening. I have a feeling that he is flagged for something and he is not telling you.
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I'm betting there is a skeleton in that closet that you weren't told about that is the reason he is still a PV2 after 3 years. You don't quite miss out on 2 advancements in 3 years without some paperwork on you. I feel as though there is more to the story you're being told.
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CPT (Join to see)
Yea, while the advancement is not automatic per an automated system, 3 years is a really long time to sit at E2 without a legit reason. Even a CO and 1SG would have rotated out in that time and there should be admin visibility noticing it.
Even mechanically my AGR E5 could turn on and off flags at will. It's just that if he didn't have my signature on the flag form adding or removing it would cost him his job.
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One of my favorite stories of a soldier skirting over the issue of his situation was a soldier that got assigned to my unit from higher command. Basically, Brigade leveled over strength MOS/Grades into units short on them.
The game of course is to keep all your winners in your unit in the primary UMR slot, and all your metrics headaches in the secondary slots (they poach from the over strength billets on the UMR and leave the primaries where the are).
So this soldier is complaining to me that he was randomly assigned to us from his old unit, and this is during PT in the morning and he's wearing the old shorts (ARMY in silver), but he used YELLOW paint or yellow whiteout to trace over ARMY so it would be yellow.
Now I'm thinking oh son of a bitch, that UMR tactic goes both ways. Yet, he was the "squared away one" in his mind.
Even mechanically my AGR E5 could turn on and off flags at will. It's just that if he didn't have my signature on the flag form adding or removing it would cost him his job.
************
One of my favorite stories of a soldier skirting over the issue of his situation was a soldier that got assigned to my unit from higher command. Basically, Brigade leveled over strength MOS/Grades into units short on them.
The game of course is to keep all your winners in your unit in the primary UMR slot, and all your metrics headaches in the secondary slots (they poach from the over strength billets on the UMR and leave the primaries where the are).
So this soldier is complaining to me that he was randomly assigned to us from his old unit, and this is during PT in the morning and he's wearing the old shorts (ARMY in silver), but he used YELLOW paint or yellow whiteout to trace over ARMY so it would be yellow.
Now I'm thinking oh son of a bitch, that UMR tactic goes both ways. Yet, he was the "squared away one" in his mind.
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They had to have done something wrong, cause their name would come up every time the promotion roster came out from S1. And there is a point/time where the unit has to actually tell S1 why they are not promotable.
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Like with the active component, advancement from E3 to E4 is automatic unless he is flagged. His career, or more likely, his time, in the guard is his to control. If he isnt seeking out the problems with his promotion, he likely shouldnt be promoted. Kudos on trying to find an answer, but the fact that your friend isnt hounding the chain of command on this and making waves to get it fixed tells me there is mpre to it that perhaps he didnt tell you.
Also "being well liked" or not, should never be a factor in promotion, they either meet the criteria or dont.
Also "being well liked" or not, should never be a factor in promotion, they either meet the criteria or dont.
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Good answers here and SGM Jeff Mccloud and SFC (Join to see) are on point. If he has no flag or the flag should be lifted, this is a more common issue than it should be for things that are "automatic".
E1 - E4 are automatic, Good Conduct Medals and ARCAM's are automatic, certain service awards are automatic. The problem with "automatic" is that it means you're supposed to get it if you meet the criteria, but someone still has to initiate it. In this case a 4187.
I filled out my own 4187 and put it on my SL's desk in his inbox, he asked me if I was up for promotion and I confirmed. He checked the dates and sent it to the commander, done and done. A lot of junior Soldiers don't, but you need to track your own dates and metrics. Is it your TL or SL's responsibility? Yes, but they have other responsibilities that you are not typically tracking, and a helpful reminder goes a long way.
This Soldier needs to address his promotion with his NCO chain and S1 if he's not flagged or if the flag needs to be lifted. Or whatever other issue may be in play.
E1 - E4 are automatic, Good Conduct Medals and ARCAM's are automatic, certain service awards are automatic. The problem with "automatic" is that it means you're supposed to get it if you meet the criteria, but someone still has to initiate it. In this case a 4187.
I filled out my own 4187 and put it on my SL's desk in his inbox, he asked me if I was up for promotion and I confirmed. He checked the dates and sent it to the commander, done and done. A lot of junior Soldiers don't, but you need to track your own dates and metrics. Is it your TL or SL's responsibility? Yes, but they have other responsibilities that you are not typically tracking, and a helpful reminder goes a long way.
This Soldier needs to address his promotion with his NCO chain and S1 if he's not flagged or if the flag needs to be lifted. Or whatever other issue may be in play.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
GCM are not automatic the CO has to sign off or at least when I was in they did. Orders must be cut.
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SPC (Join to see)
MAJ Ronnie Reams - Neither is the promotion, still has to be signed. Automatic is just a term that is used (not necessarily accurate) for little to no work involved on the part of the person getting it. If you don't screw up, a good cookie is essentially automatic. Just like E1 - E4.
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Simple. Substandard performance. If not, the soldier would have a legitimate IG complaint. What you do not mention, is whether or not the soldier as approached his chain-of-command about HIS/HER issue.
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