Promotion Boards
Military Promotion Boards
Military promotion boards are a critical step in evaluating Soldiers' readiness and leadership potential for advancement. These boards are a professional assessment to determine whether you have the knowledge, character, and leadership qualities to excel at the next rank.
Recommended Resources
Here’s a good doctrine primer for your young’ns to have some idea where to start
What Military Promotion Boards Are
- An opportunity for leaders to assess your preparedness for greater responsibilities.
- A venue for displaying your professionalism, knowledge, and adherence to Army values.
- A chance to demonstrate your readiness to eventually replace leaders in your chain of command.
What Military Promotion Boards Are Not
- Not the place to discuss possible branch or career field changes.
- Not casual conversations or an opportunity to express dissatisfaction with your career path.
- Not a situation where "winging it" is acceptable—preparation is key.
Guidance for Soldiers
Promotion boards are designed to evaluate your potential to lead. Leaders on the board assess how you might one day replace them. Your preparation should focus on demonstrating confidence, competence, and leadership ability. Remember: 1. Take care of your Soldiers. 2. Handle situations at the lowest level when feasible. 3. Use Army Programs and Doctrine to provide structured, actionable answers.
Questions Asked in Promotion Boards
Promotion boards may include rapid-fire questions, open-ended questions, and situational scenarios. Preparation is essential to succeed.
Rapid-Fire Questions
These questions test your foundational knowledge of Army doctrine, regulations, and practices. To prepare:
- Use resources like Quizlet and the Anki method for memorization.
- Gradually progress from memorization to comprehension.
- Read entire sections of Army doctrine to gain a deeper understanding.
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions assess your critical thinking and decision-making skills. Follow these three guiding principles: 1. Take care of your Soldiers. 2. Handle situations at the lowest level when feasible. 3. Use Army Programs and Doctrine to provide structure and credibility to your answers.
Comprehensive Question and Answer Table
Below is a detailed table of questions and answers based on the provided raw data:
| Category | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Regulations | What regulation covers Army Command Policy? | AR 600-20 |
| Regulations | What regulation covers Uniform and Appearance? | AR 670-1 |
| Regulations | What regulation covers Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP)? | AR 600-85 |
| Regulations | What regulation covers Army Body Composition Program (ABCP)? | AR 600-9 |
| Regulations | What regulation covers Enlisted Promotions and Reductions? | AR 600-8-19 |
| Regulations | What regulation covers Military Leave and Passes? | AR 600-8-10 |
| Regulations | What regulation covers Military Awards? | AR 600-8-22 |
| EO | What regulation covers the Equal Opportunity (EO) Program? | AR 600-20 Chapter 6 |
| EO | How many types of EO complaints are there and what are they? | Two: Formal and Informal |
| EO | What is the purpose of the EO Program? | Maximizes human potential and ensures fair treatment based on merit, fitness, and capability. |
| SHARP | What regulation covers the Sexual Harassment Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program? | AR 600-20 Chapter 7 |
| SHARP | What does SHARP stand for? | Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention |
| SHARP | What are the two types of reporting for Sexual Assault? | Restricted and Unrestricted |
| Leadership | What is Army Leadership? | The process of influencing others by providing purpose, direction, and motivation. |
| Leadership | What are the Seven Army Values? | Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage (LDRSHIP) |
| Counseling | What form is used for counseling? | DA Form 4856 |
| Counseling | What are the three types of counseling? | Event, Performance, Professional Growth |
| Drill and Ceremony | What regulation covers Drill and Ceremony? | TC 3-21.5 |
| Drill and Ceremony | What is the length of a marching step? | 30 inches |
| Drill and Ceremony | How long is a half-step? | 15 inches |
| Drill and Ceremony | What command revokes a preparatory command? | "As you were." |
| Guard Duty | What regulation covers Guard Duty? | TC 3-22.6 |
| Guard Duty | How many General Orders are there? | Three |
| Guard Duty | What are the General Orders? | 1. Guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved. 2. Obey special orders and militarily perform duties. 3. Report violations, emergencies, and anything not covered to the commander of the relief. |
| Land Navigation | What regulation covers Land Navigation? | TC 3-25.26 |
| Land Navigation | What are the three types of north? | True North, Grid North, Magnetic North |
| Land Navigation | What are the six colors of a map and what do they represent? | Black: Man-made features. Red-Brown: Relief features. Blue: Water. Green: Vegetation. Brown: Elevation. Red: Populated areas. |
| Weapons | What regulation covers weapons? | TC 3-22.9 |
| Weapons | Describe the eight function steps of the M4. | Feeding, Chambering, Locking, Firing, Unlocking, Extracting, Ejecting, Cocking. |
| UCMJ | What publication covers the UCMJ? | Manual for Courts-Martial |
| UCMJ | What does UCMJ stand for? | Uniform Code of Military Justice |
Preparation Tips
1. Practice Regularly:
- Review mock board Q&A sessions.
- Memorize key regulations and doctrine.
- Practice responding to situational questions.
2. Use Available Resources:
- Study key regulations like AR 600-20, AR 670-1, and AR 600-9.
- Leverage tools like Anki or Quizlet for flashcards and spaced repetition.
3. Understand Doctrine:
- Move beyond memorization to comprehension by reading Army manuals like TC 3-21.5 (Drill and Ceremony) and ATP 6-22.1 (Counseling).
Conclusion
Promotion boards are an opportunity to showcase your readiness for greater responsibility. They are about answering questions and demonstrating your ability to lead with confidence, knowledge, and adherence to Army standards. Use this guide to prepare and succeed.