How does an E6 have 6 service stripes?

I retired after 28 years as a SSG. I never lost rank. I was a victim of poor timing. I went from Active Duty to Army Reserve to Army National Guard as a SPC over an 17 period before I was finally promoted to SGT. At the time, I held 2 MOS designations, 19K and 62B, while the Army was transitioning and closing down units left and right. Promotions were hard to come by. When I moved to Florida and joined the Florida National Guard, I didn't realize that the state had no slots for either 19K or 62B and there was no funding for schools. Finally, after 9/11, funding became available and I reclassed as a 74B (later to be known as 25B) and was deployed several times to both CONUS and OCONUS. During my last couple of years, I was an E-6 sitting in an E-7 25E slot again waiting for funding for ALS and 25E MOS school. There is only one 25E slot in the state and I was bumped out of it in order for a AGR / State Technician could fill the hard slot which put me in an excess slot again. Once it became obvious that I would not be promotable for at least another 3 to 5 years, I decided to retire.

This is my story and I'm sure that others have similar stories especially in the Reserve Component.

Thank you,
SSG (Ret) Brian Ladley

PFC O'Hara, I am a SGT with 7 service stripes. Time in service doesn't equal promotions. The reasons are aplenty!

That was normal before the "Wars." Most didn't see SFC till close to 20.

He was my PSG in AIT. He was an amazing NCO, but unfortunately it took him a while to get there. He pinned me at graduation and while he was pinning me he gave me a speech about keeping yourself in check because you don't want a bunch of stripes and not the rank to go with it. He told our platoon a lot about how he messed up a lot as a Jr soldier. I met him when he had like 18.5 years in and he was killin it, but he was capped at E6 after getting ucmj too many times at the beginning of his career. So it's safe for you guys to assume the article 15 thing because it's true, but POS? Absolutely not. One if the most inspiring people I have ever met.

Ask him.

There are many reasons. He was not selected for SFC is one possibility. Or even like me, he could have had a break in service...because I am a SSG with 17.5 yrs in total service as I had a 5.5 yr break.

Current RCP for SSG is 20 years. Once you make SSG you can re-up INDEF up to your 20 years mark

A lot of MOS's it is tough to make E7 because the positions really bottle neck down from a 30 position and therefore he is more than likely a promotable SSG awaiting for his promotion.

I appreciate everyone's responses to this post and their knowledgable answers to my question, I didn't know it would get this big of a topic. As a junior enlisted, I don't know many of the different circumstances that would happen in this situation. Thank you very much everyone.

I applaud the NCOs who answered this young soldiers question with professionalism and without hurt feelings.

"No one is more professional than I......"

"All Soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership; I will provide that leadership...."