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Feedback Session

National Guard Senior Enlisted Leadership Bench Program 

Senior Enlisted Bench
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• Application Feedback Codes 

• Scoring Categories for Bench Panel

• Tier Descriptions 

• Closing Remarks

• Command Senior Enlisted Leader Board

• Senior Enlisted Development Point of Contact 

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Calendar Year 2022 Feedback Overview 
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The National Guard Bureau-Senior Enlisted Leader Development Office (NGB-SLD) and the Senior Enlisted Board 

Review Panel (SEBRP) reviewed your Senior Enlisted Bench applications for consideration of the Senior Enlisted 

Bench. Below is the description of feedback codes the panel provided when reviewing your application.

Application Feedback Codes 

Code Category Description 

1 Senior Enlisted Bench Application Form Complete the Senior Enlisted Bench Application Form ensuring each field is completed accurately.

2 Endorsement Memorandum 

Your endorsement letter needs to be written by appropriate representative (i.e. The Adjutant General, Commanding 

General, or Deputy Director). The memo should identify why you should be selected for inclusion on the National 

Guard Senior Enlisted Leadership Bench Program, how your attendance to an executive level education course, 

and/or selection of an assignment will benefit the Army National Guard (ARNG) and Air National Guard (ANG), as 

well as how these opportunities will enhance your skills and career goals.

3 Letter of Intent

Your letter of intent (LOI) to the panel must address what specifically you are applying for (i.e. executive level 

education opportunities, an assignment or both). The LOI should identify why you are applying for development, 

specifically addressing how your experience illustrates or demonstrates Army Values and Air Force Core Values. 

Ensure you explain how attending a development opportunity or receiving an assignment will benefit the ARNG and 

ANG missions. Recommend you seek feedback from senior leadership to make your LOI impactful. 

4 ARNG: Enlisted Record Brief - Certified Board Version (ERB) 

ANG: Virtual Military Personnel Flight (vMPF) Report in Individual Personnel (RIP) Please check your ERB or vMPF RIP to ensure all information is current and updated. 

5 ARNG: DA Form 705 and DA Form 5500 (if applicable) 

ANG: Fitness Tracker The panel recommends that you work to improve your fitness score/level. 

6 ARNG: Enlisted Evaluation Reports

ANG: Enlisted Performance Reports 

The panel recommends that you broaden your experience through increased levels of leadership, mentorship, 

management, and supervision of subordinates. Also seek out additional duties (i.e. council appointments, professional 

organization membership, etc.). 

7 Military Biography Your biography should be clear, concise, and relevant. 

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The SEBRP scored your application for consideration of inclusion on the Senior Enlisted Bench based on the following 

Scoring Categories.

• (1) Job Performance

• You should evaluate each member on the basis of performance in assigned duties, all of which are important; do not penalize

candidates, because they did not serve in positions you think they should have held. The National Guard needs leaders who can

conceptualize, chart strategies, and formulate policies as opposed to merely organize solutions to problems. Identify candidates who

provided the direction that shaped outcomes rather than reacted skillfully to a series of events (0 – 25 Points).

• (2) Duty History

• Each Soldier and Airmen must be judged on individual merit. Consideration must also be given to the member’s specific skills,

civilian experience, and overall ability to contribute to the United States Army, United States Air Force, Joint environment, and the

National Guard (0 – 25 Points).

• (3) Education History 

• Recognizes Soldiers and Airmen who show outstanding educational growth, improvement, commitment to or intellectual development

in their respective career field(s). Additionally, acknowledge senior enlisted leaders who work hard and give their best effort in

education and professional development while faced with a high operational tempo (0 – 25 Points).

• (4) Potential

• There is no norm or pre-conceived career path that leads to further advancement. Our leaders must possess a diversity of backgrounds,

strengths, with the ability to employ effectively at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. This balance of skill and experience

should be considered in making your recommendations. Command Sergeant Major (CSM) and Command Chief (CCM) level positions

held are and will continue to be a key factor in selection for advancement. Other key leadership assignments held to include support

staffs and administrative, managerial, and technical positions are also important measures of qualifications for continued advancement.

You are reminded that promotion is not a reward for past performance; rather, it is a means of advancing the senior enlisted leader who

has shown potential for greater achievement as demonstrated by his or her ability to handle progressively more challenging

jobs/assignments and experiences (0 – 25 Points).

• Total Score

• 0 – 100 Points

Scoring Categories 

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Senior Enlisted Leaders that were selected for inclusion on the National Guard Senior Enlisted Leadership Bench Program 

were identified by Top, Middle, or Bottom Tier. Feedback is an essential part of the member’s growth. The below are broad 

brushed trademarks of what you can work towards to potentially get on the Senior Enlisted Bench. Please note, even if you 

meet most of the trademarks, it does not guarantee a place on the Senior Enlisted Bench. 

• Top Bench

• General Trademarks

• Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSELs), Command Sergeants Major (CSsM), and/or State/Wing Command Chiefs (CCMs)

• CSELs, CSsM, CCMs Serving In/Projected to Serve in Joint Positions 

• Sustained Superior Performance

• Four Plus Years of Higher Education

• Multiple Deployments

• Multiple Awards for Meritorious Service Medals, Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit, and/or Defense Meritorious Service Medal 

• Maintained Excellent Physical Fitness Standards

• Broadened Experience and Assumed Greater Responsibility Consistently 

• Extensive Professional Development Courses (e.g. Keystone, Nominative Leader Course, Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, etc.) 

• Middle Bench

• General Trademarks

• Sergeant Major (SGMs) and Chief Master Sergeants (CMSgts) Serving In/Projected to Serve in CSM or CCM Positions

• Four Plus Years of Higher Education

• Multiple Awards for Meritorious Service Medals

• Possesses Two or More of the “Top Tier” Characteristics 

• Bottom Bench

• General Trademarks

• Developing CMSgts/SGMs with Predictability of Satisfactory Performance

• Four or Less Years of Education 

• Minimal or No Deployment History

• Federal Decorations “Count” 

Tier Descriptions 

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The Senior Enlisted Bench is a very competitive process. In fact, we experienced a 62 percent increase from last year. In addition to applying

for the Senior Enlisted Bench, you are encouraged to seek other avenues for development to progress in your career and to seek opportunities

to further expand your leadership, breadth of experience, scope of responsibility, and communication skills. Regardless if you made the Senior

Enlisted Bench or not, please continue applying each year.

Also remember, the National Guard Senior Enlisted Leadership Bench Program is in its infancy stage, so it is continuing to refine the business

rules. Over the past year, NGB-SLD has been working hand-in-hand with SEA Whitehead and members of the Command Senior Enlisted

Leadership Advisory Board to better the Senior Enlisted Bench program and process for all Airmen and Soldiers in the National Guard. And

we are here to partner with each of you to continue to make the program and process better and better. Its an important program! Please

continue to reach out to SMSgt Crouse with valuable feedback.

Closing Remarks

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Lieutenant General Marc H. Sasseville

Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau

Chair of the Joint Leadership Advisory Board

Major General John C. Andonie

Deputy Director of the Army National Guard

Major General Duke A. Pirak

Deputy Director of the Air National Guard

Major General Giselle M. Wilz

Director of Staff, National Guard Bureau

Members of the Joint Leadership Advisory Board 

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Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony L. Whitehead

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau

Chair of the Command Senior Enlisted Leadership Panel

Command Sergeant Major John T. Raines

13th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard

Command Chief Master Sergeant Maurice L. Williams

13th Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Air National Guard

Chief Master Sergeant Kelly S. Hoffses

Joint Senior Enlisted Leader to the National Guard Bureau Joint Staff

Command Sergeant Major Spencer D. Nielsen

Utah National Guard Command Senior Enlisted Leader

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Members of the Command Leadership Advisory Board