E6 in 3 years? Is there such thing as making rank too soon?

Time in service is part of the equation... E6 should not be achieved in any branch until at a minimum of 7 years....unless in a active combat situation, or becasue of a combat action....and that should not be an E6 promotion...it should be a O2 or O3 with OTS schooling to follow when the active combat issue has resolved...Yeah I went there...

Chaplains had a similar dilemma. Those coming on active duty were made Captains, and people assumed they had knowledge and experience. Now they come on as 1LTs, which is better.

I did not make rank that fast, however I had a squared away team leader (this was in the infantry) who made E-6 in 18 months... and i watched several people in my early years, make it to E-5 in 18 months as well.

E-6 in 3 years may be a little to soon. Circumstances may have warranted this and the service member may have been older. I made E-6 in 6 yrs and E-7 in 9 1/2 years. This was plenty fast enough for a 28 year old and a lot more responsibility for a young person. However, look at the average age of the branches and you will see who the "old men" really are.

I stayed as an E4 even though I was in for 5 years, 5 years on a 3 year contract. One of my senior ncos kept hounding me and another E4 about going to the E5 board and I finally told him that I did not feel that I was ready for it yet and he told me that I would be an nco by the time we redeployed and I said that's fine but I'm not ready for it right now. I started working with the other E4 with me and we started studying for the board and doing correspondence courses together. Then when we both approached the senior nco that kept hounding us both about going to the promotion board and told him that we felt that we were ready to go to the board he turned around and gave us verbal and written counseling on why he WAS NOT recommending us to go to the board.

Came in as an E-1, made E-5 in 37 months. As soon as I started to become proficient at my job, I got promoted and was flying by the seat of my pants again. At the time I felt I was a steaming pile of unrealized potential. Looking back now after having my own business for more than 20 years I think I may have been a little hard on myself. I didn't fully realize how much the Army had taught me. Very, very thankful for everything I learned from some fantastic senior NCO's.

I made E5 in 18 months, with the help of Vietnam.

I went from E2 to E5 in Vietnam and still had a year left in the Army when I left Vietnam and @ my next duty station I was boarded for E6

I joined the Navy on 19OCT64 as an E-1 and became an E-6 a little after 5 years of active duty. Being a Hospital Corpsman during the Vietnam era I believe made that possible. The only drawback was being only 22 years old with a peer group being somewhat older. However, the responsibilities were compatible with my experience and abilities.

I would agree with CSM Sweeney in that it is a matter of maturity! Having basic knowledge is all they (the service) requires, plus time in rank/time in service, but you have to keep in mind that as "the Chief", you'll be called upon to be so much more than you were as a PO1. If you advance quickly, make sure you have a good mentor(s) to help you out when you reach the point of having to say "I don't know!" And remember, when you do have to say it, and you will, follow up that statement with "but, I'll find the answer and get back to you", then do it. I believe that if you are going to make a career of the military, advance as quickly as you can, but make sure you keep the swelled head in Davy Jones' Locker where it belongs!