Top enlisted soldier promises ‘promotion reform’ for sergeants major

The Army is reviewing how it assesses, selects, promotes and assigns its sergeants major in what the service’s top enlisted soldier called short- and long-term “promotion reform.”

Through 2025, the service will review all aspects of E-8 assessment and the selection process for the Sergeants Major Academy, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer told the audience at an Association of the U.S. Army speaking event Thursday. The Army will also evaluate promotions, as well as how the service manages its command assessment program for the senior rank.

“Sergeant major talent management is a big topic right now,” Weimer said. “How are we running boards to truly evaluate, assess performance, and then most important, assess potential.”

Weimer served previously on the Senior Enlisted Council, which includes 10 sergeants major from across the services. He described that group, with each member averaging 30 years of experience, as, “powerful if used properly” in this effort.

Though nothing has yet been decided, Weimer expects change.

“Are we still doing this with a No. 2 stubby pencil like in 1993 or are we really taking advantage of where technology can help us?” he said. “But then the humans still call balls and strikes when it comes to true potential assessments.”

A substantial portion of how the analysis plays out will involve the Army’s Human Resources Command, which handles the bulk of personnel requirements for the service.

The review follows reports and rumors of sergeants major opting out of promotion boards, as well as promotable officers opting out of company or battalion command assessments.

Weimer said those anecdotal reports are problematic without data to support the numbers. He did not cite specific data on senior enlisted soldiers opting out of command selection.

The Army overhauled its command assessments for officers at the company and battalion level in recent years. The move aimed to provide a professional approach that would allow for a more holistic assessment of the candidates before assigning them leadership roles over those formations.

In September, Weimer issued new guidance for the selection of command sergeants major that removed a requirement for a candidate’s diversity to be considered, Military.com reported. Promotions boards are still allowed to consider diversity but are no longer required to do so when assessing candidates.

The Army fired at least three high-profile command sergeants major in separate incidents last year.

Those relieved of command included Command Sgt. Maj. Harold “Ed” Jarrell, the top enlisted leader for 1st Information Operations Command; Command Sgt. Maj. Veronica Knapp, the top enlisted leader for the service’s Military District of Washington; and Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Carlson, the senior enlisted leader of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.