How does an E6 have 6 service stripes?

Maybe someone has stated this already; He could be prior service or reserve time.

You'd be correct in that the SSG has 18 plus years service. He may or may not be promotable to SFC. If not, there can be any number of reasons. Numbers of SFC's in his PMOS, shortages or overages? It's all about requirements for SFC's in their respective fields. Someone said that he must be a dud. I'd say prove it. He doesn't appear to be. Perhaps he's a Guardsman or Reservist. Promotions are slow in those type units. I'd say, ask him, don't make an unfounded judgment.

Simple , that E-6 could be like I was sitting on the promotion list for over 8 years because there were NO open E-7 slots at that particular time , some MOS like mine 91b at the time only had a certain number of slots for that rank , I could either change MOS or accept the fact that I was on the list for E-7 but would not make it before retirement because the army just did not have a need for me at that rank in that field. I'm not the only one this happened to , but man did I have time in grade and time in service over the other guys !!!

A long-time between promotions!

If an NCO is in a dead end MOS it's possible. Maybe he/she doesn't want to retrain and change jobs. Here's the catch though; at 20 years of service it's move up to SFC or get forced out. The soldier could be in the NG or USAR and like their job. I once had a E5 clerk in my section that did custom gun engraving. He made twice his army income doing his part time work.

I was an E6 at 18 years. Some of us were happy where we were at.

I know you can retire at E-6 in the Navy. I'd be surprised if it was different in the Army. As for the character of his service, I know it's damn tough to make HM1 in the navy (poor community management and not the fault of the junior hospital corpsmen). With the Army being larger, I wouldn't be surprised to find that they have the same problem with certain MOSs.

Most of the enlisted Soldiers or military that I have known completed are anywhere between E5-E8 in 18 years. If that is active duty. For Reserve duty there could be a multitude of reasons why a member hasn’t made that next acceptable rank. For me, I thought my college and private businesses overshadowed my military reserve. Years ago, 1999-2000, St. Louis Reserve Command, would promote an individual to SFC *(E7) and then follow up on ANNOC. If you didn’t complete it like some did you were then demoted to E6. For me, I found a MSG Position but according to hold it, you have to be in that position 24 months to hold the rank. If you are medicinally retired or in my case MRD than even thought you had kept it 13 months doesn’t count.

High Year Tenure or TOP-CAP for an E6 is 22 years so an E6 could have 7 at retirement.

Active duty and Army Reserves, combined I had 24 years in the service. So I have 8 service stripes. It just happens sometimes. I can make all kinds of excuses but it does not change the fact that some of us knew we would never go higher in rank due to the fact that if you don't always please the people in charge in the Reserves, you just will not go any higher in rank even if you deserved it. of course I don't know how it is in todays Army, I have been retired from the Army/Army Reserves since 1998. So I am a bit out of touch with how things are today. Just remember an NCO is Still an NCO.