Current RCP

It's a very fair system if you cannot achieve any of those timelines at least to the SSG level you should probably not be In the service anyways. They are very achievable the question is how bad do you want it you control your career from E1-E6 that's the bottom line.

This has been refined a lot in the last decade. I think we are getting there. I am sure that we will see them drop a little more in the years to come. I know that promotions have slowed down already but I really can't understand a SPC/E-4 needing 8 years before getting promoted.

I agree with RCP as a concept and in general. In general, RCPs facilitate the up or out philosophy of the US military. Historically, the US military has run into problems such as right before and during the Civil War when we emphasized longevity over merit. One of the first actions by GEN Marshall before the start of WWII was to dismiss many senior leaders who GEN Marshall felt would not be able to handle the rigors of sustained combat operations due to lack of physical fitness and age. This created room for younger and eager Soldiers to move up. Stated another way, a leader (NCO, Warrant, Officer) who has little to no chance of further promotion is holding a slot and thus preventing the promotions of several lesser ranked Soldiers.

The specific RCPs for each rank, however, can and should change based upon strategic requirements and the basic issue of supply and demand. Simply stated, when our Army is growing we need to keep more Soldiers at each rank for a longer period but when our Army is shrinking we need to keep fewer Soldiers at each rank. This is not to say that Soldiers that are asked to leave "suck". It merely means that the Army must be selective and retain only the best. Every Soldier will reach a point where they will no longer be promoted and will be asked to leave. Some Soldiers merely reach that point sooner than other Soldiers.