You're tired of watching the Platoon Sergeant and Staff Sergeants sit in the office while you slave away working in the motorpool and doing the bulk of the work the platoon needs done. You should be getting paid more than you are and you know you could make a difference and do it better. It's time to work towards promotion and here you will find out where to start and what you need to do to get promoted in the Army.
Here in part 2 we are going to discuss 1. military schools and 2. military education. At this point in your career, it is a good time to start thinking about attending schools and completing courses that will benefit you for the rest of your career and in the civilian sector.
1. You should have completed your correspondence courses by now but many Sergeants forget that there are additional promotion points available in this section for your promotion to Staff Sergeant. Look at your Promotion Point Worksheet and see if you have the maximum number of points for your promotion. If not, get on the Army Learning Management System (ALMS) and get it done.
2. Being that you are an NCO, your opportunity for schools is much better but you still have to be competitive. If you aren't sure what makes you competitive, check out your promotion point worksheet (PPW) and see what the Army places emphasis on. It changes as you go. At this point a large amount of points are still in physical fitness, weapons qualification, and civilian education so stop slacking and making excuses as to why you can't do it. Get it done Sergeant.
As you make the mad scramble to get promotion points, many people will jump right into the first available school that comes up. This is something that will get you points but as you continue to promote, you want to be aware of the courses you take. Driving a bus as a Sergeant First Class when you have a platoon or section to run may be a nice break or just a giant pain in the ass that keeps you from getting home on time. Check the PDF for the full list of resident courses worth promotion points.
Also think about the schools that are good for promotion later and decide if you want to be doing all of the additional duties your schools will give you at every unit you go to for the rest of your career. Be strategic if you have the chance when choosing which resident military courses you will attend. The most sought after courses to be competitive for higher ranks are usually Equal Opportunity (EO), Master Resilience Trainer (MRT), Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program (SHARP), and Master Fitness Trainer (MFT). A course that get's you points, a badge, and has minimal additional duty work is Air Assault.
What could make this better? Let us know.
Continue reading with SSG promotion preparation Part 1 Education
Continue reading with SSG promotion preparation Part 2 Schools and Courses
Continue reading with SSG promotion preparation Part 3 SRB
Continue reading with SSG promotion preparation Part 4 Board