Enlisted Promotions - Are Vacancies Needed?

2022-08-03T02:18:30-04:00

I have a SGT (E-5) in my unit who is tightly restricted for promotions in his MOS. He was previously told that he needed to be in a E-6 slot to get promoted to E-6. Now he is sitting in an E-6 slot as an E-5 and is being told he needs to leave that slot to get promoted to E-6 because lower-NCO positions are only promoted based on vacancies, and because there is no E-6 vacancy, he will not get promoted as he is sitting in an E-6 slot.

Both of these sound completely wrong to me, and I am trying to get a better understanding so that this soldier does not give up a highly competitive slot which he is sitting in so that he can (theoretically) get promoted back into the position.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2022 2:24 AM

2022-08-03T02:24:07-04:00

This scenario reminds me of a specialist holding an E5 slot so no E5 could get promoted into it. This was back in the National Guard in the late 1990s.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2022 8:37 AM

2022-08-03T08:37:04-04:00

Technically, yes.
Per regulation, all promotions in the reserve compos, officer and enlisted, require a valid vacancy to promote to.
Occasionally, G1 will be willing to promote the number 1 on a list if that number 1 is the incumbent occupying the next higher grade position already.

However, in any case where there are far fewer vacancies than names on that promotion list, if the Soldier is not at the top of the list, they must vacate that next higher grade position so that it can be offered to the Soldier who is at the top of that list.
Also, because the promotion process involves cross-leveling excess first, if there is an E6 in that MOS sitting excess in that unit or within 50 miles, your E5 has to move to an E5 position and that E6 must be cross-leveled from excess to primary.

If your E5 is currently number 1 on the list, and there are no excess E6 within 50 miles, then you should not have to move him.
If at least one of these two conditions are not true, then you do have to move him.

I understand the position is competitive, but if there are Soldiers ahead of him on the E6 list, or there are current E6s in that MOS sitting excess nearby, then they are all more competitive or qualified than your E5.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2022 9:22 PM

2022-08-03T21:22:47-04:00

This vacancy list comes out weekly. Game the system. Our USAR ability to promote is generally limited to our willingness to commute or deal with LIK and DTS.

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Response by CSM William Everroad made Aug 8 at 2022 3:08 PM

2022-08-08T15:08:31-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member I don't think I have ever seen a case where a promotable Soldier had to be in a position of the next rank in order to get promoted. That seems to be borne out of the old (good 'ole system) practice to guarantee that that person gets promoted into that slot. Mainly because on a basic UMR scrub the position doesn't appear vacant, even though on closer examination is would fail the grade mismatch. "What had happened was": 1SGs/S1s started getting lazy and just did basic scrubs of the UMR after getting beat up for moving Soldiers that failed grade mismatched by getting griped at because "the E5 is the Squad Leader".

In the USAR, the vacancy report informs the slating process. Your S1 should be scrubbing the report with the 1SGs to ensure that it is accurate. As soon as the para/line number is showing as vacant, an incumbent could be promoted into it. You (or your 1SG/S1/CSM/ARA) can reach out to your servicing RD with their OML number/or copy of PPRL with the para/line number and ask why they have not gotten promoted. I can 70% guarantee it is because it is not showing as vacant, (20% they are somehow not in a promotable status due to some forgotten flag or MILED code)(10% their election of options statement indicates 50 miles when they live 50.5 miles away).

Best practice: don't slot people into positions they don't have the rank/MOS/ASI for. They are functionally considered "Acting". They can still be rated for the duty position they perform while not being assigned in the slot.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2022 8:34 PM

2022-08-10T20:34:30-04:00

Yeah man