{"id":16304,"date":"2018-01-08T21:34:53","date_gmt":"2018-01-08T21:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/01\/08\/leveling-the-playing-field-big-changes-to-nco-promotions-on-the-way\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:53:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:53:57","slug":"leveling-the-playing-field-big-changes-to-nco-promotions-on-the-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2018\/01\/08\/leveling-the-playing-field-big-changes-to-nco-promotions-on-the-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Leveling the playing field: Big changes to NCO promotions on the way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the Army grows for the first time<\/a> in almost a decade, the service is realizing that there\u2019s a shortage of junior noncommissioned officers to lead the influx of new troops<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for that, officials suspect, is that qualified specialists and sergeants<\/a> are not moving up in the ranks because it\u2019s up to their immediate chain of command whether they are promoted \u2014 and that in the name of promoting their \u201cbest,\u201d unit-level commanders are overlooking their other fully-qualified soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, they\u2019re essentially becoming the selection board, saying \u2018You\u2019re my best guy, so I\u2019m going to recommend you for promotion. But all you other people, even though you\u2019re in good standing, qualified, and you meet all of the requirements \u2014 I\u2019m not going to recommend you because you aren\u2019t my best,\u2019 \u201d said Jerry Purcell, the Army\u2019s personnel policy integrator, in an interview with Army Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But all of that ends thanks to a Dec. 7 directive signed by Army Secretary Mark Esper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new policy sends all primary zone specialists and sergeants to their local promotion boards, rather than require nominations from their chain of command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This turns sergeant and staff sergeant promotions into a centralized system that automatically puts all eligible soldiers on the promotion recommended list, the way it works in the senior noncommissioned officer ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy expectation is that the vast majority of soldiers will be integrated into the promotion recommended list upon attainment of such eligibility,\u201d Esper wrote, acknowledging the time in grade, operational experience and training benchmarks required for promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The policy will officially go into effect during the May 2018 promotion month, according to an All-Activities message outlining the policy change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAppearance before a local promotion board is mandatory for all eligible soldiers,\u201d the Army wrote in the December All-Activities message. \u201cAs the Army transitions to this new policy, commands must board all soldiers who will meet\/exceed the revised [primary zone] eligibility criteria and are otherwise fully eligible for board appearance by the April 2018 promotion board month.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That means specialists with 36 months in service and eight months in grade, or sergeants with 84 months in service and 10 months in grade, will automatically go before a local board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move normalizes promotion recommendations across the board for NCOs because while appearing before a local board doesn\u2019t guarantee promotion, it ensures an even playing field for all qualified soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sgt. Quintin Steeves addresses the 316th Sustainment Command promotion board in December 2014 at the Vernon T. McGarity Army Reserve Center in Coraopolis, Pa. A new Army policy automatically sends all qualified E-4s and E-5s to a local promotion board for consideration. (Master Sgt. D. Keith Johnson\/Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Soldiers in the secondary zone will still need unit commanders to recommend them for promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an example, a specialist who has met every milestone for promotion to sergeant hits the secondary zone at 18 months of service and six months in grade. If that soldier is not promoted at that point, they will hit the primary zone at 36 months of service and eight months in grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy affording quality soldiers promotion opportunities and, conversely, denying continued service to those who clearly do not show they have the potential for such service, we strengthen our Army and NCO corps,\u201d Esper wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\t