What do you guys think of current Army promotions (automatic) vs those who actually strive day and night for stripes (to be a real leader)?

SSG (Join to see) what promotions are automatic? If you are referring to E1 to E4 those are advancements not promotions and do not require a board.

From PVT to SPC, you are ADVANCED, not PROMOTED. And, depending on the MOS, trying to get promoted to SGT and above, one has to strive day and night and three times on Sundays to meet the cut-off scores. But, doing that in order to get promoted does not make a real leader. Taking care of your people day and night and three times on Sundays and getting the mission done, that's being a leader.

To those who are saying automatic promotions equate to bad leaders, take a knee and drink some water.

I've seen my share of Soldiers that appeared to have potential for increased responsibility and all of the traits of a leader. Sent them to school, took them to the board, and became useless once they pinned. Whether they genuinely couldn't cut it or simply played the game to get more money is anyone's guess, but getting promoted "the right way" --a 30-day school and a board--doesn't guarantee success.

Then, and I'm not a fan of blowing my own horn but the situation fits, there is myself. I was promoted automatically both times. I was promoted to Sergeant, and aftwr some soul searching, I figured it was time to "put up or shut up" and perform as some bearing the rank should. It didn't take a week, or a month to turn it around. I'd say it took a couple years. I was looked at and treated negatively for being auto-promoted to the point that even I began to hate myself. I went to a NCO of the month board and killed it, but it didn't matter to anyone. I was still "that guy that was given his promotion"

Same thing for Staff Sergeant. I was prepping for the board when DA beat me to it. Now I was that guy that was promoted twice without seeing the inside of a board room. I'm sure you can imagine how well that went over with the locals.

Both times, I used the negativity as motivation to become better. I have seen other people who were promoted automatically perform the same. Some people just won't dance unless someone is shooting at their feet.

I was promoted to SFC on my first look in the secondary zone (my first "board" I suppose). I've had a successful 2-year tenure as Platoon Sergeant and have been recommended to submit an application to the NCOA at Rucker to be an SGL. I think I've done pretty well for myself for someone who has never been to a promotion board.

To those that think that autopromotees aren't real NCOs, I ask this. Do you treat kids born without limbs or other deformities as less than human? Do you think that they won't grow up to be productive and successful adults? I hope that I didn't offend anyone, and I apologize if I did, but those kinds of comments are exactly what you're telling someone who was auto promoted. It doesn't help them succeed. It doesn't help unit cohesion. It doesn't help...anything really. All it does is undermine the NCO Corps as a whole.

So pull that new NCO aside and lay it on the line. Tell him he just as much of an NCO as the next one. Because of that, just as much of him will be expected. He'll need some extra mentorship, and some tough love once and awhile. When he messes up, council him. Hold him to the same standard as everyone else. If it keeps up, recommend an administrative reduction. If he picks it up and runs with it, you have every reason to be proud as he has for becoming a leader. I have had both results from Soldiers over the years.

Bottom line: you have to give them a chance or they will for sure fail, and you will have failed too.