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SGT to SGM Evaluation Board Changes

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SGT to SGM Evaluation Board Changes

This is an update and reminder about MILPER Number 21-044 and the process change and eligibility timing for all NCO promotions, from SGT E-5 to SGM E-9.

It’s important to not get caught flat footed on this change. It’s not that big of deal overall unless you get hung up in “no-mans land” and miss your opportunity to get promoted.

I’ve included the full text of MILPER Message 21-044 below. This change is effective with the May 2021 promotion month.

Supplement to Fiscal Year 21 (FY21) Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Evaluation Boards (Monthly Promotion Selection Policy)…Issued:[04-Feb-2021]…

A. AR 600-8-19 (Enlisted Promotions and Reductions), 16 May 2019.

B. Headquarters, Department of the Army Memorandum, DAPE-ZA, 20 July 2020, subject: Supplement to Fiscal Year 21 (FY21) Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Evaluation Boards.

C. Department of the Army Memorandum, DAPE-ZA, 24 November 2020, subject: Temporary Promotions (Sergeant through Sergeant Major).

D. MILPER Message Number 20-394, AHRC-PDV-PE, 24 November 2020, subject: Temporary Promotions (Sergeant through Sergeant Major).

1. This MILPER message will expire 1 February 2022 or when superseded or rescinded.

2. This MILPER message applies to enlisted semi-centralized and centralized promotions for all Regular Army and U.S. Army Reserve (Active Guard Reserve) Soldiers.

3. The Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, announced the Army will transition to a new monthly promotion selection process for all NCO promotions, Sergeant (SGT) through Sergeant Major (SGM), (reference B), to publish by-name promotion selects earlier and increase the number of days needed for the preparation and coordination of promotion ceremonies.

4. As specified in reference B, starting with the March 2021 board month and effective with the May 2021 promotion month, eligibility for all NCO promotion pin-on selections will be as of the last day of the 2nd month prior to selection. For example, eligibility for 1 May 2021 promotion pin-on selection to SGT through SGM will be as of 31 March 2021, with a requirement to have supporting data entered into systems of record, no later than 26 March 2021.

5. CDRs, S1s, MPDs, and RDs must ensure integration onto the promotion standing lists and promotion data updates and changes are conducted within the prescribed timeline to ensure individual Soldiers are not otherwise ineligible for promotion due to untimely data submission. Strict adherence to this timeline will be enforced by HRC.

6. Army-level promotion decisions (cutoff scores and by-name selections) will be made using systems data as of 0200 hours Eastern Standard Time on the 1st calendar day of the month. In an effort to instill a proactive process intended to streamline processing, the procedures in paragraphs 7 through 9 will be followed.

7. The United States Army Human Resource Command (HRC) Enlisted Promotions responsibilities:

a. Semi-Centralized Enlisted Promotions. HRC will publish all monthly cutoff score memorandums (Regular Cutoff Scores and Temporary promotion cutoff scores) and a by-name list to be used for promotable Soldiers in the ranks of SPC/CPL and SGT in accordance with (IAW) reference B, on/around the 15th calendar day of each month.

b. Centralized Enlisted Promotions. HRC will publish all monthly sequence numbers and post it to the HRC website for all MOS/grade combinations on/around the15th calendar day of each month. Once the Army transitions to promotions from an Order of Merit List (OML), HRC will post that instead of sequence numbers. Sequence numbers/OMLs will fluctuate each month based on the number of changes to those who are fully qualified for promotion pin-on. The number of completed promotions, through sequence number/OML, will also be published each month.

For example, for each military occupational specialty (MOS), HRC will publish the following information:

SGM: 1 select through OML number 34
MSG: 14 selects through OML number 67
SFC: 63 selects through OML number 287

8. Unit Responsibilities:

a. For semi-centralized promotions:

(1) On the 3rd calendar day of each month, unit S1s will generate semi-centralized enlisted promotion reports for the commander’s action utilizing the following eligibility criteria in support of the revised monthly promotion process:

Board Eligibility SECONDARY ZONE
as of the first day of the month) PRIMARY ZONE
(as of the first day of the month) Mandatory List Integration
(as of the first day of the month)
Time in Service (TIS) Time in Grade (TIG) Time in Service (TIS) Time in Grade (TIG) Time in Service (TIS) Time in Grade (TIG)
To SGT/E5 16 months 4 months 34 months 10 months 46 months 22 months
To SSG/E6 46 months 6 months 70 months 16 months 82 months 22 months

(2) Commanders will identify and recommend Soldiers for unit-level promotion boards, no later than the 9th calendar day of each month.

(3) Upon receipt of the unit commander’s identification of Soldiers for board appearance, the promotion authority will conduct unit-level promotion boards between the 10th and the 26th calendar day of each month. Promotion boards not held in accordance with the prescribed timeline are invalid. HRC, Junior Enlisted Promotions will initiate a HQDA flag for all Soldiers whom appear before an invalid promotion board. Exceptions to this policy will be processed as outlined in reference A.

(4) Soldiers recommended for promotion must be integrated onto the promotion standing list no later than the 26th calendar day of the month for promotion consideration on the first day of the second month, following the unit-level promotion board.

(5) Supporting data for promotable Soldiers must be entered into the systems of record no later than the 26th calendar day of the month for promotion consideration on the first day of the second month, following the promotion point adjustment.

(6) RA Soldiers – On/around the 15th calendar day of each month, Military Personnel Division (MPD)/Brigade S1 (BDE S1) will download the monthly by-name selection list from Enlisted Distribution and Assignment System (EDAS), which will include deployed Soldiers eligible for temporary promotion for PME due to deployment. MPD/BDE S1 will verify the Soldiers’ eligibility in accordance with the above references A and C. The MPD/BDE S1 will then publish the promotion order and execute the promotion transaction on the personnel subsystem, promotion update (PM) screen in the EDAS.

(7) USAR AGR Soldiers – Upon receiving the monthly by-name lists on/around the 15th calendar day of each month, the Readiness Divisions (RD) will verify the Soldiers’ eligibility IAW the above references. The RD will then publish the promotion order and execute the promotion transaction in the Reserve Database Management System.

(8) Promotion pin-on eligibility, with the revised monthly promotion process follows:

Promotion Pin-On Eligibility SECONDARY ZONE
(as of the first day of the month) PRIMARY ZONE
(as of the first day of the month)
Time in Service (TIS) Time in Grade (TIG) Time in Service (TIS) Time in Grade (TIG)
To SGT/E5 18 months 6 months 36 months 12 months
To SSG/E6 48 months 8 months 72 months 18 months

b. For centralized promotions: Soldiers must meet all other eligibility criteria in reference A, paragraph 1-11.

9. Promotion Ceremonies: Promotion ceremonies should be held on the effective date of promotion or as soon as practicable. Early promotion ceremonies may be held when the effective date of promotion is on a nonduty day.

10. POC for this message is HRC, Enlisted Promotions Branch, AHRC-PDV-PE:

a. Junior Enlisted Promotions by phone COMM 502-613-9013, DSN 983-9013, or by email RA usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-jr-enlisted-promotions@mail.mil or USAR AGR usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-jr-agr-enlisted-promotions@mail.mil.

b. Senior Enlisted Promotions RA and USAR (AGR and IMA only), by phone COMM 502-613-9014, DSN 983-9014 or by email usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-sr-enlisted-promotions@mail.mil.

Read MILPER 21-044 directly on HRC as well.