Military

What was going for a promotion like in the military?

Insider shares the process of military promotions

What was going for promotion like in the military? So obviously I can only speak for what it's like for the United States Army on active duty. So from my experiences, well first of all for E1 through E4, that's automatic. If you're in the United States Army and you're not getting into trouble, you're automatically you go from private to specialist automatically in a certain time frame. But to go to the next higher up, to get to sergeant, to get to E5, that does take a little bit of work. That requires your leadership to nominate you, to go to the board, and then actually try to, you know, kind of present yourself and answer a bunch of questions. So from my experience, I, you know, was sent to the Soldier of the Month board to get a little bit of practice. A lot of people still do that today even. And then a practice for the board, then I went to the actual promotion board, give my answers to all the questions, ran confident is usually the key thing, and then hopefully you pass. And then you have to make points, you have to go to a leadership school, and then you get promoted. And that kind of continues for both E5 and E6, and then after E7 it's all about what you've done in the military to be looked at to see if you qualify to get promoted. So there you go. That's how you get promoted.

Promotion in the US Army requires your leadership to nominate you and then you must pass a promotion board, demonstrate your knowledge and remain confident. You also have to make points and go to leadership school for higher up promotions.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/atabhfvzx9ab9vscidp9.vtt

Going for a promotion in the military, specifically in the United States Army on active duty, is a process that varies depending on the rank. For ranks E1 to E4, promotion is automatic as long as one remains out of trouble within a certain timeframe. However, advancing to the next rank, such as sergeant (E5), requires additional effort. Leadership nomination and participation in a promotion board are necessary steps. Many soldiers, including myself, were sent to the Soldier of the Month board for practice before facing the actual promotion board. The key is to present oneself confidently and answer questions effectively. Passing the board is crucial. Accumulating points and attending leadership schools are often required for promotions at E5 and E6 ranks. Beyond E7, promotions are based on one's achievements and qualifications in the military. This process continues to determine eligibility for further advancement.

Which of the Army's values do you identify with the most?

Army veteran emphasizes the importance of respect

Which of the Army's values do you identify with the most? I would probably say respect. I always wanted to make sure to show my soldiers that were under me respect and everything. I tried to hopefully earn the respect of other individuals as well. Respect was probably a big one because definitely if I had leaders that earned my respect, it made you want to work hard to make sure to not let them down. I had a really good squad leader that I can think of as a good example of that. It was awesome and amazing when I was stationed in Korea. He was an individual I didn't want to let down because he showed me a lot of respect, so I showed him mutual respect back. It motivated me to try hard and make sure I didn't fail him, didn't let him down, because I wanted to maintain that respect. I would definitely go with respect as the top one for me.

Respect is the Army's value that I identify with the most because it motivated me to try hard and not let down my leaders who showed me respect.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/db2evadrnnmubtkrhemw.vtt

Of the Army's values, the one I identify with the most is respect. It was important for me to show respect to the soldiers under my command and to earn respect from others. Respect played a significant role because when I had leaders who earned my respect, it motivated me to work hard and not let them down. I had an exceptional squad leader during my time in Korea who showed me a lot of respect, and I reciprocated that mutual respect. It pushed me to give my best and ensure I didn't disappoint him because maintaining that respect was crucial. Respect is definitely the top value for me.

Which experiences or training in the military do you feel have been most valuable to your leadership development?

Military training and experience: Key to leadership development

Which experiences or training in the military do you feel have been most valuable to your leadership development? Well, so it kind of sounds kind of simple and kind of easy, but my actual leadership training was probably one of the key things I went through. At that time it was called PLDC and BNOC, now it's called BLC and ALC in the United States Army, and those two courses teach you how to be a leader at, you know, different kind of levels. And I learned a lot of things like, you know, how to teach a class, how to, you know, do counseling, how to do different things for leading soldiers and taking care of soldiers and everything, basic fundamentals like marching and all sorts of other stuff that still kind of applies. So a lot of it comes from that, but also a lot of it comes from the actual experience itself. Probably the last role that I had in the Army as a section sergeant in the ammo section of my last unit was probably one of the biggest ones because I was a section sergeant, I had 10 other soldiers under me and a lot of different scenarios that you kind of experience and everything to kind of learn from. Going to deployments with these individuals, going to the National Training Center with these individuals, and a lot of various kind of scenarios that kind of played out that really kind of helped me develop and kind of learn the do's and don'ts, the right way, wrong way to do different things, and it really kind of built up my skills to make me overall better, to kind of better be able to adjust to different situations and know how to apply myself.

My most valuable experience in the military was my leadership training, which taught me how to teach classes, counsel, and lead soldiers. I also learned a lot from my role as a section Sergeant, where I had 10 other soldiers under me, and had to learn from various scenarios such as deployments and National Training Centers. This experience helped me develop my skills to be able to adjust to different situations and apply myself accordingly.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/scx0fujjvhdmrhkujp7k.vtt

The most valuable experiences and training in the military that have contributed to my leadership development are my leadership courses and my role as a section sergeant. In the United States Army, I went through courses like PLDC and BNOC, now called BLC and ALC, which taught me how to be a leader at different levels. These courses covered various aspects of leadership, such as teaching, counseling, and taking care of soldiers. I also learned fundamental skills like marching that still apply today. However, a significant part of my leadership development came from the actual experiences in my last role as a section sergeant in the ammo section of my unit. Leading 10 soldiers and going through deployments and training scenarios like the National Training Center provided valuable opportunities for learning and growth. These experiences taught me the do's and don'ts, the right way and wrong way to handle different situations. They helped me develop the skills needed to adapt to various circumstances and apply myself effectively as a leader.

What is one lesson you learned in the Army that you wish everyone could learn?

Army Lesson: There's No Such Thing as Being on Time

What is one lesson you learned in the army that you wish everyone could learn? That would probably be the lesson that there is no such thing as being on time. You're either early or you're late. Basically what that means is if you're supposed to be somewhere's at 9 a.m. then you should probably be there probably like 850, 845, something along those lines. It is great because it allows room for mistakes like if you're at the wrong spot, you got stuck in traffic a little bit, then hopefully gives you a little bit of room. But if you're supposed to be somewhere's at 9, you show up at 9, you're not on time, you're already late. And I really kind of still stick with that even when it comes to simple things like hanging out with friends, going to something really casual, whatever. And I think a lot of people should kind of, you know, incorporate that into their lifestyle of making sure you're always a little bit early. You know, it doesn't always have to be something, you know, crazy at 30 minutes or anything like that. Even five minutes just to make sure that you have a little bit of buffer room. But there's no such thing as being on time. You're either early or you're late.

The lesson I learned in the army is that there is no such thing as being "on time" - you're either early or you're late. This is great because it allows room for mistakes and should be incorporated into everyone's lifestyle to make sure they are always a little bit early.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/kqq84qarghiltnctbfps.vtt

One lesson I learned in the army that I wish everyone could learn is the importance of being early rather than simply being on time. In the military, there is no such thing as being on time - you're either early or you're late. If you're expected to be somewhere at 9 a.m., it's best to arrive around 8:50 or 8:45. This mindset allows for margin of error, such as getting lost or encountering traffic delays. Arriving at the designated time means you're already considered late. I still adhere to this principle, even in casual situations like meeting friends. Incorporating this habit into one's lifestyle ensures that there is always a buffer room, even if it's just arriving five minutes early. The key takeaway is that there is no such thing as being on time - you're either early or you're late.

What tips do you have for someone looking to rise through the ranks in the Army?

Mastering Your Role and Going Above: Tips for Army Advancement

What tips do you have for someone looking to rise through the ranks in the Army? I would definitely say for one, make sure you know your job really well, but also know the job above yours. So if you are, let's say, a specialist in the United States Army, right? You've been in the Army for a while and now you're looking to get promoted to a sergeant, you're looking to get sent to the board, make sure you know how to be a team leader, know how to do your NCOs jobs, and whatever level you're at, make sure you know how to do your job really well, as well as above your job. That way they rely on you, they know that, hey, this individual is pretty well skilled at the job and they easily could do my job or whatever, they would probably be a good candidate to recommend for promotion, to move them up because they're ready for that kind of a thing. Make sure you're volunteering, make sure you take the initiative, all that kind of stuff. But mainly, know your job really well, take the initiative to learn, so you know that stuff, and just put yourself out there. Because the people that put themselves out there to get the attention of the higher-ups, they're the ones that are going to get recommended for promotion, maybe ahead of others.

Make sure you do your job really well and know it inside and out, but also learn the jobs of those above you. Take initiative and volunteer for opportunities to show your skills and abilities. Put yourself out there to get the attention of the higher-ups so you can be recommended for promotion.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/ujdymb0aa6kkzon6pzcx.vtt

If you're looking to rise through the ranks in the Army, here are some tips. Firstly, make sure you have a strong understanding of your current job and also familiarize yourself with the responsibilities of the position above yours. For example, if you're a specialist aiming for promotion to sergeant, demonstrate your ability to be a team leader and understand the tasks of NCOs. Excelling at your current level and showing potential for higher roles increases your chances of being recommended for promotion. Additionally, actively volunteer and take initiative whenever possible. Being proactive and seeking opportunities to contribute will help you stand out. Remember to continuously learn and expand your knowledge in order to excel in your role. Finally, put yourself out there and seek visibility among higher-ranking individuals. Those who make themselves known and catch the attention of superiors are more likely to be considered for promotion ahead of others.

How have you seen the Army change in recent years?

Army's Changing Policies and Strategies: Opening Up Opportunities

How have you seen the Army change in recent years? A lot of the changes that I've seen have really come down to the Army trying to get more people into the Army. They have had quite a bit of a recruiting crisis trying to get people to join for a number of factors. So, things like changing the Army slogan to hopefully mix things up, different standards have changed as far as like female hair, tattoo policies for all individuals, and several other things that they're just kind of slowly kind of whittling away to try to kind of open up a little bit more to a bigger, broader audience to allow more people to be able to join the Army than maybe before where it disqualified. And certain other kind of factors maybe to motivate people to want to stay in. So there's a lot of changes here. There's probably still a lot of work has to be done to make it better, but they are making some subtle changes here and there. And maybe over the years we'll see some more changes kind of happen to increase that even better hopefully. And thank you for listening to this conversation on Service to Justice on Women. Letter to a Men's Army Catwalk.

The Army has changed in recent years by making changes to their recruiting policies, such as changing the slogan, changing standards for female hair and tattoo policies, and trying to open up to a broader audience. These changes have been made in order to increase recruitment and keep people in the army.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/x1juoh1xxfrpbhnddupp.vtt

The recent changes I've observed in the Army have largely been driven by efforts to address a recruiting crisis and attract more individuals to join. One significant change is the alteration of the Army slogan in an attempt to mix things up and generate more interest. There have also been adjustments to standards regarding female hair and tattoo policies for all individuals, among other factors, as a means to broaden the appeal and allow more people to qualify for Army service. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to improve retention rates and motivate individuals to stay in the Army. While there is still work to be done, these subtle changes are being made with the goal of enhancing the Army and possibly leading to further improvements in the future.

Christopher Chaos answers your Military questions. See all the advice Christopher Chaos has and get answers to your own Military questions.

Follow me on AnyQuestion

I served almost 11 years on active duty in the US Army. I deployed twice to Iraq. During the day I am a military instructor on Fort Carson where I teach US Army soldiers and have done that for 10+ years. I also create Army related content on my YouTube channel with over 100K subscribers and more than 20 million views. 