only the army can be this incompetent

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

In case you don't know, the army works on an "up or out" promotion philosophy, meaning you MUST get promoted within a certain timeframe or you get ushered out the door.  Each rank has certain key positions you must hold to be eligible for the next rank.  Many of those positions are selected by a board -- board for the position, do the position, and then board for promotion.  Each board, whether for position or promotion, is managed by a bunch of congressional mandates and laws to ensure fairness.  If you don't get the position, you cannot be promoted, so when your time expires you must leave.  

 

This year I was boarded for brigade command, which is one of the key positions required to become a brigadier general.  In other words, I must be selected for brigade command, and then do the command successfully (2-3 years) before I can even be considered for a star.  The board results are due out in January.  They met in September but each board must be validated and run through a congressional approval process.

 

HOWEVER, I got an email from the G1 of the Army Reserve.  Not from his staff or from a generic mailbox, but from him personally.  What did it say?  Oops.  Due to an administrative error I was not considered in the board.  We're sorry, but there's nothing we're going to do about it.  Re-apply next year.

 

In other words, they made a mistake and rather than invalidate the board and reconduct it, they expect me to just roll over like it's no big deal.  My promotion clock just had an entire year artificially removed.  I forwarded this email to my commanding general asking for advice on how to proceed, but have not heard back yet.  I'm strongly considering filing a congressional complaint, requesting the board be invalidated and reconvened.

 

I understand their reluctance to do so.  Every board consists of a panel of people who outrank the people being boarded.  So, brigade commanders being full-bird colonels, our board is comprised of about 10-15 generals of varying numbers of stars.  Each is a reservist who spent two weeks on active duty conducting the board at the army's expense -- airplane tickets, hotels, their pay (which is substantial), etc. would all be wasted money, not to mention they would have to admit to congress that they wasted money due to an administrative error.

 

But it's my career.  To say I'm so angry I can't see straight is an understatement.  That's why I haven't reached out to my congressman yet.  If I did, I would definitely get myself into trouble.

 

EDIT:  There is no recourse.  Filing a congressional complaint would not change anything.  Apparently, this happens regularly enough that the army has created a policy for it (do a quick google search and you'll find tons of news articles about how broken our personnel system is).  The policy is, "oops, so sorry, but tough luck," just like they told me.  The good news is I have 8 years to go before mandatory retirement, meaning I can be looked at for command 6 more times (your command tenure must end on or before your retirement date).  Based on reading the tea leaves, I was certain that I was going to be selected this year, which means next year I should be in an even better place; I'll have about 1.5 years as a division G3 on the books before they see my file next year.  The command opportunities next year (i.e. the units that will be open) are much better units than this year.  Not to mention I'm working on master's degree #3, and waiting a year means I'll be complete before I take a command, assuming I get one.    

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

Good Luck  

[PowderRiverCowboy]

After 2 Branchs That up or out why I got out disposable heros use us to deploy then opps we done with you next, went medical board otherwise @18 years i was done with zero 

[Sedalia Dave]

That SUCKS.

 

Now write two letters.  In the first one don't hold back get it all on paper.  Set it aside for a couple days and then put it in the shredder.  Now write the second letter. This is the one you will actually send up the chain of command. 

 

Was given that advice many years ago by my leading chief. It has worked several times for me.

[J-BAR #18287]

You have a legitimate complaint.  If you are not satisfied with your commanding general’s response, make the biggest waves you can.  I doubt you are the only one it has ever happened to.  (Lousy English, but you can write better than I!)

 

 I think if you lose, you will feel better going down fighting.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Saw the title and I thought you were talking about another army that has been in the news.  )))))

 

I understand your pain in this. I am so glad I did not reup.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

2 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

But it's my career.  To say I'm so angry I can't see straight is an understatement.  That's why I haven't reached out to my congressman yet.  If I did, I would definitely get myself into trouble.

If your commanding general is unable/unwilling to help, what's the risk to your career if go up the chain to your congressman and prevail? Could you be labeled a malcontent and sidelined anyway?

[St. Louis Suomi SASS #31905]

Howdy:

 

My experience is when you are in a tank with sharks and you get bit, then for heaven's sake do not bleed.  Complaining about the "bite" you got will be perceived as bleeding (Whining) - tag - "not a team player, etc.  Better to just suck it up and if it happens next pass - you are being told something about your career.  Retire.  JMHO YMMV

 

STL Suomi

[watab kid]

up and out works fine in relative peace - a lot of us dont think of them that way ...they drafted us 

[Trigger Mike]

I recall seeing a really good soldier get ushered out because he didn't progress as fast as they wanted.  Hope it gets fixed for you.  

[twelve mile REB]

Complaining equals out, sucking it up 50-50.  Up or out does not produce the best leaders but certainly does produce the best at assessing career risk and avoiding it.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

15 hours ago, St. Louis Suomi SASS #31905 said:

Howdy:

 

My experience is when you are in a tank with sharks and you get bit, then for heaven's sake do not bleed.  Complaining about the "bite" you got will be perceived as bleeding (Whining) - tag - "not a team player, etc.  Better to just suck it up and if it happens next pass - you are being told something about your career.  Retire.  JMHO YMMV

 

STL Suomi

 

That's terrible advice.  I wasn't non-selected.  I was accidentally taken out of the pool by an administrative error.  I am not being told anything about my career.

15 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

If your commanding general is unable/unwilling to help, what's the risk to your career if go up the chain to your congressman and prevail? Could you be labeled a malcontent and sidelined anyway?

 

I'm not sure.  That's why I'm sitting on this one until the emotions settle down.  

[Tall Tale Todd]

I vote you escalate the situation and cause a scene.

[Dawg Hair, SASS #29557]

Good luck to you Colonel, and, thanks for your service, sir.

[Gracos Kid]

Cyrus,

I am old enough to know that Romans 8:28, all things work together for good, will always hold true.  I feel for you in this situation, as I too was overlooked for a promotion due to the Human Resources Director "forgetting" to include my name in the promotional list.  Yes, it has cost me considerably in my retirement income, but nevertheless I have always been blessed.  We don't always know the why, or what could have been.   Just keep the faith and know that there is something better in store for you.  It just may be that you have been overlooked in order to release you from something major that you would not want to be responsible for or a part of.   Keep your chin up, express your dismay to your current superiors, and let it go.  That makes you all the more a man to admire.

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

2 minutes ago, Gracos Kid said:

Cyrus,

I am old enough to know that Romans 8:28, all things work together for good, will always hold true.  I feel for you in this situation, as I too was overlooked for a promotion due to the Human Resources Director "forgetting" to include my name in the promotional list.  Yes, it has cost me considerably in my retirement income, but nevertheless I have always been blessed.  We don't always know the why, or what could have been.   Just keep the faith and know that there is something better in store for you.  It just may be that you have been overlooked in order to release you from something major that you would not want to be responsible for or a part of.   Keep your chin up, express your dismay to your current superiors, and let it go.  That makes you all the more a man to admire.

 

That's not what happened, pard....I can still make it, just a year later.

[Sedalia Dave]

Thinking about it the individual that told you of the problem likely feels the same as you do. Otherwise they could have said nothing and swept the whole thing under the rug.

 

I wonder how many other people this has happened to across all branches of the military?

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

4 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

I'm not sure.  That's why I'm sitting on this one until the emotions settle down.  

Always a good move in these circumstances. Best of luck to you, pard. 

[Eyesa Horg]

Wishing you the best Cyrus. Thank you for serving.

[Irish Pat]

I was in AFROTC at LaTech near Barksdale in the 1970s. The best B-52 navigator at the base was a supply seargent, former Officer, that got crossed by a superior. He was finishing out a few years till retirement and helped all the young guys. what a waste 

 

[Jon C]

A guy on my team made E-7 as an 18B, but he was actually an 18C. They made him wait a year to re-board even though his packet was absolutely flawless and it was a simple spreadsheet error by some S1 clerk when the board results were compiled.

 

Army gonna Army…