Would you promote a Service Member Early given the right circumstances?

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 22:24:20 -0500

Suppose you had a Service Member (Branch of service doesn't matter) working for you that made cut off (Army term for making rank) and was due to be promoted on a Sunday, but was leaving for an extensive TDY / TAD on the Saturday prior. Would you conduct the ceremony amongst your section on the previous Friday so that when they showed up for the TDY / TAD on that Sunday, they were wearing their new rank? Or would you make them wait until they returned, if they wanted to be promoted at their place of duty?

My opinion, based on the circumstances, is to promote the service member the day and a half early so that when they arrived at their TDY / TAD, they were in their proper rank. Their pay doesn't start till Sunday, but other than that, you are just recognizing them for their continued performance and demonstrated potential.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 12:22 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:22:03 -0500

Something like this happened to me and I am still kicking myself a bit for letting it go down the way it did (pride and principle).

I started WLC on my DOR for SGT. My unit insisted that I wear SPC until I returned to unit. When I arrived at WLC, the Commendant ordered me to wear my stripes.

Upon completion of WLC, my unit again insisted that I wear SPC until promoted in formation... Now, I don't know if it was the fact that I was getting awarded during the battalion ceremony held by the BDE commander, or what. But I was given a very unceremonious, "Adame is now a SGT, he deserves it." Promotion ceremony and fell back in.

Shoot, the only actual promotion ceremony I have been in, was for SPC. Every other one has a story.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 12:37 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:37:26 -0500

I would always prefer to promote in front of one's peers and if possible, family. For most, they already act at the rank they are promotable too and the pinning is a formality.

There are circumstances I am sure where this doesn't work, but as the question is asked, I would think pinning early is the right answer.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 12:41 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:41:04 -0500

First, I would ask them for their recommendation. After all, it is their ceremony right? I was one of those individuals who got promoted a week earlier than my date of rank. The audience consisted of my Team Leader(SSG in the Recon world) and one of my Soldiers. The rest of the company was on Christmas leave and my date of rank was 1 January.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 12:51 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:51:12 -0500

I don't know what the Army regs are on it. In the AF we are authorized to wear our our rank on the date of rank for the promotion line number. When I was 1lt I was the road coming back from aircraft commander school. I was officially a Captain on member oral day weekend. The next day I went to work with two bars on went to MPF and got a new ID. We had a bunch of LT,'s promote that same holiday. We had an official ceremony later that week where we temporarily demoted ourselves for the pomp and circumstance to be officially pinned on I believe that Friday. We were not bared from wearing our new rank and the pin on ceremony had no bearing on our date of rank. I have seen it done both ways, where people are pinned a day before their DOR if they promote on a weekend. Either case I don't think they should be denied the rank on the official the official date.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 6:15 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 06:15:26 -0500

A good rule of thumb is to always do what benefits the Soldier. If payday falls on a Sunday the Army doesn't wait and pay us on Monday, they pay us on Friday. That Soldier should be recognized in front of their peers and be wearing the appropriate rank when arriving at their temporary duty.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Feb 27 at 2015 6:41 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 06:41:23 -0500

AF Promotion ceremonies 1. Optional and 2. are usually the duty day before sew on.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 27 at 2015 7:05 AM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 07:05:29 -0500

This is a great thread, thanks for starting it! Important leadership issue in the military for sure!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 7:32 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 07:32:38 -0500

The way I attained E5 was a disgrace. I earned it, but had no ceremony and was told to gonto the PX and buy my rank and start wearing it.

When I got promoted to CPT my unit told me I could go buy rank and start wearing it or I could have a ceremony. I had a ceremony.

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Feb 27 at 2015 7:45 AM

SGT Jim Z. — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 07:45:19 -0500

Promote before departing for TDY because it is most beneficial to the Soldier.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 8:45 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 08:45:17 -0500

I would prefer to promote prior to his TDY. It is the Soldier's choice, so you need to ask him. He should want to be recognized before his troops and unit on earning the next rank.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Feb 27 at 2015 8:50 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 08:50:50 -0500

I would go ahead and promote the service member early so that he/she is recognized in front of his/her peers, and would ensure that the service member has a copy of the promotion orders in his/her possession when they are on the TDY/TAD mission so that there are no issues at the new assignment.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 27 at 2015 9:05 AM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 09:05:50 -0500

Yes. I personally did this on two occasions while I was in the Army.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 9:09 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 09:09:22 -0500

You Absolutely should recognize that person.

It has lost its appeal if you wait until they return. Not to mention they might get more respect at the next grade while on TDY.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 9:14 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 09:14:26 -0500

Just a short frocking.

Response by MSG Dan Foster made Feb 27 at 2015 11:32 AM

MSG Dan Foster — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 11:32:06 -0500

I agree with MAJ Brian Oberg, this falls under "The Greater Good".

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 11:43 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 11:43:17 -0500

No question in my mind: Promote the individual on Friday and move along.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 12:59 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 12:59:49 -0500

I got promoted to SFC in front of my Battalion 2 days before my actual promotion date because I was leaving to school the next day

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 7:35 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 19:35:57 -0500

it has to be a circumstance that warrants the early promotion, ie schools or deployments

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2015 7:39 PM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Feb 2015 19:39:32 -0500

Part of their advancement is the acknowledgment by their peers, juniors and seniors that this is the type of person and example we are proud to advance. If the command does not feel that way, that is what the last chance decline to advance is all about. If this is one of yours, make them shine, treat them right, make them feel like, before leaving and when they come back, they are part of that family.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2015 6:35 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 06:35:45 -0400

You need the orders. Kind of a loaded question. Just make sure its an organized ceremony/formation.

Response by MSG Gary Saffell made Apr 1 at 2015 2:32 PM

MSG Gary Saffell — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 14:32:47 -0400

I agree with you Major. No financial adjustments, but the good will toward the member in recognition will serve everyone well. I see no down side in doing it this way.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2015 1:54 PM

GySgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 13:54:48 -0400

I've never really cared, the bump in pay is nice, but the rank insignia has never really affected my ability to succeed. I've been at least a squad leader or above since E-3. Getting promoted, in and of itself, never made me better. However jumping through your ass over the weekend, and paying extra to get appropriate chevrons sewn on for school on monday would annoy me a lot more than waiting a few weeks/months to wear the rank. You still get paid for it.

Not to mention the admin section is supposed to change your orders to the new rank.

Response by Sgt Troy Fallert (Gurlin) made Apr 3 at 2015 2:52 PM

Sgt Troy Fallert (Gurlin) — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 14:52:52 -0400

No that's what meritorious promotion boards are for!

Response by MSgt Steve Miller made Apr 3 at 2015 6:23 PM

MSgt Steve Miller — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 18:23:01 -0400

Promoting early (particularly for the reason mentioned) is the right thing. Or, if possible forward their promotion to the appropriate TDY/TAD commander. However, if the service member prefers to be recognized by one of their current command officers and or current company of duty I see no reason to wait until they return from temporary duty.

Response by SGT John Beardsley made Apr 7 at 2015 2:07 AM

SGT John Beardsley — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 02:07:06 -0400

Regardless of the ceremony, the service member attains the new rate on the date their orders specify. Check with the service member, if they want the ceremony then do it early, if it is not important to them then shake their hand and hand them their first set of their new rank pins and let them go on their way.

I never gave two hoots for the ceremony . . . that always seemed to me to be more for the commanders to show the rank and file how much they "cared" about the members of their command than to honor the promoted individual. Oftentimes it was the informal ceremony after the pomp and circumstances were over that had more meaning.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2015 6:19 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 06:19:23 -0400

My husband (USMC) was frocked to Captain months before we ever saw the pay. Why not?

Response by SSgt Michael Cox made Feb 14 at 2017 6:35 PM

SSgt Michael Cox — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:35:53 -0500

I would do the ceremony early but have him/her pack an extra utility blouse with the current rank and then the rest with the new rank.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2017 6:39 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:39:00 -0500

I would honestly say that the Army is different than the Air Force. In the Air Force, for E-5 and above, you are given a line number. Every month a certain number are promoted. So, when your line number comes up, you put it on effective the 1st of the month. For example, If you line number is for April, you are officially promoted 1 April. At all the bases I have been too and all the deployments I have been on, they have promotion ceremonies. The ceremonies are conducted the day prior unless the day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. In which case they have it the Friday before. For example, 1 April falls on Saturday the promotion ceremony would be that Friday. However, they can't officially wear it until 1 April. When I pinned on MSgt, I was deployed. They had a base wide promotion ceremony and I pinned on there. But, before I deployed I had extra sets of uniforms that had MSgt stripes on them, ready to go.

Response by PO1 John Johnson made Feb 15 at 2017 11:33 AM

PO1 John Johnson — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 11:33:50 -0500

What do Army Regs say you can do? If you can by the Regs, then let the member decide if they want the ceremony with their unit ahead of the date, or if they want to wait until the actual promotion date to pin on rank.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2017 3:01 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 15:01:02 -0500

Other: Hold the ceremony the duty day before promotion or before the TDY. They will wear the rank the rest of the day, but if the official promotion day has not arrived they will wear their proper rank until the actual promotion day.

Having the ceremony to recognize their achievement is the key here.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2019 12:24 PM

TSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 12:24:55 -0400

Only thing I'm learning here is Army does promotion different then the Air Force it seems, you put it on on the DoR ceremony or not. Iv not been to a promotion ceremony for any of the ranks iv made and I'm fine with that still get the same check as the others.

Response by SPC Jonathan Fretwell made Sep 24 at 2019 10:59 PM

SPC Jonathan Fretwell — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 22:59:52 -0400

I never had any of my rank pinned. Personally, I really didn’t care and I would prefer not to be called out in front. Sorry top, not big on that. I never pinned any ribbons on my dress, awards, etc. always just bare bone with the mandatory rank, etc. just didn’t care to show boat. Drove my platoon sgt bonkers, but I just didn’t care about awards.

Response by SPC Jonathan Fretwell made Sep 25 at 2019 1:07 AM

SPC Jonathan Fretwell — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 01:07:59 -0400

If this is such a worry, just ask the soldier. I’ve always told my squad leader and platoon sgt, I would prefer NOT to be pinned. Never really cared for the awards. However, that’s just me. To me, award ceremonies are boring. I would rather spend the time on the range, chasing girls, or in the gym. I never wore my awards. Keep in mind, my uniform was always pressed, boots clean and polished, etc. I always wore the mandatory rank, etc. I just left the optional stuff like ribbons off. To much of a headache to figure out what order to put them in, than the rails would always bend or break. Forget that, I would rather be in the gym pumping iron.

Response by SPC John Decker made Sep 26 at 2019 1:25 PM

SPC John Decker — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 13:25:21 -0400

Would that not technically be impersonating that rank, for the short time before it was not actually effective.