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

Your really asking this question after Brandon pinned a Transvestite a Admiral in the US Navy? WTF

I was one of those who made E6 in 3 years but let me explain why. I enlisted in the California Army National Guard in December of 1987. I went in as an E3 because of the number of college credits that I had at the time of enlistment. I also was placed in an E5 96B Intel Analyst slot which in the 40th Div Arty was the lowest rank for that MOS And it was a hard MOS to fill. I left for basic in January of 1988 and after I graduated basic I went to AIT where I finished and graduated in July 1988. After I came home to Cali I was then promoted to SPC/E4 where I started working with the recruiters as a recruiter aide. I started doing so well, actually calling prospects and setting up appointments that the recruiting NCOIC took notice and had an opening for a full-time field recruiter so they (Recruiting Command) talked with the commander to have me promoted to E5 in April 1989. You had to be an E5 in order to be a recruiter.
I was such a successful recruiter that in my second year of recruiting I was the top recruiter in the state up to the last day. My consolation prize was my being promoted to E6 in September of 1991.

Getting promoted during war was way faster than when we had nothing going on

George Martin,
Please quit worrying about this petty shit and finish writing Winds of Winter. ;o}

Of course there is such a thing as making rank too quick! We all know this.
Heck, I was stationed with a female that made E5 in 3 years and would tell everyone that she was NOT ready for the responsibilities that came with being an NCO. She like the money, sure, but she wasn't thrilled with the additional workload. Not mature enough yet.

For some folks, yes. I entered as a 2LT at the height of the Vietnam War, and was a Captain two years to the day later. That worked out fine for me. And I stayed a Captain for 8 years until promoted to Major.

Different times, but I made E-5 in 7 months, went to Viet Nam as an E-2 in Jan. and made E-5 the last of July, all accelerated promotion. The highest rank we had on the teams was E-5, and the turnover rate was high. I was promised E-6 if I extended for another 3 months, but I turned it down.

Well Chief, I believe that I am a poster boy example for your topic.

I Enlisted at age 32 in the double-aughts. I could not get a waiver to go Big Navy, so I had to Enlist in the Naval Reserves (Navy Reserves). The Recruiter set my up in the NPSAC program. Due to my extensive work experience in IT (Director of Technology), I was to Enlist as a temporary First Class Petty Officer, permanent Second Class IT Rate. I turned that down for many reasons. One, being that just seemed too damn improper to me. The other being that I want to start at the very bottom as an Seaman Recruit and work my way up in the Ranks. I eventually made it to Second Class Petty Officer the traditional way. Then I took TAR Orders (Active Duty), but had my NEC 8218, NAC and a Chevron stripped from me. It would be sometime in aught nine when I would become a First Class Petty Officer. I was up for my first Chief's exam when my career was shot to Hell with a Service Connected Injury. By the way, due to how I had to Enlist in the NPSAC program, I missed out on the full 11 week Boot, had no A, C or Aviation Physiology, or SERE School. The only school that I had was the 6 weeks Loadmaster Course for C-130T. Because of this, I never felt sure of my leadership as a Petty Officer. I had not walk the walk to talk the talk, as we say in Texas. When it came to my Rate or my NEC, those reservations did not exist, as I knew my job and by the book. Everything I was able to do in the Navy, was purely On The Job Training.

Pushbuttons: Usually when they got to the fleet they had no deck experience but knew the books. Problem was not always accepted readily by the command. I had one right out of school and sorry to say he ended up getting a blanket party within a couple months. He tried to correct a person in another division. After that he backed up a little and asked more questions of others. I myself made E-5 in three and E-6 in six. Pretty much had to have time in rank and time in service in the early 70's. I actually took the E-6 exam three times. third time a charm. My rating was pretty tight. I went aboard my one command as an E-6 at the age of 25. I was the youngest and most junior E-6. I got harassed by a couple E-6's with 14 plus years in. First class lounge was a place I di not frequent. I was a hard charger. At nine years board approved E-7. Ended getting out I needed three more years active duty to get advanced. Had family issues so I left. I planned on going Warrant.

Yes, I made ET-1 in 3 1/2 years, but didn't gain the maturity until I made ETC in the USNR in 10 1/2 years.