Do you think the Air Force is handing out E-3 too easily?

Like you mentioned a post below, SSgt (Join to see), the Reserve can offer it faster. I was an E-3 out of BMT due to college credits (I went in at 30 and with a Master's), and my orders stipulated that I got E-4 upon completion of tech school and commander approval. I got it five days after returning to my duty station. That's where the speed stopped for me. I was an SrA on 9/11 and left for OTS on 8/14 as a SrA. I wasn't even eligible to put in for ALS until 8/14.

I wouldn't dwell on it too much. Who cares how everyone got there, now distinguish yourself from them with your leadership abilities and start working on your bullets so you can get Airman of the Quarter/Group/Wing or put in for AMS (pending a degree, if you don't have that yet). You'll get your rewards for all of that hard work.

If it's of any consolation, SSgt (Join to see), it doesn't sound like the Air Force has changed the early A1C criteria in over 30 years. In 1983, you could go in as an A1C if you had at least 60 semester hours of college (but you couldn't wear the insignia until after graduation), or you could get A1C upon graduation from tech school if you enlisted for six years active service (back then initial enlistments were six years, not eight years as they are now). I will take MSgt William Lucas' word that enlisting in certain specialties was a third route to early A1C back in our day. I do remember someone asking if anyone in our flight had CAP experience, but none did, so I don't know what they would have gained. We did have one person who had enough ROTC experience to be considered "proficiency advanced." He only had to complete the first half of basic training, and I suspect he was an E-3.

I was part way through my junior year of college when I enlisted, so my date of rank was the day I reported to Lackland. The early rank put me one year ahead of my peers. A much lower percentage of enlistees had college experience back then. I was fortunate enough to make BTZ, so I put on SrA at 22 months. You asked about the Army's non-leadership E-4 position. In my day, you wore SrA for 12 months, then, if you had completed the two week NCO Preparatory Course, you were promoted to the now-defunct E-4 Sergeant rank, commonly known as "buck sergeant." There was no financial increase, and it cost money to purchase and sew on the new insignia, but everyone was glad to spend that money to become an NCO and drop the "Airman" title. At that point we could transition from membership in the Airman's Club to the NCO Club. For those of us who were permanent party at training bases, it was a big deal to get away from the pipeline students.

I later transitioned to the Air National Guard. You should make E-5 much quicker in the Guard than you would AD. If you are a traditional guardsman, the upper ranks may come quicker, too. I was fortunate enough to be an AGR. I wouldn't trade that for anything, but SNCO ranks are tough to attain, and are tied completely to your AFSC and the slots assigned to your base. There was only one E-8 position in my AFSC at my base, and one person was in that slot for 15 years. They eliminated the only E-9 position in 1992, so upward mobility was impossible without moving to the National Guard Bureau.

The bottom line SSgt (Join to see), is don't let the "butt hurt" drag you down. You will still be ahead of some of your peers when you put on SrA. Be sure you get all of your PME out of the way at the earliest possible opportunity. Always have all of your boxes checked for promotion. Especially in the Guard, you just never know when one of your competitors won't have one of the prerequisites completed when an opening presents itself. Even at a good unit like Forbes. Trust me on this.

Well, it could be a few things, CAP, Eagle Scout, college, or signing a 6 year enlistment. Each one gives the Air Force something they want in exchange for something the enlistee wants.