Can a Soldier be forced to attend a promotion board?

[delta14]

I don't understand the Army or it's leaders at rimes. Can you be forced to go to a promotion board, while you're trying to reenlist and reclassify, especially if you're not ready to go?

[jay_ellis04]

Absolutely...it's called "following orders". Sorry but that's the way of the military. As long as the order is not "illegal or immoral", guess what...it's your duty to follow that order to the letter.

[Biglew97]

I just want to pile on with Jay here

But yea, if you don't want to go to the board, get out of the Army and go for an interview in the private sector, nearly the same thing.

The board is a wonderful experience, priceless almost, and those sitting on the board know you don't know everything, the whole Idea is to review you as a soldier, you should know Basic Soldiering 101 for your particular MOS, That experience gets you a leg up on others that want to be promoted, or aspire to do great things in the Army.

and You were told to, so quit whining and do it, and let yourself shine, those that are sitting on the board were in your position once and you have nothing to worry about. It is there responsiblity to develop you as a future Leader and NCO....a leader, mentor, and role model of Soldiers...

Move out smartly and Drive on

[Mike Bailey]

yes failing to be in the proper place at the time ordered is considered AWOL, and that is the last thing you need, if they do board you and you get promoted and in the meantime you have reenlisted for a new MOS as part of your reenlistment contract then you will go at the new rank, so what is the problem?

I didn't think I was ready for my first promotion board, but being 11B all you had to do was be breathing and have a pulse back in the early 70s to get promoted if I remember right the cutoff scores were 450 not exactly rocket science there required, the board for Staff Sergeant was the same now for E7 it was all done by records and I was shocked to be selected out of the secondary zone on the same promotion board as my older brother who had been in the Army 2 years longer than I, and no I don't ever let him forget it.

Use it as a learning experience and do the best you can, it will be part of your permanent record.

[delta14]

The problem is I don't need to be in a position of authority going into a brand new MOS not fully knowing how to do the job or having any experience in the field. I don't have a problem getting promoted, but if I become promotable I will lose my school seat and can't reclass. And that's to me is called screwing a soldier over. And the fact that they're only giving me less than two weeks to prepare is also a huge problem. Another problem is that no one in my change of command recommended me to go. I'm not prepared at all, so what's the big hurry?

It's situations like this that make soldiers not want to stay in the military at all.

[Biglew97]

Originally Posted by delta14

I don't have a problem getting promoted, but if I become promotable I will lose my school seat and can't reclass. And that's to me is called screwing a soldier over.

This is an understandable issue and I would be aggravated. You should have said that when you started this thread.

The best thing you can do is engage your Squad Leader, and your immediate chain of command, and explain why you shouldn't go to the Board. Make it abundantly clear that you are wanting to reclass, and as a term of your re-enlistment (I'm assuming (and I hate assuming) you are using this as an option for re-enlistment) any promoteable status will eliminate your desire to re-enlist and also decreases your re-enlistment options.

You can also engage you Co. and Bn. retention NCO's and explain to them the situation, so that they may intervene on your behalf. Believe me they don't want to lose a hard charger because of some damn board, and besides it is their Job to try and fulfill your wishes on your re-enlistment...

And if all else fails, I'm sure you still have the "Open Door Policies." Request an audience with your CO, or the Bn. CO, and explain your situation. You will have to use the chain of command or you could get in some hot water, and don't re-enlist unless you get what it is that you want, don't settle just because you think you have to.

[jay_ellis04]

Understandably, yes, I can understand the frustration at having to attend a board under these circumstances. I am confused about one small thing though that I would (just for the sake of my own ease), like to have answered. If no one from your chain of command has recommended you to go to the board, who is MAKING you go? If you aren't recommended, then HOW can you go? Who is behind this? Just curious as that particular facet is a little confusing.

[delta14]

Originally Posted by jay_ellis04

Understandably, yes, I can understand the frustration at having to attend a board under these circumstances. I am confused about one small thing though that I would (just for the sake of my own ease), like to have answered. If no one from your chain of command has recommended you to go to the board, who is MAKING you go? If you aren't recommended, then HOW can you go? Who is behind this? Just curious as that particular facet is a little confusing.

We've yet to figure out how my name got on the list. I believe because I'm assigned to one unit and and attached to another, the unit I'm assigned to put my name on the promotion roster. But it has all been settled and I;m not going, yet

[Sal]

AR-600-8-19 para. 5–11. Declination of selection board consideration.
a. A Soldier who is within the zone of consideration for promotion may decline such consideration before his or her
promotion packet is assembled and sent to the promotion board. Once the packet has been sent to the board, the Soldier
cannot decline consideration. However, if selected and placed on the PPRL, the Soldier may request removal from the
list per paragraph 5–27c.
b. A declination of board consideration will be a written statement signed by the Soldier, witnessed by an NCO or
officer, and inserted in the Soldier’s MPF. The declination will remain in effect for any subsequent boards unless the
Soldier changes his or her mind and requests board consideration. In this event, the declination will be removed from
the MPF, annotated by the custodian to indicate the declination was withdrawn on a specified date, retained by the
custodian until the next regular board is convened, and then destroyed.
c. When a Soldier declines promotion consideration, it is essential that the Soldier’s immediate supervisor and the
CDR determine the reason for the declination and provide adequate counseling.

[FieldArtillery07]

Just because they send you to the board doesn't mean you have to be an e4p. You could always go there forgetting everything. "i dont recall at this time sir." If they dont think you are ready they wont give you promotable status. Just a suggestion.