Is 5 years too long till officially being promoted to SGM?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 16:45:32 -0500

I just recently did the math.  According to the latest MILPER MSG IRT USASMA selection and promotion to SGM the Secondary cut-off is Jun 2012.  If you are a hard charger and are selected in the secondary zone then you would be at 2 years TIG for selection to attend the next class in 2015.  Starting at USASMA you would then be at 3 years TIG, after graduation and being frocked to SGM you would be at 4 years TIG (roughly).  You still need to wait for your number to be officially promoted and this brings you to 5 years TIG before your official promotion to SGM.  That seems a bit long to me.  What are your thoughts?  Should the sequence numbers be thrown out and after graduation you are officially promoted to SGM?  You were already deemed deserving of selection and thus frocking to SGM. 

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Mar 3 at 2014 4:51 PM

Maj Chris Nelson — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 16:51:12 -0500

THAT is insane!!! I thought it was bad that, if selected for Major in the Nurse Corps (Air Force) it could take 1-2 years to pin....that was on top of the fact that "in the zone" is around 8 years....line side is 6. Personally, I think it sounds a bit long, but I do not know Army policy/regs anymore.

Response by CSM Mike Maynard made May 31 at 2014 9:28 AM

CSM Mike Maynard — Sat, 31 May 2014 09:28:49 -0400

What's even more amazing is that after only 2yrs experience as a MSG/1SG, the board can tell which folks will make better SGMs than the others.

I would be for increasing the TIG requirement by 1yr and trade it for that year of waiting while frocked.

It would still be a total of 5yrs, but I think we need an extra year of assessment to ensure we're choosing the right folks.

Response by MSG Martin C. made May 31 at 2014 9:42 AM

MSG Martin C. — Sat, 31 May 2014 09:42:36 -0400

It comes down to budget projections not necessarily assignment openings. There is plenty of CSM and SGM billets but there is only so many authorized to wear the rank and get paid at one given time therefore the need for frocking will never go away. It's a revolving door the ones that just finished the Academy must wait for the ones that are retiring or come close to their high tenure all of these is carefully choreograph by big Army.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2016 5:35 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 17:35:52 -0400

made msg 2 years later command want to give me fsg, i refused my retirement packect already submitted