Posted on Feb 17, 2021
Why can't we mention selection for Warrant Officer Candidate School in NCOERs?
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Before I attended Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), I had to complete my annual NCOER. A bullet somewhere along the lines of "Selected for Warrant Officer School" was added. My old CSM denied the bullet and said I could not add it and must change it. I thought little of it and changed it. Years later, a buddy of mine who is a Chief wrote a similar bullet for his Motor Sergeant. He was also denied by his CSM. I've looked in the regulations and cannot find any reason as to why we cant add it. I'm curious to find the reason behind why we cannot mention anything about being selected for Warrant Officer school. Does anyone know?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
The first thing to understand is that in regards to NCOERs the CSM is the senior enlisted member of the unit and the SME of the NCOER. Their job is to ensure that the information in the evaluation correctly addresses the requirements of DA Pam 600-25 to the promotion board. It's not just a list of accomplishments, it's an evaluation of how well you met the standards of your grade. The MOS Proponent briefs the promotion board exactly what is on the DA Pam and instructs the board members how to grade in reference to that document. Your CSM has the experience to know what the board considers and how to reflect that.
Your evaluation is a reflection of your accomplishments. Being selected for something isn't an accomplishment, passing the course is an accomplishment. Evals don't say that you were selected for promotion, or selected to attend any other course. You wouldn't write that someone was selected to attend Ranger School, Airborne, or Air Assault school, you would write that they completed those schools.
WOCS/OCS is also not a part of your enlisted career map or any other part of the DA Pam so it's not appropriate to address it. To add to that, WOCS is covered by a 1059 so it's an unrated period of service, again making it inappropriate to address in the accomplishments.
As for the value of being selected for WOCS, that is not an accomplishment in and of itself. There are some WO programs that have a 100% pickup rate because they are under strength. There are WO MOS's that will take any applicants as long as they are qualified. Without an MOS Proponent to brief how or whether that is valuable, that tells the board members nothing.
Finally, it adds no value and only offers possible harm. If you pass WOCS then you are a Warrant and it's self evident that you were selected for WOCS. If you fail, are injured, or dropped from the course, your evaluation now says that you were selected for a program you failed. Of course, the 1059 for WOCS will be present so they can't remark on WOCS in your eval afterwards
Your evaluation is a reflection of your accomplishments. Being selected for something isn't an accomplishment, passing the course is an accomplishment. Evals don't say that you were selected for promotion, or selected to attend any other course. You wouldn't write that someone was selected to attend Ranger School, Airborne, or Air Assault school, you would write that they completed those schools.
WOCS/OCS is also not a part of your enlisted career map or any other part of the DA Pam so it's not appropriate to address it. To add to that, WOCS is covered by a 1059 so it's an unrated period of service, again making it inappropriate to address in the accomplishments.
As for the value of being selected for WOCS, that is not an accomplishment in and of itself. There are some WO programs that have a 100% pickup rate because they are under strength. There are WO MOS's that will take any applicants as long as they are qualified. Without an MOS Proponent to brief how or whether that is valuable, that tells the board members nothing.
Finally, it adds no value and only offers possible harm. If you pass WOCS then you are a Warrant and it's self evident that you were selected for WOCS. If you fail, are injured, or dropped from the course, your evaluation now says that you were selected for a program you failed. Of course, the 1059 for WOCS will be present so they can't remark on WOCS in your eval afterwards
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CPT (Join to see)
WAY BETTER answer than I would have given: Get through WOCS and the last NCOER is irrelevant.
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I can't speak for your CSM, but can only surmise that they may have been protecting your interests. If for whatever reason you did not complete WOCS then there would always be the lingering question of why when that NCOER was reviewed. But that's ancient history for me now and the regs elude my memory
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CW2 (Join to see)
That's what I was thinking, but still wasn't sure if there was an additional underlying reason.
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PO1 (Join to see)
I don't know how the Army works, but in the Navy we have the score system and Promote, Must Promote, Early Promote ratings. Maybe seeing the WOCS notation would have gotten you a lower score because a rater would say, "why waste a high slot on someone who isn't going to need this NCOER to get promoted?"
I dunno, just thinking.
I dunno, just thinking.
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CSM Chuck Stafford
PO1 (Join to see) - I've done my share of politicking at the Chief's Board to get my guys promoted -- I'm batting about .650, I still go over what I could of, should have said for my guys... Loved my CTs -- that said, that's not how it works over here. Great intuition though --
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Just to add a little more detail. My CSM was not rude or mean about the situation. In order to submit my Warrant packet I needed his signature to which he quickly signed with no issues. I'm sure he was looking out for my best interest, but I just never got any clarification.
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