What do you think of "sh*tbag" promotions?

SSG Bill M — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 07:23:52 -0500

Is it just the Connecticut Army National Guard, or are there other states/ branches, that allow shitbags to get promoted to NCOs? I have been in for almost 8 years and have fought very hard to get where I am. Am I the only one that gets pissed off when shitbags (PT failures, overweight, popped hot, etc.) get promoted to NCO ranks?

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2015 8:03 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 08:03:13 -0500

If there are Soldiers in your unit getting promoted and are not flagged for APFT failure, Army Body Composition failure, or doing drugs you need to bring that to someone's attention. That is not the way the Army works whether it's Active, Guard or Reserve.

If the chain of command will not listen there is always the IG or the National Guard Bureau.

Response by TSgt Tim (lj) Littlejohn made Feb 14 at 2015 11:13 AM

TSgt Tim (lj) Littlejohn — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 11:13:19 -0500

sierra hotel, enough said.

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Feb 14 at 2015 11:18 AM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 11:18:33 -0500

I doubt that this is unique to the National Guard or the Reserves, I'm pretty sure that this still happens in the regular Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy too ... I certainly saw enough of it back in my active duty days and can't imagine that things have changed that much.

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Feb 14 at 2015 11:47 AM

SGM Billy Herrington — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 11:47:38 -0500

It's not unique to CT. It happens here too. When I was in a line unit is old flag those needing it. When it came time for them to ETS higher wanted the numbers so I was told to lift the flag, extend them, then flag again.

Needless to say I wouldnt. But they still were extended and some even lucked up and were promoted before a new flag could be input.

Ive seen that problem my whole career. I won't be a part of it and will do the right thing no matter what. If more would do that it would eventually stop.

Response by 1LT Nick Kidwell made Feb 14 at 2015 1:07 PM

1LT Nick Kidwell — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 13:07:31 -0500

It's not only in the Enlisted ranks. THIS guy made LTC before his courts-martial and BCD:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Steele

William H. Steele - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Former Lieutenant Colonel William H. Steele (born circa 1955) is a former U.S. Army Reservist from Prince George, Virginia. He was charged with aiding the enemy and other breaches of military law, mostly in connection with his role as commander of the 451st Military Police Detachment and Camp Cropper, a holding facility for security detainees in Iraq. He was acquitted of aiding the enemy, but sentenced to 2 years confinement on other charges...

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Feb 14 at 2015 1:17 PM

SGT Jim Z. — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 13:17:41 -0500

Just like CSM Private RallyPoint Member says if this is happening report it because someone is not doing there job. Of course there is the old saying from the past screw up to move up but there may be a different word for the screw up part.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2015 1:32 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 13:32:12 -0500

Units that fail to uphold or adhere to standards get NCOs that will not enforce them either.
You reap what you sow.
I am not a zealot for ruthlessly enforcing policy; I believe in a total Soldier concept. But when it comes to awards and promotions, if you make a new standard, everyone in the ranks who does the right thing gets the message that it doesn't matter if they work hard, only if they are favored by their leaders. The ramifications of this are huge in a unit. It impacts retention, attendance, and morale - the intangibles that hold a unit together.

SSG Bill M, you may not be in a position to make those decisions, but you can make a difference. Impress upon your Soldiers the importance of standards. Breed a culture that says that you are "better than" the ones who don't do the right thing. I promise, they will respond.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 14 at 2015 2:37 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 14:37:58 -0500

SSG Bill M - Shitbag promotions are throughout the Army. If they are promoted for popping hot or despite being flagged, then you definitely need to bring that to the attention to your chain.

Furthermore, work hard and focus on your own career, as well as mentoring those GOOD troops around you. This will keep them motivated and help provide a support network to help you lock yourself on goal. These people will eventually be noticed for their lack of standards and removed....and you will have demonstrated your ability to recognize and develop quality leadership so that whether it is you or the man to your left or right, the replacement to fill his slot is ready and equipped to handle the job.

The Army has a way of policing its own. My first 4 years were less than stellar......but as a result of my focus on helping my troops, someone above saw fit to push me through when I faltered on my own military journey. They pulled me up and told me to get my happy ass back in the fight. I suggest you do the same, and let them sort themselves out. Ultimately the pieces of shit will sort themselves out.....even the floaters still go down the hole.
v/r,
CPT Butler

Response by SGT Gary Sokol made Feb 19 at 2015 10:08 AM

SGT Gary Sokol — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 10:08:05 -0500

same thing in my unit. my section SGT got promoted, and I was in line for his job. had all the qualifications, top of the promotion list. my platoon SGT actually called me and said there was an opening in another unit. tried to convince me that I had to transfer in order to get promoted because he wanted one of his friends to get the slot that was open in our unit. I finally called the CSM and got things squared. I had been to PLDC, maxed the PT test, shot 38 for 40 on the range, had college credit, did all the right things, had excellent evaluations, yet saw many people promoted who never passed PT test, couldn't pass physicals, never been to any NCO schools who got promoted. and I'm not the only one this happened to.