The zone of consideration for the Regular Army Sergeant Major Selection, Training and Promotion Board in June included 4,238 first sergeants and master sergeants with dates of rank of June 4, 2012, and earlier; basic dates of June 4, 1988, through June 4, 2004, and birth dates no earlier than June 4, 1958.
The annual screening would result in 540 E-8s, or 13 percent of the eligible population, being recommended for resident Sergeant Major Course attendance for the purpose of being promoted to sergeant major.
A companion board met in June to consider Army Reserve members of the Active Guard and Reserve for Sergeant Major Course attendance. The panel selected 22 of 872 zone-eligible E-8s, for a selection rate of 2.5 percent.
While the active board focused primarily on issues involving body composition and PT standards, it also reported problems with official photographs in personnel files. The board said many files were missing photos or contained outdated ones. Some photos contained “uniform aberrations such as reversed lapel brass, misplaced tabs and misplaced badges.”
The Active Guard and Reserve boards reported similar photo problems and also noted: awards worn on the uniform that were not reflected in the official file; ribbons improperly displayed; wrinkled or ill-fitting uniforms; female soldiers with hairstyles not in compliance with Army regulations, and NCOs with photos that display their previous, rather than current, rank.
