Study guide
6.7 Retention, Reenlistment, and the Career Counseling of Subordinates
Army Promotion Board SGT/SSG
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1 The Promotion Board Process, Eligibility, and Preparation
1.1 AR 600-8-19 Board Eligibility, TIS/TIG Zones, and PME Requirements 1.2 Board Proceedings, Protocol, Uniform Inspection, and Boardroom Bearing 1.3 Promotion Points, the AFT Conversion, IPPS-A, and Monthly Cutoff Scores 1.4 Board Preparation: Study Plan, Current Events, and World Affairs 1.5 Situational Questions, ICTL Proficiency, and Board Scenario Technique
2 Uniform Standards, Grooming, and Awards (AR 670-1, AD 2025-18, AR 600-8-22)
2.1 ASU and AGSU Configuration, Insignia, Badges, and Awards Placement 2.2 Hair, Cosmetics, Fingernails, and Jewelry Standards (AD 2025-18) 2.3 Wear of Combat Uniforms, Duty Accessories, and Body Modification & Tattoo Policies 2.4 Facial Hair, Medical Exceptions to Policy, and Religious Accommodation 2.5 The Army Awards and Decorations System (AR 600-8-22)
3 Army Leadership & Doctrine (ADP 6-22 & FM 6-22)
3.1 The Army Leadership Requirements Model: Attributes and Competencies 3.2 Leadership Levels, Dynamics, Command Climate, and the Warrior Ethos 3.3 The Counseling Process (ATP 6-22.1 & DA Form 4856) 3.4 The Evaluation Reporting System & NCOER (AR 623-3 & DA Form 2166-9 Series)
4 Customs, Courtesies, and Military Traditions (AR 600-25 & TC 3-21.5)
4.1 Saluting Protocols, Courtesies to Officers, and Hand Salute Standards 4.2 National Flag Etiquette, Colors, Reveille, Retreat, and Honors to the Nation 4.3 Drill and Ceremonies Fundamentals (TC 3-21.5) and Formations 4.4 Rank Structure, Chain of Command, the NCO Support Channel, and Unit Organization
5 Army History, Heritage, and Creeds
5.1 Army Birthday, Continental Army Foundations, and Historical Milestones 5.2 Evolution of the NCO Corps and the Sergeant Major of the Army 5.3 Major American Campaigns and Military Battle History 5.4 The Army Values, The Soldier's Creed, and The NCO Creed
6 Army Programs, Command Policy, and Soldier Readiness
6.1 SHARP Under AR 600-52: Reporting Options, Complaint Processing, and the OSTC 6.2 The Military Equal Opportunity and Harassment Prevention Program (AR 600-20, Chapter 6) 6.3 Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) and SUDCC (AR 600-85) 6.4 Soldier and Family Support Programs: AER, Red Cross, ACS, EFMP, and BOSS 6.5 Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health, and Resilience 6.6 Prohibited Activities: Extremism, Retaliation, Prohibited Relationships, and Political Activity 6.7 Retention, Reenlistment, and the Career Counseling of Subordinates
7 Tactical Combat Casualty Care & First Aid (TC 4-02.1 & ATP 4-02.83)
7.1 TCCC Phases of Care: Care Under Fire, Tactical Field Care, and TACEVAC 7.2 MARCH PAWS Assessment: Massive Hemorrhage and Airway Management 7.3 Respiration, Circulation, Shock, Burns, and Environmental Injuries 7.4 9-Line MEDEVAC Request Protocol and Tactical Evacuation Procedures
8 CBRN Defense & Force Protection (ATP 3-11.32 & AR 525-13)
8.1 CBRN Hazards, Chemical Agent Classifications, and Physiological Effects 8.2 MOPP Gear Levels, Protective Mask PMCS, and Decontamination 8.3 Antiterrorism, Physical Security, and Force Protection Conditions (AR 525-13)
9 Weapons, Land Navigation, and Physical Readiness
9.1 M4/M16 Rifle Characteristics, Clearing, Malfunctions, and Weapons Safety (TC 3-22.9) 9.2 Map Reading, Grid Coordinates, and Marginal Information (TC 3-25.26) 9.3 Land Navigation: Terrain Features, Azimuths, Intersection, and Resection 9.4 Holistic Health and Fitness, the Army Fitness Test, and the Combat Field Test 9.5 The Army Body Composition Program and the Waist-to-Height Standard (AD 2026-13) 9.6 Crew-Served Weapons, Sidearms, and Munitions
10 Military Justice, the Law of War, and Duty
10.1 The UCMJ, Article 15 Non-Judicial Punishment, and Courts-Martial 10.2 The Code of Conduct, the Law of War, and Rules of Engagement 10.3 Guard Duty, the Three General Orders, and Operations Security
11 Training Management and Unit Sustainment
11.1 Training Management: ICTL, the Digital Job Book, and Sergeant's Time Training 11.2 Maintenance, Supply Discipline, and Property Accountability
6.7 Retention, Reenlistment, and the Career Counseling of Subordinates
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
A subordinate's decision to reenlist is a mandatory situational subject area for unit-level promotion boards under AR 600-8-19 paragraph 3-11a.
The Quality Tiered Incentive program, effective 1 April 2026, stratifies Regular Army enlisted Soldiers entering their reenlistment window into four quality tiers that determine the Selective Reenlistment Bonus payment step.
In the QTI program Tier 1 is the highest tier and pays at Step 4, commanders may place no more than 50 percent of a cohort in Tier 1, and a Soldier has seven calendar days to appeal a tier placement for errors only.
Blended Retirement System continuation pay is a one-time mid-career payment requiring a four-year service obligation, available in calendar year 2026 to Soldiers with seven to twelve years of service.
The career counselor owns the reenlistment transaction, but the first-line leader owns the conversation: ask why before you sell, and route a Soldier who has decided to separate into transition support early.
Last updated: September 2026
Retention, Reenlistment, and the Career Counseling of Subordinates
Core Doctrine: AR 600-8-19, paragraph 3-11a requires boards to ask a situational question about a subordinate's decision to reenlist . The Army put that on the mandatory list because retention is a first-line leader function that units habitually delegate to the career counselor and then lose Soldiers over.
1. Who Owns What
Role Owns
Team and squad leader The conversation : knowing the Soldier's goals, catching the decision early, and being the reason a good Soldier stays
Platoon sergeant / first sergeant Identifying the Soldier's window, tracking who is in it, and connecting them to the counselor
Company commander The Quality Tier assessment and the recommendation for retention
Career counselor (79S) The transaction : eligibility, options, bonuses, contracts, and the reenlistment ceremony
The Soldier The decision
The board's question is aimed at the first row. A candidate who answers "First Sergeant, I would send them to the career counselor" has answered the question wrong; the counselor cannot have a conversation the squad leader never started.
2. The Reenlistment Conversation
Ask why before you sell. A Soldier who says they are getting out is usually solving a specific problem. The leader's job is to find out which one:
Stated reason Frequently the real issue Possible Army answer
"I want to go home" Family separation or a spouse's career Station of choice, compassionate reassignment, Married Army Couples Program
"There's no future here" No visible career map Reclassification, a school, a broadening assignment, ArmyIgnited tuition assistance
"I can make more money outside" Financial pressure now Selective Reenlistment Bonus, continuation pay, AER, financial readiness counseling
"I'm tired" Operational tempo, sleep, or a leadership problem Leave, H2F support, or a hard look in the mirror at the squad climate
"I want to go to school" Genuine education goal Tuition assistance, Credentialing Opportunities On-Line, the reserve components
Do not oversell and do not lie. A Soldier who reenlists for a promise the unit cannot keep becomes a retention problem three years later — and the NCO who made the promise loses credibility with the whole squad.
3. The Quality Tiered Incentive (QTI) Program
Effective 1 April 2026 , the Army's retention program links a Soldier's performance directly to the value of their reenlistment bonus.
Annual stratification. Commanders annually evaluate and stratify all Regular Army enlisted Soldiers entering their reenlistment window , including those currently flagged or ineligible in case they later become eligible.
Cohort. A Soldier is evaluated within their rank and military occupational specialty .
Scorecard. A standardized Quality Tier Score Card evaluates the whole Soldier across documented physical fitness scores , technical expertise shown by certified training and badges, and a performance review of leadership potential including degrees and certifications.
Data source. All assessments must be based on official systems of record — IPPS-A and the Army Training Information System — so a Soldier's digital record must be correct before the evaluation.
The four tiers
Tier Description Payment step
Tier 1 Highest-performing Soldiers who significantly exceed standards. No more than 50 percent of a cohort may be placed here (the cap does not apply if the Soldier is the sole member of their cohort) Step 4 (highest)
- Tier 2 High performers who consistently meet or exceed standards Step 3
- Tier 3 Fully qualified Soldiers who reliably meet Army standards Step 2
- Tier 4 Soldiers who meet minimum standards for continued service Step 1 (lowest)
A quality tier does not guarantee a bonus. A Soldier is eligible only if a Selective Reenlistment Bonus is authorized for their MOS in the current MILPER message.
Validation. The battalion commander validates all assessments to ensure equity across the formation.
Appeals. A Soldier who disagrees has seven calendar days to submit an appeal by memorandum for record for errors only , routed through the battalion for final determination by the brigade commander . Even if the appeal is denied, the Soldier must sign the score card to remain eligible for any monetary incentive .
Tiers can change at quarterly or annual reviews, so the counselor must ensure the contract reflects the validated tier at the exact time of reenlistment .
4. Blended Retirement System Continuation Pay
Continuation pay is a one-time mid-career cash incentive for Soldiers enrolled in the Blended Retirement System.
Obligation: the Soldier agrees to four additional years of service in their current component, beginning on the date they sign the election form.
Eligibility window (calendar year 2026): at least seven and no more than twelve years of service, computed from the pay entry base date. In calendar year 2027 the window narrows to seven to ten years.
Multipliers: 2.5 times monthly basic pay for the Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve; 0.5 times for the standard USAR and ARNG rate; 2.5 times for the USAR/ARNG active rate available to Soldiers who performed 270 or more days of involuntary mobilization within a 730-day period.
Payment: lump sum or up to four equal annual installments .
Prerequisites: verify the pay entry base date and BRS enrollment on the leave and earnings statement, and complete mandatory financial training before signing . The request form requires the signature of a commander O-5 or above and is submitted as a personnel action request in IPPS-A.
5. The Soldier Who Is Leaving
Retention is not a scoreboard you protect by pressuring people. When a Soldier has genuinely decided to separate:
Support the decision. Coercion produces a bad Soldier and a bad advertisement.
Start the Soldier for Life – Transition Assistance Program early. Timelines are long and the good opportunities go to Soldiers who start ahead of them.
Brief the reserve components. Continued service in the ARNG or USAR preserves benefits and keeps a trained Soldier in the force.
Keep them at standard until the last day. A Soldier's final NCOER and separation characterization follow them for life.
Protect the record. Make sure awards, education, and evaluations are posted in IPPS-A before they out-process.
6. Answering the Board Question
"Sergeant Major, if my Soldier told me they were not reenlisting, the first thing I would do is ask why, and then listen. If the reason is something the Army can solve — a station of choice, a school, a bonus, or a family issue — I would get them in front of the career counselor and make sure they see their Quality Tier score card and their options before they decide. If they have already decided to separate, I would support them, get them into the transition program early, brief them on continuing in the Guard or Reserve, and keep them at standard until their last day, Sergeant Major."