Committee’s work for ORs explained

Line up for promotion: The Personnel Advisory Committee for Other Ranks wants its deliberations to be open and transparent to all ORs. Soldiers are encouraged to visit SCMA and view the process for all but their own corps. Photo by US PH2(AW) Daniel Jones.

By Ross Pancione ,PAC Cell SCMA
Volume 11, No. 38, March 8, 2006

• AS WE have just begun the annual promotion series, it is appropriate to explain 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 soldiers cannot view their 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 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 against any mandatory or desirable requirements set out in the respective Corps Employment Category Standing Orders.
  
  This then forms the basis in determining those with the merit and potential for greater responsibility.
  
  The PAC convenes between March and May each year and recommends to the appropriate promotion delegate the suitability for promotion of soldiers to Sgt and above. The PAC’s role is to consider and place in order of merit all soldiers eligible for promotion. The PAC process is detailed in DI(A) Pers 47-11 and the SCMA Handbook.
  
  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.
  
  As in previous years, all soldiers considered by the PAC in 2006 will be notified of their results in writing via their unit CO/OCs.
  
  To speed up the notification process, a new method and format for PAC notification results is being implemented.
  
  The PAC notification result will be emailed to the unit commander (normally the CO), who will be asked to pass the results to the soldier concerned and counsel the soldier on the implications of the result as necessary.
  
  Starting mid-March units can expect to receive emails with the new PAC notification results attached for their soldiers. By changing to an electronic delivery method the process will be quicker and more efficient. Soldiers will no longer receive a letter advising of results.
  
  The “banding” system of PAC results to be used by SCMA remains unchanged as follows:
  
  
• Band 1. The soldier is suitable for promotion. Based upon projected vacancies, it is likely he/she will be promoted this Posting Planning Cycle (PPC).
  
  
• Band 2. The soldier is suitable for promotion. Subject to the availability of positions, the soldier may be promoted in this PPC.
  
  
• Band 3. The soldier is suitable for promotion. However, due to the limitation on the number of positions available, the soldier is not expected to be promoted in this PPC.
  
  
• Band 4. 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 being considered suitable. This may be due to performance, medical, discharge, conduct/discipline, insufficient experience in trade or insufficient time in rank. 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 5. The soldier is not suitable for promotion in the long term. The soldier may be offering restricted service or the soldier’s performance history relative to his/her peers has not been strong enough to be considered competitive for promotion. This does not necessarily mean the soldier does not have the qualities required to perform at a higher rank or the qualities required for continued service in the Army. The soldier’s long-term overall performance relative to his/her peers or posting restrictions makes it highly unlikely that he/she would be considered competitive for promotion in the foreseeable future.
  
  
• No Band. When the PAC is unable to make a merit based decision on a soldier due to an outstanding issue, for example, a soldier is under investigation, or an inability to have the soldier fully qualified for promotion in this PPC, then in these cases the soldier will not be allocated to a band. These soldiers will receive feedback on their circumstances.
  
  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 soldiers have met the minimum selection criteria for their corps and trade as determined by the respective corps ECSOs.
  
  Unit commanders 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.
  
  The 2006 PAC timetable is available on the SCMA web site at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/sites/scma.

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