Leadership in action. The 2004 PAC will put the right people in the right places. Photo By Cpl Belinda Mepham, Army newspaper

Promotion wheel 2004

As we have commenced the annual promotion series, it is appropriate to start the SCMA articles with an explanation of the Personnel Advisory Committee for Other Ranks (PAC OR).

The promotion process is not a secret process shrouded in mystery only to be understood by SCMA. In fact, the process is open and transparent. All ranks are able to visit SCMA during the promotion series to view it first hand. The only stipulation is that you cannot view your own corps.

The promotion process consists of several steps, starting with the soldier and the unit. The key document considered by the PAC is the annual Performance Appraisal Report (PAR). Other records such as special reports, interview sheets, career planning letters, medical classifications, AIRN status, course reports, record of service including offences and awards are also considered. Finally, the soldier's posting history and the experience gained in different environments are considered in determining those with the merit and potential for greater responsibility.

PAC convenes between March and May each year and recommends to the appropriate promotion delegate the suitability for promotion of soldiers to sergeant and above. PAC's role is to consider and place in order of merit, all soldiers eligible for promotion. The PAC process is detailed in the appropriate Career Management Agency Standing Operating Procedures which are held at SCMA/DOCM-A.

Soldiers should be conscious that promotion is not merely a reward for performance. Promotion occurs to give soldiers the authority to carry out their duties. Promotion is a service needs driven requirement and opportunities can change from year to year due to available vacancies.

Advice of PAC result
In a change from previous years, all soldiers considered by the PAC in 2004 will be notified of their results by either signal or by formal letter through unit CO/OCs.

In upcoming weeks units can expect to receive signals, addressed to CO/OC, advising PAC results for soldiers who are cleared in Bands One, Two or Three for each rank and trade.
CO/OCs will be asked to pass the results to the soldier concerned and counsel the soldier on the implications of the result as necessary.

Soldiers who are allocated to Band Four or Five will be advised of the result by letter, through their CO/OC. The letter will provide an explanation of the reason for the PAC determination. Again, CO/OC will be asked to pass the results to the soldier and provide counselling as required.

These letters and signals will be released from SCMA within four weeks of the completion of the corps PAC.

A 2003 article from SCMA dealt with the "banding" system of PAC results to be employed by SCMA in 2004, but to reiterate:

Band One. The soldier is suitable for promotion. Based upon projected vacancies, it is likely he/she will be promoted this Posting Planning Cycle (PPC).

The soldier can be promoted as soon as possible and, if already in a higher position, may be promoted on or after July 1, 2004.

Band Two. The soldier is suitable for promotion. Subject to the availability of positions, the soldier may be promoted in this PPC.

Band Three. The soldier is suitable for promotion. Due to the limitation on the number of positions available, the soldier is not expected to be promoted in this PPC.

Band Four. The soldier is not suitable for promotion in this PPC.

The PAC will identify the areas in which the soldier needs to improve or the circumstances that need to change before the soldier would be considered suitable.

This may be due to performance, medical, discharge, conduct/discipline, insufficient experience in trade or insufficient time in rank, or an inability to have the soldier fully qualified for promotion in this PPC.

There could also be a number of other factors. The soldier will receive feedback on the circumstances that prevented him/her from being suitable.

Band Five. The soldier is not suitable for promotion in the long term. The soldier may be offering restricted service or his/her performance history relative to his/her peers has not been strong enough for he/her to be considered competitive for promotion.

This does not necessarily mean that he/she doesn't have the qualities required to perform at a higher rank or doesn't have the qualities required for continued service in the Army.

The soldier's long-term overall performance, relative to their peers or posting restrictions, makes it highly unlikely that he/she would be considered competitive for promotion in the foreseeable future.

To give an example. A trade has 25 personnel being considered at PAC.

The Career Manager assesses that there will be five vacancies in that trade at the higher rank in the next PPC. He/she also assesses that while 10 of the soldiers being considered are still required to complete their Subject One course, he will only be able to get five of them on a course this year. He/she further assesses that based on performance to date as compared to their peers, five soldiers are most unlikely to ever realistically compete for promotion.

In the PAC assessment a probable result would be for:

• Five soldiers to be cleared at Band One (suitable for promotion and position available).
• Three soldiers cleared at Band Two (suitable for promotion but no positions available).
• Seven soldiers cleared at Band Three (suitable for promotion but most unlikely to be promoted in this PPC).
• Five assessed as Band Four (unable to gain promotion courses this PPC).
• Five soldiers assessed as Band Five (not able to be promoted in the long term).

The Army's promotion and reporting system for soldiers has been designed to be as fair and objective as possible.
Promotion is based on Army needs and merit (once the soldier has met the minimum selection criteria for their corps and trade).

This is largely determined by the soldier's performance, which is assessed at unit level. The unit commander should maximise the contribution to the future standards of the Army by using the guidance provided here to produce fair and accurate reporting.

Only then can the promotion of the right soldiers be ensured.

2004 Promotion Series Timetable

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