Photo By Rick Emert | FORT CARSON, Colo. — Spc. Abdel Jadan, armorer, 569th Mobility Augmentation Company,...... read more read more
By Scott Prater
Mountaineer staff
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Facing an upcoming promotion-board appearance, Spc. Abdel Jadan felt unprepared and unsure of what to expect. Then he learned that the Fort Carson Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program actually hosted promotion-board preparation classes most Thursdays.
“I believe I was studying the right topics, but I wanted to get some mock-promotion-board experience in,” said Jadan, the company armorer, 569th Mobility Augmentation Company, 4th Engineer Battalion. “I figured that visiting BOSS’s classes couldn’t hurt and that the mentors there could provide some tips that might make a difference.”
After meeting with BOSS mentor, Sgt. 1st Class Chelsea Gonzalez, platoon sergeant, 4th Infantry Division Band, Jadan knew he’d gone to the right place.
Roughly 18 months ago, former Fort Carson BOSS President, Devon Douglas, created the study board prep program as a means for helping Soldiers perform better at such critical times in their careers. Program mentors volunteer their time to educate and coach students for roughly two hours each week.
“We’ve had different mentors over the past 18 months and all of them have proven helpful for students,” said Gia Gillotte-Taylor, BOSS program administrator. “The idea is for those experienced NCOs to pass on some of their knowledge to those Soldiers who have never been through a promotion board. Mentors help Soldiers choose the best study materials and topics, and they can relay information about what to expect and what to emphasize during their study time.”
Jadan met with Gonzalez in the BOSS offices at the Hub three to four times prior to his promotion board.
“He’s a smart guy, so we weren’t too worried about his knowledge base,” Gonzalez said. “What he needed help with was confidence.”
As a senior NCO and 14-year Army veteran, Gonzalez has seen her share of promotion boards. She’s earned several unit awards (including NCO of the year at Fort Knox, Kentucky). Plus, she’s a former drill sergeant, so she has no problem summoning up a domineering attitude.
“Promotion boards can be intimidating,” she said. “You have to present yourself as confident in front of a panel of senior NCOs, who can, and often do, rattle off rapid-fire questions toward a candidate. When a Soldier goes before a board, it’s really a performance of themselves. Really, they must figure out how to work through their nerves, and confidence is key to maintaining composure and thought process.”
For starters, Gonzalez studied Jadan’s posture.
“During our mock boards his shoulders were hunched forward; he was looking down,” she said. “That changes the dynamic when you walk into a room. So, we practiced walking in with confidence, which immediately tells the board members that ‘I’m ready to be here.’”
For Jadan, the experience proved extremely beneficial, judging by his results.
“I recommend the study board preparation sessions,” he said. “They definitely helped me, and I felt better prepared for the promotion board.”
Ultimately, Jadan succeeded in being selected for promotion, but that’s not all. He also earned the 4th Engineer Battalion’s Soldier of the Month (October) honor following a competition just prior to his promotion board.
In the meantime, Gillotte-Taylor said the BOSS program could use more mentors, while Gonzalez contended that it’s more than a rewarding experience.
“I wish I could have been at his (Jadan’s) promotion board to see his performance,” she said. “I love helping Soldiers. I volunteered for it. To me, it feels very easy to do. You figure out how the Soldiers study and adapt to their needs. Then, it’s satisfying to hear their successful results.”
To learn more about BOSS and its program offerings, call 719-524-0126 or visit http://www.carson.army.mil/BOSS.
| Date Taken: | 12.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.17.2021 09:31 |
| Story ID: | 411429 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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