QUALITATIVE SERVICE PROGRAM (QSP)
Effective April 1, 2012 the Army activated the enlisted Qualitative Service Program (QSP) to identify NCOs for involuntary early separation from active duty. The QSP consists of a series of centralized enlisted selection board processes designed to support the Army Leader Development Strategy (ALDS) and to retain the highest quality NCOs who display the greatest potential for continued service while satisfying mandated force structure requirements.
An active duty Noncommissioned Officer (NCO), upon attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSG), serves in a voluntary indefinite status once they reenlist with over 10 years of active federal service (AFS). These NCOs continue to serve on active duty consistent with a retention control point (RCP) for the rank they hold. Depending on their rank, the maximum period of service may extend up to 35 years. Combined with promotion timing, RCPs establish specific leader development gateways used to develop a professional NCO Corps. When faced with rapid structure reductions, especially at the senior NCO grades, the Army cannot achieve balance by natural attrition alone. A force shaping process to accelerate losses becomes necessary in order to preserve viable career paths across all military occupational specialties (MOSs) in an effort to sustain an All Volunteer Army.
Because the Army cannot achieve future end strength requirements through natural loss of personnel, the Army developed and implemented an additional centralized board process, known as the Qualitative Service Program (QSP), to consider select NCOs for denial of continued service. This process reduces projected excess strengths that would otherwise perpetuate promotion stagnation across the force and negatively impact viable career paths in an All-Volunteer Force; all of which would have an undesirable impact on the ability