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2016 Army Promotion System Changes
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2015-31 (Requirements for
Noncommissioned Officer Promotions)
1. References:
a. Army Regulation (AR) 600-8-19 (Enlisted Promotions/Reductions),
2 February 2015.
b. AR 601-280 (Army Retention Program), 31 January 2006, Including
Rapid Action Revision issued 15 September 2011.
2. This directive revises Army promotion policy for enlisted Soldiers in
the Regular Army, Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the
United States and US. Army Reserve. The development of an agile and
adaptive noncommissioned officer (NCO) requires an investment in
professional military education through a deliberate, continuous and
progressive lifelong process that synthesizes the knowledge, skills,
abilities and attributes the NCO gains through training, education and
experiences in the institutional, operational and self-development
domains. Education also provides learning experiences that are
academically, intellectually and personally challenging.
By linking structured self-development and the NCO Education System
(NCOES) to subsequent promotion, we better prepare NCOs for the
complexities of today’s operational environment while reinforcing the
benefits of a deliberate, continuous, sequential and progressive
professional development strategy. To ensure that we develop and
prepare our NCOs to fight and win in a complex world as adaptive,
agile leaders and trusted professionals, I direct the following changes.
3. Enlisted Soldiers must graduate the appropriate formal military
education course in NCOES before attaining eligibility for promotion
pin-on, as described in this directive.
a. Regular Army and US. Army Reserve Enlisted Soldiers
(1) Semi-Centralized Promotions (Sergeant and Staff Sergeant).
Beginning with the January 2016 promotion month, promotion pin-on to
sergeant requires graduation of the Basic Leader Course, and
promotion pin-on to staff sergeant requires graduation of the Advanced
Leader Course.
Soldiers on the recommended list who are not graduates of the
respective course will not be considered fully qualified for promotion
pin-on regardless of their accumulated promotion points. These
Soldiers will remain on the recommended list in a promotable status,
but they will not be selected for promotion pin-on until they become
fully qualified by completing the required course and a promotion
requirement exists.
More Info -> Download Army Directive 2015-31