U.S. soldier arrested by North Korea

[Driftwood]

Not sure how it works now, but back in the day, in the Navy, you were only up against people who did your specific job for promotion.
I made E4 in 14 months. At the end of 4 years, I was told, "No matter how high you score, E5 will be impossible." Guys ahead of me were making E6 in 6 years and Chief in under 10. They were actually paying guys to get out because of the glut.

 

[Driftwood]

As a matter of fact, one guy I worked with was probably the sharpest dude I served with, and he couldn't make E5 after 6 years. He was a **** sailor but an incredible technician. The only way he made E5 was to re-enlist and get some kind of double secret Captain's promotion while agreeing to go to Diego Garcia.
Me on the other hand, who you could have put on a Navy recruiting poster but wasn't especially interested in doing his job (thanks dad), had no chance.
I just said I'd go to the house and keep the Soviets off my local river and lake. 30 years come Sunday, I'm still on patrol and mission accomplished.

 

[justgladtobehere]

I have no personal insight into this guy's situation, but is he an indication of recruiting standards being lowered? The WSJ had an article about vets not wanting their children to enlist and the article mentioned all the services were missing recruiting goals by a large margin. I've read other articles about the services changing recruiting standards to get people.

That guy in Massachusetts was posting information online. How stupid can that guy be and still serve?

 

[goalmouth]

Because no enlistee in the U.S. military ever gets into trouble. See Rapes, Okinawa.

 

[User 1019]

Not sure how it works now, but back in the day, in the Navy, you were only up against people who did your specific job for promotion.
I made E4 in 14 months. At the end of 4 years, I was told, "No matter how high you score, E5 will be impossible." Guys ahead of me were making E6 in 6 years and Chief in under 10. They were actually paying guys to get out because of the glut.

I am not limited in the number of E4 (Specialist) and below. Promotions get competitive at E5 (Sergeant). That's when a Soldier is compared to his or her peers and promoted based on the number of points earned for physical fitness, weapons scores, college education, correspondence courses, awards, time in service, promotion board scores, etc.

The Army controls the number of Sergeants and Staff Sergeants (E6) by raising or lowering the points required to promote based on strength of that specialty.

After Staff Sergeant (E6), promotions become "centralized," or managed at the Army level with formal promotion boards.

 

[Driftwood]

I don't know if recruiting standards are getting lower. I literally served with some "enlist or jail" guys. My dad served at a time when you got a letter in the mail that said you'd just won a free physical and trip halfway around the world.
From time immemorial, militaries have had their share of **** ups, criminals, and derelicts. The difference between then and now is the sense of entitlement and being special.

 

[Driftwood]

I am not limited in the number of E4 (Specialist) and below. Promotions get competitive at E5 (Sergeant). That's when a Soldier is compared to his or her peers and promoted based on the number of points earned for physical fitness, weapons scores, college education, correspondence courses, awards, time in service, promotion board scores, etc.

The Army controls the number of Sergeants and Staff Sergeants (E6) by raising or lowering the points required to promote based on strength of that specialty.

After Staff Sergeant (E6), promotions become "centralized," or managed at the Army level with formal promotion boards.

I took the test for PO2 (E5) five or six times, and each time is was Passed but Not Advanced. There were just too many guys in my rate.
But again, that was more than a lifetime ago for some folks. I saluted the Officer of the Deck, the Ensign, and said, "Request permission to go ashore" with my seabag on my shoulder for the last time July 23, 1993.

 

[justgladtobehere]

, the

I am not limited in the number of E4 (Specialist) and below. Promotions get competitive at E5 (Sergeant). That's when a Soldier is compared to his or her peers and promoted based on the number of points earned for physical fitness, weapons scores, college education, correspondence courses, awards, time in service, promotion board scores, etc.

The Army controls the number of Sergeants and Staff Sergeants (E6) by raising or lowering the points required to promote based on strength of that specialty.

After Staff Sergeant (E6), promotions become "centralized," or managed at the Army level with formal promotion boards.

How does it differ for officers?

 

[Small Town Guy]

Maybe not. Rumor has it he disobeyed an order and gave food to soldier who was on barracks restriction and only supposed to get water and vitamin supplements.

One of my proudest moments: Rewriting the A Few Good Men script with a buddy with the story of my old man hoops league. Two players give a Code Red to a guy in the league who squeals to the admins at the school where we play because our game went past 10 p.m. They stuffed a jock with his mouth that may or may not have had a toxin on it. And it goes from there. Took us three months to write and was a total waste of our time but my god was it fun.

 

[User 1019]

How does it differ for officers?

Officer promotions are also centralized at the Department of the Army level with formal boards on generally the following timeline:

1LT: 2 years
CPT: 2 years
MAJ: 10 years
LTC: 17 years
COL: 21 years
BG: 24 or 25, I think

Not sure after that

 

[MisterCreosote]

In order to get a star (BG and up), your nomination has to go all the way to the President and you have to get Congressional approval.

Pretty sure you have to do the same for a second, third or fourth star, too. And you may have to go through that same process separately for whatever position you’re filling.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Officer promotions are also centralized at the Department of the Army level with formal boards on generally the following timeline:

1LT: 2 years
CPT: 2 years
MAJ: 10 years
LTC: 17 years
COL: 21 years
BG: 24 or 25, I think

Not sure after that

10 years to make major? You could retire before making colonel? Holy ****.

 

[User 4332]

10 years to make major? You could retire before making colonel? Holy ****.

My college GF just made colonel in the Air Force, and she's in year 21 of active duty service. Observing from afar, it takes a lot of endurance.

 

[User 1019]

In order to get a star (BG and up), your nomination has to go all the way to the President and you have to get Congressional approval.

Pretty sure you have to do the same for a second, third or fourth star, too. And you may have to go through that same process separately for whatever position you’re filling.

BG and MG are traditional promotion boards. LTG and GEN are full appointments.

All E7 and above promotions require congressional approval. Title 10 limits the number of senior NCOs and Officers.

 

[User 1019]

10 years to make major? You could retire before making colonel? Holy ****.

Yes. I will retire in summer/fall '26 as a lieutenant colonel.

 

[User 1019]

My college GF just made colonel in the Air Force, and she's in year 21 of active duty service. Observing from afar, it takes a lot of endurance.

It is definitely not a sprint.

 

[MisterCreosote]

There’s no

BG and MG are traditional promotion boards. LTG and GEN are full appointments.

All E7 and above promotions require congressional approval. Title 10 limits the number of senior NCOs and Officers.

My bad. I thought all GO billets were position-specific, meaning you only get the rank if Congress approves you for the position.

Also, I’ve known plenty of people who retired as LTCs, including my boss. Nothing wrong with that. Personally, I’m around enough senior O6s to know I’d never want their jobs.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

In the Army, the promotion from 2LT to 1LT is automatic after 2 years unless you're a complete ****up. After that, each promotion is done by boards and if you get passed over, you're out of the regular Army shortly thereafter (although you may continue to serve inactively in the reserves or National Guard).

 

[Driftwood]

My niece's boyfriend is a Marine. He just put on Major after either 8 or 9 years. He's a sharp dude and deserved it.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Yes. I will retire in summer/fall '26 as a lieutenant colonel.

I have a question about time. A guy who served and was hiring for a small business said he questioned guys who served around 15 years because why didn't they just put in a few more years to retire.