Army Qualitative Management Program Notification of Denial of Continued Active Duty Service
An Army Staff Sergeant received notification for potential denial of continued active duty military service because she failed to achieve course standards while attending the Human Resources Advanced Leaders Course. While attending the course, the SSG failed to pass a written examination require for course completion. The SSG failed to advise her course instructor before sitting for the exam that she did not feel comfortable taking it. As a result, she sat for and failed the exam. In order to assist her with passing the exam, she attended a study hall, but did not feel it was much help. She pulled an overnight study session on her own and thereafter felt more prepared for the retest. The exam was administered on a computer. As a precautionary measure, the SSG recorded her answers on a separate sheet of paper. Once the exam was complete, the computer generated score yielded a failing grade. The SSG compared the computer generated answers with her hand-recorded answers. They did not match. The hand-recorded answers, if accurately reported by the computer, would have yielded a passing grade. The SSG brought the discrepancy to her instructors’ attention, but no action was taken.
An instructor advised that the computer generated answers were controlling. The SSG was then dismissed from the course for failing to achieve its standards. It is based on these circumstances, that the SSG received QMP notification. She retained Attorney John L. Calcagni III, a civilian attorney with military law experience, to assist her with formulating a response. Attorney Calcagni conducted his own investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the examination. This included interviewing and obtaining statements from people to whom the SSG reported her experience close in time to its occurrence. Attorney Calcagni put forth this information, along with the SSG’s otherwise strong service record, to the QMP Board. Following a thorough review the memo and materials he submitted for this client, the Board voted to retain the SSG for continued active duty service.