Army Promotion Board case studies

Army Promotion Board · Put your knowledge to work in context.

A promotion board appearance is the oral evaluation a Soldier undergoes before a panel of senior noncommissioned officers as part of the enlisted promotion process. It is not a correspondence course or a commercial certification - it is a local, command-run event, and the panel is assessing whether the Soldier is ready to carry the rank being considered. The Army Promotion Board case studies are 5 cases and about 4,003 words.

The Bar to Reenlistment That Wouldn't Have Fixed Anything

You are SGT Alvarez, squad leader of nine Soldiers in a signal company. PFC Rowe, 20 years old and 14 months in service, has failed two consecutive record ACFTs - most recently 340 points, with a 21:40 two-mile run and a 1:10 plank.

842 words, about 4 min 2

The Hand Receipt, the Friend, and the Missing Brake Pads

You are SSG Whitfield, NCOIC of a 12-vehicle motor pool. On Thursday you found six sets of HMMWV brake pads and four cases of CLP missing from bench stock; the shortage will surface at Monday's cyclic inventory.

775 words, about 4 min 3

The Phone, the Urinalysis, and Three Decisions on One Desk

You are SSG Okonkwo, platoon sergeant. Three things land on your desk the same day.

757 words, about 4 min 4

Two Casualties, a Dead DAGR, and 800 Meters of Doubt

You are SGT Rivas, squad leader of an 8-Soldier dismounted patrol. It is 0130; light rain, visibility roughly 40 meters, temperature falling toward 38°F and everyone is wet.

814 words, about 4 min 5

Four Weeks, Twelve Hours a Week, and Two METL Tasks

You are SSG Nakamura, platoon sergeant of a 32-Soldier platoon. The company commander gives you four weeks and 12 available training hours per week before an external evaluation on two METL tasks: "Conduct a squad attack" and "Establish a hasty defense." The only lane availability is Tuesday, 0800-1200.

815 words, about 4 min