The following tasks are to be completed to obtain the rank of Sergeant. When you are ready to be tested over the skills, inform your Platoon Sergeant.
| 1. Know all E-2 skills | 6. Squad tactics |
| 2. Know all E-3 skills | 7. Listening posts and observation posts |
| 3. Know all E-4 skills | 8. Research, plan and teach 2 classes |
| 4. Be in previous grade for 6 months | 9. Pass a PT test at 60%: push-ups, sit-ups, and run |
| 5. Attend a minimum of 4 Field Training Exercises (FTX) since your last promotion |
All cadets seeking advancement to the rank of Sergeant should be familiar with the skills required of an E-2, E-3 and E-4. You will be expected to know these skills at every board of promotion. Have your squad leader test your proficiency over these skills before requesting to be promoted.
Squad Tactics are used for attacking a certain location that may have hostile activity. When operating an attack, you must know where all subordinates and other soldiers are located. For information on Squad Tactics, you must look in FM 7-8 pg. 4-8 to 4-11. Ask your Supply Officer to be issued a FM 7-8.
You must know how to perform Squad Tactics. If you would like to perform this in the field with your subordinates, then inform your Platoon Sergeant.
LPOP’s (Listening & Observation Posts) are used for reconnaissance. The LP’s use listening skills. An example of an LP would be listening to weapon fire, vehicles (friendly and enemy), and other potential information. The OP’s use vision skills. Examples of using vision skills could include spotting enemy tanks, hostile or friendly forces, and other potential information. The LPOP teams are usually 3-7 man teams. Weapons are normally not used in a LPOP mission. The mission is meant only for gathering information and not meant to destroy hostile activity. During LPOP mission, if an LPOP team is fired upon, they will fire back and retreat, only shooting enough to retreat, using suppressive fire. These teams will normally set up a perimeter, depending on the area that was ordered to go. They will have a certain objective that they must recon during this mission. During the mission the commander must make sure to know all positions of his forces so none shall be fired upon or be hit in friendly fire. All information must be reported via radio or messenger as soon as possible after the information is received.
All cadets who choose to promote to the rank of Sergeant will be required to thoroughly research, plan and teach 2 classes to the other cadets. The teaching will/must be witnessed by one of the adult advisors for evaluation purposes. When you are ready to perform this task, please inform your Platoon Sergeant.