Today a Specialist and a Specialist promotable I know got into an argument about who was actually higher in rank. The Specialist non promotable had more time in grade but the other Specialist was promotable. I read the regulation and it does not say anything about promotion status having anything to due with precedence of rank. The AR I read was AR 600-8-19. It has always been my general understanding that the promotable would be of a higher rank but according to this regulation it plays no part in telling who is senior. Does anyone know of any regulation that can clarify this?

AR 600-8-19 paragraph 1–12. Precedence of relative rank
Among enlisted Soldiers of the same grade of rank in active military service (to include retired enlisted Soldiers on
active duty, drill status or FTNGD for ARNG), precedence or relative rank will be determined as follows:
a. According to DOR.
b. By length of active Federal service in the Army when DORs are the same (pay entry basic date (PEBD) for
USAR and ARNG)
c. By length of total active Federal service when 1–12a and b are the same.
d. By date of birth when 1–12a, b, and c are the same. Older is more senior.


The "P" means promotable which has nothing to do with whom is senior.

Promotable "P"- has attended and passed a promotion board making one eligible for the next rank.

So if SPC John Doe has a PEBD of 24 June 2005 and SPC(P) Jane Doe has a PEBD of 7 July 2005, SPC John Doe is still senior to SPC(P) Jane Doe.

The (P) doesn't really mean anything anyway when it comes to distinguishing who has seniority. It just means that they are eligible for promotion.

quote:

Originally posted by Frame:
Today a Specialist and a Specialist promotable I know got into an argument about who was actually higher in rank. The Specialist non promotable had more time in grade but the other Specialist was promotable.

Sorry, but I gotta be blunt here: What a dumb thing to argue about.

I've found that the Specialists who stress out over outranking people are the Specialists that you won't want to have outranking people. If they're this worried about it now, I'd be concerned that they'll each turn into a couple of those over-bearing, power-hungry Sergeants the second they get promoted.

quote:

Originally posted by doghostage:

quote:

Originally posted by Frame:
Today a Specialist and a Specialist promotable I know got into an argument about who was actually higher in rank. The Specialist non promotable had more time in grade but the other Specialist was promotable.

Sorry, but I gotta be blunt here: What a dumb thing to argue about.

I've found that the Specialists who stress out over outranking people are the Specialists that you won't want to have outranking people. If they're this worried about it now, I'd be concerned that they'll each turn into a couple of those over-bearing, power-hungry Sergeants the second they get promoted.

I couldn't agree more. I used to (and still do even as a NCO) despise JE soldiers who play those games.

First off these guys or gals need to chill out. What a dumb subject to debate. Yeah, if a detail came up and someone needed to run it guess who would be chosen, the SPC promotable. But at the end of the day they are just both specialists. A promotable status is not a rank, it is a "status".

I think the biggest reason for putting the Promotable guy in charge instead of the one with more time in service/grade is b/c guess who has a better chance of getting promoted sooner? THe promotable guy, but the one with more time in grade is higher ranking until the other gets promoted...

Back in my day, they made folks "Acting Corporals and Acting SGT" Kinda like Frocking E-7's and E-8's into positions. Problem was, I was pinned "Acting Corporal" as an E-3, over folks that had more time in grade as E-4 than I had in the Army. Acting Corporal in a team leader position sucked.

This is sort of the issue I am having. My date of rank for E5 is 2004 and the unit that I just came to they put me under another E5(p) who was pinned in 2008. Apparently they are planning on having him do my NCOER. Is this possible? I would think that based on our DOR I would be senior to him and that he wouldn't be able to rate me. Which is correct.