THE SIXTY PERCENT SOLDIER

We DO NOT promote soldiers simply because they are eligible. I continue to see DA form 3355s submitted for 60% soldiers. 60% soldiers show up for the APFT to pass, do common tasks to pass, and shoot their assigned weapon just to qualify. They don’t compete for NCO or Soldier of the Month. They do not volunteer for Airborne, Air Assault, Jumpmaster or Ranger School, or any other professional training such as Recruiter or Drill Sergeant. They seek out and hide for years in TRADOC or AC/RC assignments. They are often caught in violation of AR 670-1. They grow side burns and keep their appearance just under regulation. I hear them ask the question in the APFT push-up line, “How many to get 60 points?” I am often told that they do their job well and that we should give them a chance.

Well I’m here to tell you, they get paid to do their job well. They are promoted because they give 200%, seven days a week, not 60%, 4 to 5 days a week.

Soldiers deserving of promotion must be already setting the example. They must do push-ups and sit-ups for the full 2 minutes, run as hard as they can to always better their last time, and they must think and concentrate to shoot expert; after all, who will train tomorrows expert, today’s marksman? Who will lead their teams and squads through vigorous PT, today’s APFT score of 180?

As your 60% percent soldier defends your perimeter, he’s only good for 36 seconds of the final 1-minute attack. He only hits 6 out of 10 incoming enemy soldiers. He only remembers 60% of his MOS and individual training. Lets hope part of that 60% is the First Aid you need on the battlefield.

Your good promotion candidate should already be in your NCOPD class. He should be learning to instruct and train. He should admire and emulate those appointed over him and not selecting 60% soldiers for promotions.

Go ahead, promote your 60% soldier today. I hope he’s your 60% First Sergeant tomorrow.

- Unknown NCO

Overview of the NCOES Process (Under Construction)

The Non-commissioned Officer Evaluation Reporting System is designed to:

1. Strengthen the NCO corps' ability to meet the Professional challenges of the future through teaching Army Values and basic NCO responsibilities. The use of Army values and NCO responsibilities as evaluation criteria provides and reinforces a professional focus for the rating chain's view of an NCO's performance. Over time, this leads the NCO to accept the values and responsibilities and perform better, strengthening the NCO corps.

 2. Ensure the selection of the most-qualified NCOs to serve in positions of increasing responsibility. It does this by providing the rating chain's view of an NCOS performance and potential for use by the Enlisted Personnel Management System (EPMS) in centralized selection, assignment, and other decisions. The information in these evaluation reports, together with the Army's needs and the individual NCO's qualifications, becomes the basis for such personnel actions as school selection, promotion, assignment, military occupational specialty (AIOS) classification, command sergeant major (CSh4) designation, and qualitative management.

 3. Contribute to improved performance and professional development throughout the Army by increasing the emphasis on performance counseling. Evaluation reports give the NCO formal recognition for performance of duty and measures professional values and personal traits. Along with the NCO Counseling Checklist Record (DA Form 2166-8-I), NCOERs form the basis for performance counseling by rating officials. The communication between seniors and subordinates that performance reviews foster is necessary to maintain high professional standards and is key to an effective evaluation system. It is important that evaluation reports be accurate and complete. This ensures sound personnel-management decisions and the full development of an NCO's potential. You should strive to make each report a thoughtful, fair appraisal of an NCO's ability and potential. Incomplete reports, or reports that do not provide a realistic and objective evaluation, make personnel-management decisions difficult. But a single report should not, by itself, determine ail NCO's career. Both the Army and the NCO benefit most from philosophy that recognizes continuous professional development and growth-rather than nor that demands immediate, uncompromising perfection.