Military guys,

Id like to ask for advice on an issue. I am senority and experience qualified for an upgrade class running in October, but i have a muta 5 drill right smack in the middle of the month that, with travel days (which my company requires I take), may potentially cost me three days of the official ground school portion of upgrade training. These are a thursday, friday, and monday.

Im not certain the official upgrade class schedule for October as of yet and whether this conflict is a certain or not but it is likely. My company says in order to upgrade i must be available and not attend the scheduled drill, however this drill is rife marksmanship and my chain of command says "no", i can not do a suta or have any exused absense and that my employer is required to accommodate my drills and not deny me a promotion on those grounds regardless so i shouldnt be asking for a suta for that purpose anyways.

My chain of command is correct, i mist qualify with my rifle, it is at the core of being an american soldier, and i really enjoy my drills and want to attend anyway.

My question is then, is my company in the right to deny my upgrade on the grounds that my drill will cause me to potentially miss those three days? Is there any recourse i or my company have with reguard to accommodateing me for missing those days but still allowing me to upgrade by allowing me to make up that classroom time or just studying the material on my own time and passing my freakin' oral and checkride anyway?

Is refusing an upgrade that i am otherwise qualified for on the grounds that i have mandatory military service for a small fraction of the month considered unlawful discrimination for denial of a promotion to a service member?

How can i approach my company in a respectful, proactive way, to state my case or help my case for upgrade?

Except for those drill dates i am willing to work weekends, extra hours every day, have zero days off, whatever it takes to get the training done legally and fluidly...

I am a non-flying enlisted member of the army national guard.

Thanks.