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

In my personal opinion yes. That's way to quick. In three years do you think you have enough experience to lead in that capacity? It's tough for some that have been at that pay grade for 15-20 years. But I guess everyone is different. Just find it hard to believe someone could really make rank that quick in today's military.

Honestly, INMO, If someone made E-5 in 3 years I wouldn't trust them to lead let alone E-6 in 3 years. They haven't the time in service or time in grade to truly understand the responsibilities of the rank. There's a reason there are time in service/grade requirements. Pushing a golden child up through tge ranks not only hurts moral. It hurts leadership.

I did it 1982-1985 seaman recruit E1 to Bm1 (SW) E-6. Yes I was over my head none else seemed to want the job. Very few self motivated deckapes onboard my three ships.

I made E-5 within two years of enlisting. It could have been a huge mistake to get rank too early, but I managed my career rather than letting events manage me. I made the most of it by going to OCS and earning my commission. I volunteered for every training opportunity and school I could. I took assignments no one else wanted. I studied regulations and learned what my options were. I couldn't control everything, and I didn't always get what I wanted, but I had specific training and experience that allowed me to stay in uniform for 36 years!

E6 in so little time....must be the Navy. When you make rank so fast, you miss the lessons each rank has for you. You will not know what it is you don't know. The Army has (or had?) minimum TIS requirements for this and it is not possible to make E6 in 3 years.

I too entered at 17, didn't turn 18 until I was done with basic and had reported to my unit at Ft. Drum, I later found myself as a 20 year old E-5, and it was awkward for a bit. Most of the other NCO's were older and my peers in my age group I had to maintain some professional distance from depending on the circumstances. I look at the advancement as a negative from that standpoint, but took some positive from it to, it made me grow up fast and helped to shape and mold who I am today. I never let it go to my head, and I always listened, observed, and retained the information and training being given by those above at the same level and above me.

My only question is if said individual executes the duties of their rank as sufficiently as the average person holding that rank. I added that last bit because anyone who makes rank that fast will likely be scrutinized for it and any mistake they make would be due to their lack of experience. Is it ideal for say a 18 year old to make E6 by the time they're 21, personally maybe not, but if they are doing the job and doing it well, then no big deal. The problem is when they get dismissed for their TiS or their age and not for their ability by other SNCOs. That isn't the fault of the young E6, but an issue with those not respecting the rank rather than the person.

I got busted three times for doing stupid stuff as a young one. But I always worked well. I finally got smart and got meritoriously promoted four times including to E7 in 8 1/2 years. E5 and E6 were regular promotions. Never really had and issue with accelerated promotions. Some others took exemption with me from time to time but once we worked together for a bit it generally straightened out. I think my colorful beginnings may have made me grow too. I had some excellent SNCO’s I learned from too.

I think so. When I was in, my MOS was balanced. Promotion cut off scores for E-5/6 was at 998 points. For a large number of years, only one person was promoted to E-7. We could not get out of the field and for promotion purposes, couldn't stay in. The average TIS to make E-7 was 15 years. I made E-5 in 3 1/2 years and E-6 in 7 years. Unfortunately, there were so many E-6 above me that getting promoted was nearly impossible. By the time I had enough TIS to make the average, I now had 8 years as an E-6. The result was I was viewed as "stagnant" in my field, there was no more schools to go to and nothing I could do to get promoted. One of the folks that was promoted to E-7 had her PhD. I entered a month after I graduated from high school and spent my time in field units. This was before the internet so on line classes was not available. I ended up getting a medical discharge during the purge in 1990.

I made E-6 in 5 yrs and E-7 in 7yrs, E-8 in 10yrs, E-9 in 12 yrs. I was in the Navy degree completion program. I spent 7 yrs in Asia mostly Vietnam. Retired as a CWO.