Covering the different branches and era's, what is the best promotion system for enlisted?

why should a degree make you more promotable in the military? Is it job specific? I’m just curious. There are military specific schools for promotion and being a great leader, leading by example is more to the military than hitting the books for a degree in what you’re interested in.

My sons Tech Sgt at 9 years, he tests for Master first Q. He's combat weather and they're severely understaffed especially at Army support which she he's done for 6 years. Mis dependent I'd guess.

I would disagree with the army is the easiest to promote to NCO, you have to put a lot of effort in and there has to be an open slot. It’s nice to hear input from an officer but ground troops opinion is a lot different than an officers opinion. You might just see numbers and have that opinion but from the ground troops we see it a lot differently.

SGT Mark Estes - I based my comments on my enlisted time from PVT/E-1 to SSG/E-6 and my 9 years of enlisted service. I agree with you on your assessment about the slot, but mostly it was time in grade and time in service up through SPC/E-4 after that I was boarded for E-5 and point came into play and the cut-off for E-6. After E-6 I believe all the seervices become very competitive for the Senior Level Ranks. I've just heard speaking with other in the Marines, Navy, and Air Force the promotions are more difficult for the lower enlisted and then they all seem to be very competative for the Senior enlisted ranks. Again, I based my experience on Commanded two Companies and singing offf on promotion worksheets and recommendations for senior NCOs, and my experience as a four year Battional Commander with (5) companies promotion recommendations coming up through the chain of command, my exeprience with the (4) CSM's that I served with at the Brigade leve that actually conducted the Senior Level Boards and reported their findings and results with me the Brigade Commander. After 37 years of wervice both enlisted and officer I do have a little experience in the area of promotions for both enlsited and officer, and warrant officer as well. Thanks, Mikel

COL Mikel J. Burroughs Enlisted ranks to e4 Spc are easy going promotions but NCO promotions to E-5 and above are very much earned.

COL Mikel J. Burroughs I am thankful for your service and experience. I am just telling this soldier like it is from the ground level. All your higher officer promotion experience is awesome and great but on the lower tree it is a lot different. There’s a lot of enlisted personnel e1-e4 and junior nco’s Cpl-ssg but the perspective on the enlisted side is a lot different than what you went through on the upper management side and I felt your comments about promoting up to E6 was not as easy as you make it out to be.