Can I be a First Sergeant if I have a “WALK” profile? | AskTOP.net – Leader Development for Army Professionals

Can I be a First Sergeant if I have a “WALK” profile?

CSM, can I serve as a First Sergeant (1SG) if I have a Walk profiles?

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Short Answer is:  Yes you can.

“War Story”

There is nothing that technically prevents you from being a 1SG with a “WALK” profile.  I experienced this issue on active duty with an individual who had a “Walk” profile and wanted to be a 1SG.  The issue I had with placing him in the position was that he could not meet the requirements of the physical standards inherent with the duties of a 1SG.  He could not make or lead unit runs.  He could not meet the overall physical requirements required of a 1SG under adverse field conditions.  Therefore I could not recommend the Leader for the position.  The individual was a great Soldier and Leader he just was not able to lead by example because of the profile.

Options:

There were a couple of options:

1.  Have a doctor remove his “Walk” Profile or at least provide a “Run at your own pace and distance” profile.

2. Attempt to find a 1SG job that did not require such physical participation. For example 1SG of a student company, Senior HQ, or other type of organization that did not have a strong field or physical fitness requirement.

I chose to help the Soldier find the a position in which they could serve as a 1SG without the strenuous physical requirements because I did not want the Soldier to take the chance of injuring themselves.  The Soldier ended up doing very well.

Other Side of the Argument:

Now let’s look at the other side of the argument.  PT is not everything I fully get that.  There are people that are PT studs and should never be placed in a leadership position.  However many MOSs demand the Leader be extremely physically fit to ensure they have the stamina to accomplish the mission and more importantly motivate their Soldiers by example.  I believe Leaders have to be able to do anything they are asking their Soldiers to do.

 “Wounded Warrior”

However, in this “POST COMBAT” timeframe. I am sure there will be numerous Leaders who have made a “SCARIFICE” on the field of battle that cannot meet all the physical fitness requirements.  If this is the case then I as a senior leader would be willing to evaluate the specifics of the situation and make an exception based on the specifics of the case.  I would have a hard time keeping a “Wounded Warrior” from leading especially since they have the ability to motivate their Soldiers by showing how they have overcome the odds.

 Bottom-line

The Bottom-line is that this decision will be up to the senior leaders of the organization doing the hiring.  I will bounce this off my legal SME and see if he has any experience with this type of issue.

 

Hope this Helps!

 

Did you find this information useful? I would appreciate your feedback!  Best of Luck!

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Mark is a Retired Command Sergeant Major with 26 years of military leadership experience. He held 3 military occupational specialties (Field Artillery, Nuclear Weapons Tech, and Ammunition Ordnance). Mark is one of the leading military authors in the fields of leadership, counseling, and training.

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