Promotable specialists, corporals and sergeants across the Army eagerly anticipate the release of promotion point cut-off scores each month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s understandable. Earning enough points for promotion to sergeant or staff sergeant means more pay, more responsibility and more career opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rank has its privileges, too. In most units, earning your stripes or first rocker means moving out of the barracks \u2014 many of which suffer from mold and maintenance problems \u2014 and escaping mandatory meal deductions from paychecks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the past three months\u2019 cut-offs combined for the lowest quarterly promotion rates<\/a> for both sergeant and staff sergeant since 2019, according to an Army Times analysis of Human Resources Command data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the first quarter of 2019, nearly three-in-ten eligible specialists or corporals made sergeant, and about one-in-five eligible sergeants pinned staff sergeant. Four years later, rates have plummeted: quarter one of 2023 had approximately a 4.13% promotion rate to sergeant and a 2.33% rate to staff sergeant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n