Saving the day (quietly)

We had a problem in the company recently -- one of the sergeants on staff got a bad evaluation that they didn't deserve. Since (as the HHC commander) I wasn't in their rating chain, there wasn't really anything I could do to stop it.

Well, the NCO didn't want to sign it, protesting that they were unjustly treated. The problem with that plan, though, is that failure to sign an evaluation doesn't really accomplish your goal. Signing the evaluation only means that you've seen it and confirmed the administrative data. (That's AR 623-3 §2-10a(5).)

By not signing an evaluation, the "senior rater" has to provide an explanation (AR 623-3 §3-33k(2)), and you can bet that the person who just trashed you in the evaluation isn't going to suddenly take your side for this part.

Nevertheless, they refused to sign, it fell to me to fix the situation.

So I sat the NCO down, told them that I understood their position, and explained what the remedies were. DA PAM 623-3 Chapter 6 explains how to file an appeal, but you can't appeal an evaluation you've never signed. I also explained the part that if you don't sign, the ball is in the senior rater's court.

After writing up a support letter right there in my office, I asked if there was anything more they wanted to add. When they said no, I then asked if the NCO would be willing to sign the evaluation if they had that letter. They replied yes, and the business was done. Day: saved.

Being an HHC commander is sometimes a good thing -- being outside most people's chain of command makes you a much less threatening person.