US Army promoted 10,000 troops who have not yet completed their required military training: Report

The U.S. Army has allegedly given promotions to 10,000 noncommissioned officers in the past two years. These individuals have not completed the required military education and training academies, according to Fox News Digital.

Though 10,000 NCOs have remained in their promoted position, the U.S. Army initially promoted 52,000 NCOs in what the military branch characterized as a temporary pandemic-era policy. Miliary.com reported that NCOs are supposed to be stripped of their promotion if they do not complete the required school within a year of the promotion.

But the Army does not want to demote front-line enlisted leaders all at once. Reports noted that the one-year deadline could have posed challenges for those who had trouble scheduling their schooling. There are limited slots for some occupations in the military, and long-term training rotations have made it hard for some units to send their troops to school.

Some required courses can take up to a month to complete.

The Army told Fox News Digital that "we are conducting a review of all Soldiers with exceptions to the STEP [Select, Train, Educate and Promote Policy] policy prior to suspension."

"As we align policies we will ensure that we are taking care of Soldiers, informing commanders, units and Soldiers of the changes and correcting any actions that are counter to the suspension of the STEP policy."

The Army released a news release in September that explained how it planned to reinstate its "Select, Train, Educate and Promote" for January. This will still require NCOs to complete the necessary training before they can be promoted. But the decision was overturned in December, and the Army told Fox News Digital that there was no timeline for the policy's reinstatement.

"Our goal is to ensure our soldiers' careers do not suffer from factors outside of their control," Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer said.

In 2022, Military.com published a report that revealed 77% of young Americans would not qualify for military service without a waiver for being overweight, using drugs, or having physical and mental health issues.

"When considering youth disqualified for one reason alone, the most prevalent disqualification rates are overweight (11%), drug and alcohol abuse (8%), and medical/physical health (7%)," the study read, according to Military.com. Those examined in the study were between 17 and 24 years of age.

The study was carried out by the Pentagon's Office of Personnel and Readiness.

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