[coolguy8654]

I'm going to relate my story for anyone who is intrested and hopefully someone will save themselves from the headaches that my peers and I have dealt with. I was promoted to SGT/E5 in the marine corps in april 06. I was able to come into the army and keep my rank while securing an 18x contract in april 2008. I was selected in October 2008 and after I PCSed from new mexico I went to CLT (common or combined leadership course) in January 2009. The way that it was explained to us at this point was that this course counted for half of warrior leadership course (WLC) and half of Basic Non-commishioned Officer Course (BNOC) The field half of WLC would be met by completing SUT allowing soldiers to get promoted to Staff Sergeant and that Sage would fulfill the field requirement for BNOC allowing for soldiers to get promoted to SFC down the road in group. After CLT, instead of going to SUT, I was the first class to go to Language first. Our tacs told us that we couldn't go to the board until we were done with SUT. We went to SUT and upon completion we were told that CLT/SUT for WLC doesn't count now until you're done with Sage. This adds another 4 months until you are able to go to the board. This isn't such a kick in the face unless you are an 18D like me and my friends. We found out that after being passed over for 6 months because of language we will be passed over for an additional 14 months because of the delta course, sage and time it takes to get to group and go to the board. Now 18Xs who have done nothing in the army will be the same rank as me and my friends who have multiple deployments becasue they have completed the first half of the 18D course and get an automatic promotion to SGT becasue they need to be on track with their short MOS counterparts. The lesson here, for all SGTs planning on coming here and looking at a long language and/or 18D, go to regular army WLC before coming here, otherwise you could spend multiple years in SWC and come out the other end the same rank you started.