Army Board Questions for Soldier of the Month and Promotion Boards
The Creed of the Non Commissioned Officer
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Board Questions
for E-4 Specialists

The following list of board questions are designed to be answered by E-4 Specialists who are getting ready to become NCOs. They are randomly ordered, and cover a wide area of topics. Study these board questions if you are preparing to go to the soldier of the month board, or if you are preparing for your promotion board and want to make sure you have the basics down. These questions will help you understand what types of questions will be asked, and figure out what topics you need to study more.

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Counseling

Counseling

Promotion Board Question

Which Army Regulation explains counseling requirements for NCOERs?

AR 623-3

Army Body Composition

Army Body Composition

Promotion Board Question

Who may grant exceptions to policy for AR 600-9?

The Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1 is the approval authority for exceptions to this regulation.

Wear & Appearance

Wear & Appearance

Promotion Board Question

Who can approve a new company, battalion, or brigade flag (guidon)?

The Assistant Secretary of the Army

Customs & Courtesies

Customs & Courtesies

Promotion Board Question

How many guns are fired to honor a U.S. President’s arrival or departure from an Army installation?

21 guns.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

Why did military expeditions throughout history usually fail?

Because they lacked the capability to seize and hold land, secure populations, and consolidate gains.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

What is Polar Plot, and what is it used for?

A method of locating or plotting an unknown position from a known point by giving a direction and a distance along that direction line is called polar plot.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

Why is jungle navigation difficult?

Limited visibility, dense vegetation, and unreliable terrain association.

Drill & Ceremony

Drill & Ceremony

Promotion Board Question

What four marching movements require a 15-inch step?

They are Half Step, Left Step, Right Step, and Backward March.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What is the National Guard’s dual role established by the Constitution?

State military force and operational reserve for the Regular Army.

Wear & Appearance

Wear & Appearance

Promotion Board Question

If a Soldier is allowed to have a part, how should it look?

A straight line where the hair would normally part.

Counseling

Counseling

Promotion Board Question

What is the non-directive approach to counseling?

The non-directive approach to counseling places more responsibility on the subordinate to identify problems and develop solutions.

Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity

Promotion Board Question

At what level should there be an EOA?

At BDE and higher level.

Drill & Ceremony

Drill & Ceremony

Promotion Board Question

What command revokes a preparatory command?

The command is AS YOU WERE.

Rifle & Carbine Marksmanship

Rifle & Carbine Marksmanship

Promotion Board Question

What are external ballistics?

The physics of what happens to a round as it flies through the air, from leaving the barrel until it touches the target.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

What are supplementary contour lines?

These contour lines resemble dashes. They show changes in elevation of at least one-half the contour interval. Supplementary lines are normally found where there is very little change in elevation, such as on fairly level terrain.

First Aid

First Aid

Promotion Board Question

What are the eight steps for evaluating a casualty?

Responsiveness, Breathing, Pulse, Bleeding, Shock, Fractures, Burns, and Head injury.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

What challenges exist in desert navigation?

Sparse features, heat mirages, and sand obscuring paths.

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

What are the four requirements of character?

Army Values, empathy, Warrior Ethos, and discipline.

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

Define the Direct Level of Leadership.

Company commanders and below.

First Aid

First Aid

Promotion Board Question

What is Line 7 of the 9 Line?

Method of marking pick-up site.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What is operational adaptability and what does it require?

Operational adaptability is the ability to respond effectively to changing conditions and it requires versatile and flexible forces.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

What is a map overlay?

A transparent sheet placed over a map to show tactical or operational data.

Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity

Promotion Board Question

What form is used to file a formal EO complaint?

DA Form 7279

Customs & Courtesies

Customs & Courtesies

Promotion Board Question

What specific award grants enlisted Soldiers the right to be saluted?

The Medal of Honor.

First Aid

First Aid

Promotion Board Question

What is an FMC?

Field Medical Card

SHARP

SHARP

Promotion Board Question

What form is used to initiate a SHARP report?

DD Form 2910 (Victim Reporting Preference Statement).

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What are the Army’s 10 decisive landpower missions?

Counter terrorism and irregular warfare, deter and defeat aggression, project power despite anti-access and area denial challenges, counter weapons of mass destruction, operate effectively in cyberspace and space, maintain a safe and secure nuclear deterrent, defend the homeland and provide support to civil authorities, provide a stabilizing presence, conduct stability and counterinsurgency operations, and conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Rifle & Carbine Marksmanship

Rifle & Carbine Marksmanship

Promotion Board Question

What does "Weapons Free" weapon control status mean?

Engage targets not positively identified as friendly.

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

Define the Organizational Level of leadership.

Commanders that lead at the brigade and battalion levels.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What must small-unit leaders do to prevent our Soldiers from retaliating in response to an enemy’s unethical acts?

Set the necessary command climate.

Counseling

Counseling

Promotion Board Question

What must Army leaders understand about effective counseling?

Army leaders must understand that effective counseling helps achieve desired goals and effects, manages expectations, and improves the organization.

Wear & Appearance

Wear & Appearance

Promotion Board Question

Who approves the design for unit patches, flags, and badges?

The Assistant Secretary of the Army

Customs & Courtesies

Customs & Courtesies

Promotion Board Question

If the flag is being lowered and folded in cocked hat style, should others salute the flag detail?

Yes

Customs & Courtesies

Customs & Courtesies

Promotion Board Question

Who determines when reveille and retreat will sound on an installation?

The Installation Commander.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

What are the two supplementary terrain features?

Cut and fill.

Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity

Promotion Board Question

What are the 7 Channels that a person can use to file a formal complaint?

1. Someone in a higher echelon of the complainant’s chain of command 2. Inspector General 3. Chaplain (Confidential) 4. Provost marshal 5. Medical agency personnel 6. Staff judge advocate 7. Chief, Community Housing Referral and Relocation Services Office.

Land Nav

Land Nav

Promotion Board Question

Who is responsible for securing maps for the unit?

S2

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

Why do leaders develop others?

To assume greater responsibility and increase expertise.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What is meant by the Army’s role to win?

Winning is the achievement of the purpose of an operation and the fulfillment of its objectives.

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

What are the four requirements of presence?

Military and professional bearing, fitness, confidence, and resilience.

Holistic Health & Fitness

Holistic Health & Fitness

Promotion Board Question

Name all 10 PRT Prep Drill Exercises.

Bend and reach, Rear lunge, Rower, Squat-bender, Windmill, Forward lunge, Prone row, Bent-leg body twist, and Pushup.

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

What are the three levels of leadership?

Strategic, Organizational, and Direct.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What U.S. Code governs the Army?

Title 10, United States Code.

The Army

The Army

Promotion Board Question

What is force tailoring?

The Army provides tailored force packages to provide required capabilities.

Holistic Health & Fitness

Holistic Health & Fitness

Promotion Board Question

What are the 3 principles of H2F?

Optimization, Individualization, and Immersion.

SHARP

SHARP

Promotion Board Question

What are the three echelons of sexual assault victim advocates (VAs) in a Garrison Environment?

1. The installation sexual assault response coordinator (SARC) 2. Installation victim advocates (IVA) 3. Unit victim advocates (UVAs).

Equal Opportunity

Equal Opportunity

Promotion Board Question

What level should have EOR’s?

Company and BN levels.

Army Leadership

Army Leadership

Promotion Board Question

What are the five requirements of intellect?

Mental agility, sound judgement, innovation, interpersonal tact, and expertise.

First Aid

First Aid

Promotion Board Question

What are the 3 Nato Alphabet Codes for Line 9 of the 9 Line, NBC Contamination.

November, Nuclear, Bravo, Biological, Charlie, Chemical.

Wear & Appearance

Wear & Appearance

Promotion Board Question

Who wears the branch symbol on the patrol cap?

Chaplains

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This website is an extension of The Board Questions Podcast. I created the podcast first because I was ejected from my first board. I was brand new to the Army, just sent on rotation to Germany after OSUT, and my squad leader had it in his head that every one of his soldiers would attend a soldier of them month board. I knew nothing, got chewed up and spit out, and failed. I refused to accept that as a final result.

I decided to build something that I needed. I gathered the questions, studied the regs, and used an AI voice to create The Board Questions Podcast. I used the podcast the study up, I won my battalion's Soldier of the Quarter board, and have worked hard to help as many soldiers as possible prepare.

Not everyone learns from audio, so I built this website. However, if you'd like to suppliment your studies by listening to the podcast as well, each of the topics by difficulty episodes covers the exact same questions that are covered on this site. The podcast even has explainations for each answer, some additional memorizational guides, and repetition chapters to help you go over it while your ear and mind are free, like commuting, playing video games, or doing chores.

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