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The Year of Transition: Decoding ‘Sergeant 2023’

The year 2023 marked a period of significant transition and re-evaluation for the rank of Sergeant, most notably within the United States Army, where a new senior enlisted leader took the helm and a contentious, multi-year promotion policy was put on notice. From a new Sergeant Major of the Army setting an agenda to critical shifts in professional military education requirements, ‘Sergeant 2023’ represents a transformative moment for the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Corps—the “backbone” of the Army.

This article explores the major developments surrounding the rank in 2023, focusing on the changes that redefined the path to leadership, and briefly touches on other notable uses of the term.

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A Change in Command: The 17th Sergeant Major of the Army

One of the single most pivotal events for the enlisted force in 2023 was the appointment of a new senior leader. On August 4, 2023, Michael R. Weimer was sworn in as the 17th Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA), taking over the role of the Army Chief of Staff’s personal adviser on matters affecting the enlisted force.

SMA Weimer, who came from a background serving in U.S. Army Special Operations Command, made Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) development one of his top priorities for the force. His assumption of the role immediately set the stage for a review of existing policies, particularly those related to how soldiers are selected, trained, and promoted into the NCO ranks, including Sergeant. As the public face of the Army’s NCO Corps, his actions and directives for the remainder of 2023 and beyond would directly impact every soldier aspiring to wear the rank of Sergeant.

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The Promotion Policy Rollercoaster: Rethinking the Path to Sergeant

For the Army’s enlisted personnel, 2023 was dominated by confusion and subsequent clarification surrounding promotions, particularly the requirement to complete professional military education (PME) before being elevated to the rank of Sergeant (E-5).

The Temporary Promotion Debate

The core of the issue revolved around the Army’s “Selection, Training, Education, and Promotion” (STEP) vision, which was intended to ensure that all NCOs completed the appropriate level of military schooling, such as the Basic Leader Course (BLC) for promotion to Sergeant, before receiving their next rank.

However, due to a combination of factors, including school backlogs, COVID-19-related training restrictions, and high operational tempos, the Army had instituted a policy of temporary promotions. This allowed otherwise-eligible soldiers to be promoted to Sergeant and higher without having completed the mandatory PME, requiring them to complete the course within a specified time frame (usually 12 months) or face reversion to their previous rank.

The 2023 Policy Flip-Flop

The year 2023 saw this temporary policy go through a dramatic shift:

• September 2023: A memo was issued to end the practice of temporary NCO promotions for active duty and full-time Army Reserve soldiers starting in January 2024, signaling a return to the STEP model’s original intent: education first. SMA Weimer supported this move, stating that the temporary conditions which necessitated the policy had passed.
• December 2023: In a sudden reversal, the Army extended the temporary promotion policy for at least another year, pushing back the requirement to complete PME before promotion. This decision came from the Army’s top personnel officer and indicated that the problems with school capacity and soldier strain were still an issue.

The Final PME Realignment

The discussions and policy debates of 2023 culminated in a significant clarification that was announced in May 2024, but directly addressed the problems faced in 2023. The new policy suspended the temporary promotion program and, crucially, permanently realigned the mandatory PME requirements for NCO promotions.

For the rank of Sergeant (E-5), the change was profound:

• Promotion to Sergeant (E-5): No Professional Military Education (PME) is required for promotion.
• Promotion to Staff Sergeant (E-6): Now requires the completion of the Basic Leader Course (BLC).

This monumental change, which was decided upon during the tumultuous year of 2023, effectively decoupled the initial promotion to Sergeant from an NCO academy, allowing talented and ready soldiers to assume leadership positions sooner without the bottleneck of BLC attendance. To incentivize education, soldiers who do complete BLC when recommended for promotion to Sergeant can be awarded additional promotion points.

This shift represented a permanent change in the development path of a Sergeant, moving the BLC requirement up a pay grade to focus the course on preparing a newly-minted Staff Sergeant for a higher level of command.

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Honoring the Elite: The 2023 Non-Commissioned Officers of the Year

Amidst the policy changes, 2023 was also a year for celebrating the best of the NCO Corps. Several elite Sergeants were recognized for their outstanding performance and dedication to their mission, underscoring the importance of the rank at every level of the Army.

• Active Component Drill Sergeant of the Year (2023): Staff Sergeant Ashley Buhl was named the winner, representing excellence in the critical mission of transforming civilians into soldiers.
• Reserve Component Drill Sergeant of the Year (2023): Staff Sergeant Cody A. D. Rice earned the title for the Reserve Component.
• Top Army Recruiting Station Commander (2023): Staff Sergeant Daniel Bond was honored, highlighting the key role NCOs play in retaining and growing the force.

These individuals exemplify the daily commitment to leadership, training, and mentorship that defines the rank of Sergeant.

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The Other ‘Sergeant 2023’: A Bollywood Thriller

While the military policy shifts dominated the context of “Sergeant 2023,” the term also refers to a 2023 Indian Hindi-language thriller film titled Sergeant.

Released in June 2023 on the streaming platform JioCinema, the movie stars Randeep Hooda as Sergeant Nikhil Sharma, a dedicated police officer in London whose life and career are dramatically impacted after a risky operation goes wrong. The film is a murder mystery that explores themes of post-traumatic stress, ego, and the pursuit of justice, providing a fictional, cinematic counterpart to the real-world weight and responsibility that the rank of Sergeant carries.

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Conclusion: A Turning Point for the NCO Corps

The year 2023 was, for the U.S. Army, a major turning point for the rank of Sergeant. It was the year of a new senior leader, the culmination of a multi-year promotion policy debate, and the eventual announcement of a major PME realignment that changed the long-standing requirement for promotion to E-5. The core takeaway from ‘Sergeant 2023’ is a renewed, if evolving, commitment to prioritizing a talented and ready enlisted force, ensuring that the critical Non-Commissioned Officer ranks are filled by the most capable leaders, whether they are on a fast track to promotion or honing their skills in an NCO Academy.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q: What was the biggest change for the rank of Sergeant (E-5) in the U.S. Army in 2023?
A: The biggest change stemmed from policy discussions in 2023 which led to the realignment of Professional Military Education (PME) requirements. Under the new rules, promotion to Sergeant (E-5) no longer requires the completion of the Basic Leader Course (BLC). The BLC is now a requirement for promotion to the next rank, Staff Sergeant (E-6).

Q: Who became the Sergeant Major of the Army in 2023?
A: Michael R. Weimer was appointed as the 17th Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) on August 4, 2023.

Q: What were “temporary promotions” and were they still in effect in 2023?
A: Temporary promotions were a policy that allowed otherwise-eligible soldiers to be promoted to Non-Commissioned Officer ranks (including Sergeant) before they had completed their required PME, with the stipulation that they would complete the course within 12 months. The policy was highly debated throughout 2023 and, after a period of confusion, was extended into 2024 before eventually being suspended and replaced with a new PME realignment plan.

Q: What is the “Sergeant” movie from 2023?
A: The “Sergeant” film is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language thriller that stars Randeep Hooda as police officer Sergeant Nikhil Sharma. It was released on June 30, 2023, and focuses on a police officer dealing with the consequences of a failed, dangerous operation.

Q: Did the Army’s “STEP” promotion system end in 2023?
A: The “Selection, Training, Education, and Promotion” (STEP) vision, which aimed to enforce a PME-before-promotion rule, was effectively suspended “until further notice” as a result of the policy discussions in 2023 that led to the new, more flexible PME realignment.