Scenario: Should a pregnant Army CPT get a DA photo in her Maternity ASUs for a below the zone promotion board?

CW4 (Join to see) As a PV2, I learned that from SFC Ernest Young, my PSG in the 1981, when I asked him why we had SPCs with over 10 years, and SGTs and SSGs at 20. I was told this by several other mentors since. You would be surprised what you see on boards, in terms of photos. I always got one a year, even though 5 years, promotion, new awards, was the standard. But, if her photo is out of date (1LT, or significant award change) I would definitely recommend a new photo, with the pregnancy ASU.

Certificates are generally on looked at, when the ORB and photo don't match, there is a concern or issue, or for significant awards, BSM-V or higher. Very little time per file. CPT John Hermida

CPT John Hermida, I would be curious as to what COL Charles Williams has to say about that, as well. Though I've never sat on a board, I have heard that the monitor(s) in front of board members essentially have the iPerms/DA Photo on one screen, and the ORB on another screen (at least that was how I was told the complete record was presented). Not to downplay the importance of getting award certificates into iPerms, but I have a feeling that the board members initial action is to scrub the DA Photo against the ORB. If everything looks straight--order of precedence, first few ribbons matching ORB--I doubt they dig any further...of course, that may be board member preference, as well.

The way I recall the screen being set up, it also seemed like it could be quite tedious to a board member--especially for a prior service officer with alot of ribbons--to start clicking through each individual document in the P-fiche of the OMPF. I recall seeing the set up and thinking along the lines of "If I were a board member, I probably wouldn't spend alot of time opening up all the files if the DA Photo uniform/ribbons scrubbed up nicely to the ORB." The screen I recall seeing seemed like you would need to essentially 'scroll down', and open each file individually...again, seems like it could be tedious and time consuming to do, especially when the board only has a small amount of time in which to consider each individual packet.

Of course, again, I'd be very curious as to what COL Charles Williams has to say about that.

Ah, looks like COL Charles Williams responded while I was writing my comment. Thanks, Sir!

Sir,

I would also word the letter in such a way that it plays up the 'judgment' aspect of her decision.

"In exercising the level of judgment required/sought after in a BZ promotion candidate, I made the decision to not get a new DA Photo done after thorough consideration of various regulations concerning the topic.

While I understand that regulation requires a new DA Photo to be taken when an award of an ARCOM (or higher) is received, please understand that I felt strongly that my earlier DA Photo would present a more professional image than had I had one taken while pregnant."

Or something like that...

Why would being pregnant not present a professional image? (Just curious why you chose that wording)

CPT (Join to see) I think that TSgt Jackie Jones is right. You need to be very watchful of how you word things. Being pregnant does not make one more or less professional. All I was trying to say is that for a board file when they look at each BZ person's file for less than 2 minutes you want to ensure they see the file and not use illogical judgment based on their misconceptions because of a DA photo.

Maybe I misunderstood the premise for why this thread was started in the first place.

I've re-read the initial post a few times, and it appears like it all boils down to the appearance of professionalism vs. being/not being in regulation (Awards higher than an ARCOM).

Maybe my last sentence should have read "I felt strongly that my earlier DA Photo would present a more professional image than had I had one taken while in maternity ASUs (with a delivery date so soon after the photo would be taken, causing the photo to go out of date quickly)."

The whole crux of the thread seems to be that maternity ASUs are somehow less professional and/or, that because she is so far along in the pregnancy, that the photo will essentially become 'outdated' once she delivers in 2 months. Some have mentioned that they have never seen a DA photo, with maternity ASUs, so, even if it is technically authorized for wear, it seems the initial poster was implying that there are some inherent norms (related to looking professional?) that caused enough to concern to start the thread.

If there weren't these concerns, I'm not so sure why there would be a thread in the first place.

Just wear the maternity ASUs, with updated (MSM, etc) ribbons, and drive on.

(Yeah, maybe my wording wasn't the best. It's not so much that being pregnant isn't professional, but, that wearing the maternity ASUs may not be perceived, by board members, as being quite as professional--I thought this was the whole concern in the first place...)