Can your 1SG require max correspondence hours in order for your recommendation for the promotion board?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:27:29 -0500

Today, my 1sg put out a memo stating new requirements to be recommended for the promotion boards. Granted, I actually agree with most of the requirements, but there is one that I fully do not agree with. That is he is forcing all Soldiers to have max hours or he will not recommend us for the board. I already have my P status and am almost complete with BLC (graduate this week), but my Soldier was going to go to the board for February and now, he will not be. 91S only needs 40 points for promotion...

Edit: This is for secondary zone promotion, not primary.

Last Edit: I see that most higher enlisted (mostly retired) all agree with this decision. Maybe it is just a generation thing that I cannot comprehend.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 25 at 2021 12:31 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:31:32 -0500

Each board member gets a yes or no vote. Your 1SG is just one vote. The Soldier still has to be boarded, and if they perform well, his vote won't matter. If the Soldier performs poorly enough for his one vote to matter, then they don't need promoted anyway.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Jan 25 at 2021 12:31 PM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:31:59 -0500

Your leadership can set whatever standards they want to for recommendation for favorable personnel actions. My question is, why aren't you working to have all of your correspondence done (or whomever)? As a leader, you are expected to be a subject matter expert, to develop yourself tactically and technically, and to aspire to be the best candidate for selection? I never understood the mentality of doing only enough to get what you want. As a leader I'd rather see my junior soldiers trying like hell to bring their A game each and every day. I brought mine.

Response by CSM Chuck Stafford made Jan 25 at 2021 12:34 PM

CSM Chuck Stafford — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:34:18 -0500

I read that he is trying to motivate his Joes -- if it is an all the blocks must be checked policy - that's hard core and may comeback to affect everyone in the company, especially if Soldiers are not being recommended. If Soldiers are still being recommended, then it's a discriminator that makes decision making easier -- You know where you and your Soldiers stand -- Good Luck

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2021 12:38 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:38:41 -0500

Whether or not your 1SG recommends that you go to the board or not, you are required to attend the board once you are in your primary zone. You may be waivered to attend in the secondary zone, and that's what your 1SG is saying the requirement is to get his sponsorship for a waiver to attend the board before you hit your primary zone

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2021 12:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:48:35 -0500

To clarify, this is for secondary zone recommendation not primary.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2021 3:55 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:55:23 -0500

I'd also like to recommend you take as many courses as you can when you can.

As you get higher in rank in your career, certain courses will no longer be open to you. Or, your chain of command might not be supportive of pushing you through courses. Once those windows of opportunity are gone, then they are gone. It's rare to find the person with as much concern about his subordinates career success as his own.

Because where it matters, is your Soldier Record Brief. Stack that as deep as you can with as much as you can (courses, awards, assignments, civilian education). Once that lower level education gets on there early in your career it's on there. There's go going backwards in time when you are a higher rank or higher trained to get lower level courses on there. So don't pass up the easy development while you can.

The system is designed to reward those that do.

Look at the Bio's or SRB's of CSM's or COLs. They played the game from E1 and O1.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2021 4:55 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:55:07 -0500

You should do the correspondence whether the 1SG says to or not because if you look on your PPW they give you promotion points. Those are the easiest points to get out of all of them. Knock them out early and worry about the other sections when it comes time for the SSG board and SFC. Those could be what get you denied when it comes down to you and one other Soldier.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2021 4:55 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:55:21 -0500

Why don’t rise to the challenge instead of being a baby and show your COC why you deserve to lead soldiers

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 25 at 2021 5:10 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:10:24 -0500

From AR 600-8-19
Proponent and exception authority.
The proponent of this regulation is the Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling laws and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity’s senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through their higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25–30 for specific guidance.

TL:DR - you can't add to OR take away without those peoples signatures^^^^^^

It is the job of the Commander to sign the AAA regarding who goes to the board....not the 1SG (who likely proofs it and hands it to the CDR for signature) The job of the CDR is to: Recommend for board appearance eligible Soldiers from the secondary zone based on their potential to assume responsibilities at the next higher grade.

All that forcing correspondence courses does is raise the minimum points across the Army and for a little while - create too many promotables in one unit. The system is in place to create competition and force constant development - not war game and speed up the system. Last time this much emphasis was placed on correspondence course...the Army reevaluated all of em and DQ'd a ton, thereby reducing the number of hours everyone had and number of courses available that counted.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 26 at 2021 8:30 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:30:42 -0500

Simply tell you soldiers to work on their correspondence hours. Promotion points change every month. It doesn’t matter if you think they don’t need the hours to get promoted to SGT, SSG might be different and it’s easier to take the time as a SPC or even a PVT and work on correspondence than it is as a SGT or SGT(P) trying to find points to make SSG. I require my soldiers to have max correspondence in my section. Pick your battles bud.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2021 7:34 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 19:34:31 -0500

Get him to put that on paper and then take that counseling statement and file an IG complaint.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2021 7:38 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 19:38:23 -0500

If it’s is for while in your secondary zone they don’t HAVE to send you so for them to ask you to meet a requirement to promote you ahead of peers there is no issue. Either you want to get the promotion early or not. Different story once you hit your primary zone. Then they will need to do a non promotable counseling stating why you should not be promoted every month.