Help!?!?!?!

[MRoss83]

alright here's a quick question. Goin to my first promo board next month...in my old unit if you were going to a board you would have a million mock boards to help you get comfortable. Well, I am slowly but surely getting used to that fact that I'm not at Campbell anymore...and pretty much nobody here gives a damn. I have a really hard time studying by myself...I've been to SOM boards before, how different is this board compared to that? Is there anything besides leadership and counseling that I would need to study more on than usual? What are my key issues going to be? Do they give you situations to analyze? I just really want to knock there socks off and blow this one away. I've been wanting this for SOO long. would appreciate some advise. Thanks.

[Grimmy]

Posting for a bump to keep this up, and to offer my best wishes for your success.

I dont know anything that could be of any use, but I will keep good thoughts going your way.

[SGRock]

If you are going for promotion board the rview is to see if you are sergeant material. They will ask you questions based on general Soldier knowledge, and then ask you leadership questions, and of course they will ask you MOS questions.
It is different from SOM boards in that you are in competition with others to see who is most knowledgeable, who looks best in their uniform and who gives the best salute and so forth. The biggrst thing to remember is that you have been reccomended for promotion to the next job and to be in a ledership position. The board is only there to see if the reccomending party was right.

We did not do this in the Corps. If you were reccomended and your scores were good enough you were promoted.
At one time back in the 50's and 60's enlisted Marines had to take a test. Commandant of the Marine Corps, Al Gray said one time that he failed the test to become a Staff Sergeant so they made him a Second Lieutenant.

You'll do fine.

[Vulture6]

Study your knowledge and talk to your SFC - he might be able to give you more specific guidance than we can. Also, as Rock said above - look your best and remain calm. Having sat on the other end of those boards, I've seen too many good prospects completely brain lock - relax.

Rock - I remember that we always had a formal "to do" for Sgt boards -- not so much for LCpl or Cpl as promotion authority was delegated to lower commands. Sgt boards were almost always done at the Division level.

[RR691983]

Wish you luck.

You should've been given a memorandum stating who was going to be sitting on your board and what topics they were going to cover. Everyone that attends a board is given one of those.

Study, Study, and study those topics. If you mess up, move on and forget about it. The number one thing they ar elooking for is confidence and bearing. Don't let them intimidate you, this is YOUR board. Don't be afraid to be assertive, but dont be disrespectful.

If you're meant to make it you will. Good luck.

[MRoss83]

Thanks to all of you for your help, I know i have to stay calm no matter what. I know my subject matter, its jsut spitting it out in a language other than stutteric. Thank you again!

[Batgirl]

Best of luck with your preparations Mel. I hope your promo board goes well and do let us know how you get on.

[armyinfmom63]

Best of luck to you, I am sure you will make it....
My son is also supposed to go up in front of the board, to move to a Sgt. rank, I believe, but was told because they might deploy earlier then expected, he might not make it to the board until they get where they are going. I will keep you informed tho...

[SGRock]

Originally Posted by Vulture6

Rock - I remember that we always had a formal "to do" for Sgt boards -- not so much for LCpl or Cpl as promotion authority was delegated to lower commands. Sgt boards were almost always done at the Division level.

For meritorious boards yes. I was meaning for regular promotions. I know that for each rank it was increasingly harder and increasingly more involved.