Part IV · Character 8/10 · Strong
o Modeled the Army Values; led SHARP and EO refresher training for 34 Soldiers in 2 days, and resolved each open reporting question for the team within 1 week
Military · Army
Army NCOER bullet examples
The NCOER is the Army's NCO Evaluation Report, filed on the DA Form 2166-9 series. In Part IV the rater writes bullet comments for six attributes, Character through Achieves. In Part V the senior rater writes about potential. Each bullet starts with a lowercase "o" and runs no more than two lines.
- 2 lines
- maximum per bullet, preferably one
- 6
- Part IV attributes, Character to Achieves
- -1 / -2 / -3
- DA Form 2166-9, by grade
- AR 623-3
- and DA PAM 623-3
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Free · no accountSample draft. Replace it with yours. 53 / 158 · 105 leftprovisional
Instant, free, no account — the same 0–10 rubric the app uses. Nothing you type is sent anywhere; the score is computed right here in your browser. How grading works
Scored 1 out of 10 — Emerging.
- Specificity 0/2
- Quantification 0/2
- Impact scope 1/2
- Structure 0/2
- Language 0/2
Lost points on specificity, quantification, structure, language.
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The form
Six boxes, then the senior rater.
The rater fills Part IV with bullets under each attribute and checks a rating for each. The senior rater uses Part V to rate potential and write a short narrative. Both read best when every line is specific, attributable and measured.
- Bullet formatStarts with a lowercase "o", then a verb or possessive pronoun.
- LengthNo more than two lines per bullet, preferably one, and one bullet per line.
- Forms2166-9-1 for SGT, 2166-9-2 for SSG through 1SG/MSG, 2166-9-3 for CSM/SGM.
- Support formDA Form 2166-9-1A, where your rater first sees your accomplishments.
DA Form 2166-9-2 · simplifiedPer bullet
Part IV · Rater
Part V · Senior rater
Examples for every box.
Every bullet uses the full two lines, and Part IV bullets are scored by the same rubric as the grader. Part V comments are checked for potential rather than scored. Soldiers and units are fictional.
Two lines = 158 characters, provisional until measured on the form
Part IV · Character 6/10 · Developing
o Enforced a zero-tolerance hazing standard; investigated 2 separate reports within 24 hours, and rebuilt trust across the 40-Soldier platoon in under 30 days
Part IV · Presence 8/10 · Strong
o Set the squad standard for fitness and bearing; scored 580 on the Army Combat Fitness Test, and coached 6 struggling Soldiers to a 100% pass rate in 90 days
Part IV · Presence 9/10 · Excellent
o Led 3 squads through 72 hours of Expert Infantryman Badge testing in steady rain; finished all lanes on time, and had zero cold-weather injuries over 3 days
Part IV · Intellect 8/10 · Strong
o Rebuilt the platoon convoy battle drill after the Joint Readiness Training Center rotation; cut reaction time 30% within 2 weeks, and the company adopted it
Part IV · Intellect 8/10 · Strong
o Built an Excel maintenance tracker for 22 vehicles; flagged overdue services 2 weeks early, and raised the team's readiness rate from 82% to 96% in 3 months
Part IV · Leads 8/10 · Strong
o Led a 12-Soldier squad through NTC rotation 23-05 with zero safety incidents within 14 days; rated the top maneuver element, and 100% of the squad qualified
Part IV · Leads 8/10 · Strong
o Led a 9-Soldier section through a short-notice deployment; shipped 14 containers in 5 days, and kept 100 percent of the team's sensitive items accounted for
Part IV · Develops 8/10 · Strong
o Counseled all 9 squad members monthly on DA Form 4856 for 12 months; 3 were promoted to SGT in 6 months, and 2 finished BLC as Distinguished Honor Graduates
Part IV · Develops 7/10 · Strong
o Built a 6-week board preparation program for 11 Soldiers; 7 earned promotion in 3 months, and the whole battalion adopted it as its standard for every board
Part IV · Achieves 8/10 · Strong
o Certified 100% of the squad on M4 qualification, 8 of 9 at Expert; cut equipment faults 35% within 60 days, and his pre-combat checklist became the standard
Part IV · Achieves 8/10 · Strong
o Delivered a zero-loss inventory of $3.2M in property for Headquarters Company; closed 46 hand receipts within 10 days, and cleared every shortage in 30 days
Part V · Senior rater Potential
SSG Rivera is the most capable squad leader I senior rate; promote ahead of all peers to SFC and select for platoon sergeant immediately. Send to SLC at once.
Part V · Senior rater Potential
SFC Okafor ranks #1 of 9 platoon sergeants I senior rate and is ready today for first sergeant duties. Promote now and assign to the toughest company we have.
Part V · Senior rater Potential
SGT Chen has unlimited potential and already performs well above grade as a squad leader. Promote to SSG now, send to ALC and assign as a drill sergeant next.
Illustrative examples. Use your own facts and numbers; your rater will ask.
From weak to board-ready.
The same accomplishment, written twice. The difference is almost always a strong verb, a real number and a stated result.
Before 1/10 · Emerging
o Assisted the platoon with various training events and was part of a team that did okay during the field exercise
Lost points on specificity, quantification, structure, language.
After 8/10 · Strong
o Led a 12-Soldier squad through NTC rotation 23-05 with zero safety incidents within 14 days; rated the top maneuver element, and 100% of the squad qualified
Names the event and the formation, then two results a board can check: zero safety incidents and a 100% qualification rate.
Before 1/10 · Emerging
o Helped with PT and was a good example for the squad
Lost points on specificity, quantification, structure, language.
After 8/10 · Strong
o Set the squad standard for fitness and bearing; scored 580 on the Army Combat Fitness Test, and coached 6 struggling Soldiers to a 100% pass rate in 90 days
Swaps "a good example" for a measured standard: the ACFT score and the pass rate of the Soldiers coached.
Before 1/10 · Emerging
o Responsible for the squad's equipment and did inventories
Lost points on specificity, quantification, structure, language.
After 8/10 · Strong
o Delivered a zero-loss inventory of $3.2M in property for Headquarters Company; closed 46 hand receipts within 10 days, and cleared every shortage in 30 days
Replaces a duty description with results: dollar value, zero losses, receipts closed and shortages cleared in a set time.
How to write it
Three parts. Two lines.
An NCOER bullet has room for one accomplishment, so every word has to earn its place.
o 1Led a 12-Soldier squad through NTC rotation 23-05 2with zero safety incidents within 14 days; 3rated the top maneuver element, and 100% of the squad qualified
- 1 Action
Open with what you did, using a verb that's unambiguously yours.
- 2 Impact
Show the effect on Soldiers, the team, or mission readiness, ideally with a number.
- 3 Scope
Make clear how much of the formation the work touched, not just your own lane.
Tips
- Keep the action plainly attributable.
- Connect leadership behavior to mission effect.
- Tie at least one bullet to a specific training event or inspection, not a general duty description.
The NCOER at a glance.
- Forms
- DA Form 2166-9-1 (SGT), DA Form 2166-9-2 (SSG through 1SG/MSG), DA Form 2166-9-3 (CSM/SGM); the support form is DA Form 2166-9-1A
- Rater boxes
- Part IV: Character, Presence, Intellect, Leads, Develops, Achieves, with bullet comments in each, plus the overall performance rating
- Bullet form
- Each comment starts with a lowercase "o" and a verb or possessive pronoun; specific, attributable and supporting the rating
- Bullet length
- No more than two lines, preferably one, with one bullet per line
- Senior rater
- Part V: overall potential and narrative comments on the next level of responsibility
- Governed by
- AR 623-3 and DA PAM 623-3, Evaluation Reporting System
What it is
The NCO Evaluation Report (NCOER) is the Army's formal record of how a noncommissioned officer performed against the Army leadership requirements model. Senior raters and boards use it for promotion, schools, and command selection, so the bullet comments need to show sustained, attributable leadership — not just a list of duties performed.
Who writes it
Your rater and senior rater write it about you, almost always on an annual cycle (or triggered by a change of rater) — but the strongest reports usually start from bullets the rated NCO drafts and hands up as source material.
20,000+
people supported in end-of-year review writing
100,000+
statements generated
Common questions.
Still deciding how to write yours? Grade a draft
How long can an NCOER bullet be?
No more than two lines, and preferably one, with one bullet per line. The examples on this page each fill two lines, which we count as about 158 characters: a working figure until the field width is measured on the form.
What's the difference between Parts IV and V?
Part IV is the rater's assessment: bullet comments in each box (Character, Presence, Intellect, Leads, Develops, Achieves) and the overall performance rating. Part V is the senior rater's overall potential assessment and narrative. Both reward the same kind of specific, attributable writing.
How do I write rater comments for each box, Character through Achieves?
Start every comment with a lowercase "o" and a verb or possessive pronoun, keep it to one specific, attributable result, and make sure it supports the rating you are giving that box. Write at least one strong bullet per box; the examples on this page show the shape for all six.
Can I write my own bullets for my rater to use?
Yes. Most NCOs draft bullets and hand them to their rater as a starting point. Raters review and edit, but a well-written draft makes their job easier and your record stronger.
Do NCOER bullets need exact numbers?
Use real ones when you have them. An approximate, honest number beats vague language like 'significantly improved.'
How is this different from a promotion package bullet?
An NCOER bullet covers a rating period; a promotion package bullet usually pulls together several rating periods to argue a broader case. See our promotion package guide for that format.
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