Why are online classes now required for promotion?

but as for chain if command making accommodations, my company level chain is going out of their way to be as helpful as possible. but even they have told us that the deadline to have SSD done by December 31st was battalions call, and they're refusing to budge. anyone who can't finish it this month is removed from the promotion list until the next cycle.

SPC O'Donnell,

SGT Silva, I live absolutely nowhere near Cambridge Mass, nor is my unit armory located near it. As for my local library, the 15 minute allotments for computer reservations is just about long enough to install CAC software- and log on, before time is up... and next time you come back, the sleep program removes all installed software so you have to start over again (I actually have tried this option). The kind librarian tells me the computers are for looking up books only, that it's a library, not a computer lab. and the bigger issue about going to the armory to do it isn't the distance- I would drive 2 hours each way no problem to knock it out in one day- if I could afford to take a day off of work and still pay my rent... see, even with my over prices college degree (turns out tuition and fees are only like 10%of the actual cost if college, yay guard tuition and fee waiver!!) and my relentless hours plugging away with job applications- the economy appears to be in a state where the only existing jobs are minimum wage retail, and a consulting gig I set up myself, that unfortunately will only start paying once there's another natural disaster to convince people they actually need to care about emergency management... alas- student loans, rent, electricity, heat, phone, car insurance, medical insurance, gas... the risk cost of these things each month exceeds my monthly income from working almost 70 hours a week.... so plain and simple- I can't afford the time to care about SSD 1. I might be in a more stable position, if the Army didn't decide to put me on ADOS orders at a location 70 miles from my house for three months, and deny me BAH, because they kept just extending the orders one week at a time, and told be I was not eligible for BAH, Milage, or housing.... it cost me more in gas to get to my duty station and home than I made... so quite frankly, no, I can't afford to make taking an online class for the Army a priority- I'm too busy trying to keep a roof over my head.

You know you hit the nail right on the head when you said " the Army stopped promoting Soldiers based on their knowledge of the job in the early 90's (SQT)." 

SPC Thundercloud, did I understand your comment corretly, in that your leadership is NOT sending you to a promotion board because you are not Air Assault qualified?

Just wait until you hit SSD5. That's a hum-dinger

Yes, SSG McIntosh, but it's not just me. It's a battalion-level requirement. The Division's goal is for 70% of all soldiers to be AA qualified, so if you don't have the wings you can't be a leader here. I don't disagree with the policy... I just need to move to another post so I can advance. I spent the last 4 months in AA PT and still can't beat the obstacle course.

SSG McIntosh it's not a surprise to me because when I PCS to Fort Campbell that's the first thing they told me, that I'm going to AASLT school. I didn't know what it was until I got there. Becoming AASLT qualified seems to make you better than your peers. Even everyone that had out ranked me have to stand to my left because they wasn't AASLT qualified

I remember questioning my last guard E4 Eval... when I got my draft 4100, it had points listed and awarded for "board points" but I never went to any board, so how could they have possibly assessed me?

SFC Gannon, that may be beneficial for active duty joes who's fault needs are taken care of by the Army- but those of us in the guards and reserves still have to maintain civilian jobs and other commitments, and many of us struggle to make ends meet. the only internet access I have is on my phone- which is paid for by my company- and I'm better off than most of the junior enlisted in my unit- ssd is not practical for the guard unless we're ask willing to go on welfare and take a full week dedicated to trying to stay online and finish the course through myriad of technical difficulties.... and our only resource to fix those tech problems is to call a phone number and have someone talk to us like we don't know how to use a system that doesn't work and was not designed to be run on privately owned computers

SPC O'Donnell your unit has to have at least a couple of computers for you to use.  I know when I was in the Guard my command would have loved for a soldier to ask to use one for purpose of self-developement on drill weekends.  If you get time off during the week and its not too far you can even come in on non drill days.  Some units will even give you paid days for doing online training while not on duty.  work it out with them maybe there is a way to get this done using Army systems and maybe get paid for your time.  Remember there is always a way unless we are only looking for excuses.

SPC Yelle, that's a great response.  If your unit is requiring it be done by "X" date, ask for the ability to use the systems there.  SSD1 can be knocked out in 7-8 hours easily.