How does an E6 have 6 service stripes?

Actually E-6 is a pretty good rank.

I'm a retired Marine and the rank that I retired as is E5 and I have 6 service stripes. I'd prefer not to tell you why I retired as an E5 as I'm not proud of the reason but I still retired with an Honorable Discharge. The point that I'm making is it is not impossible to be an E6 with 6 Stripes.

Pvt. "How long did it take you to make E5, Sarge?"
Me " Which time?"
The answer varies from MOS to MOS and from troop to troop. Also, depending on slots open can raise or lower the points needed. That, and pissing off the wrong people or looking like a dirtbag. But, I've known lot's of NCOs who retired as R6's

Could have been a multiple of things. He may have been in an MOS that had slow promotions, he could have served in another branch then got out and went in the Army. Thats what happened to me. I'm a retired SSG with 6 service stripes and have 21 ribbons. I spent 12 years as a Marine then switched over to the Army. Everything I earned in the Marines carried over. I had an SSG in my platoon that was in 23 years and he had 7 service stripes.

Well, It could be for several reasons. If they got busted down in rank. If they lost rank and had to make it back it could be a contributing factor. Some MOS's are very few senior NCO positions available, and they may have retired at that rank. They could be prior service (with a large break in service) Depending the rank at the initial time of ETS and the gap in service time could also be a factor.

profile in a combat arms unit = terminal E6 even if its a combat injury alot of times

There are MOS' that promote slowly - there are times following combat theatres where there are just too many NCO's in a particular MOS - Reach into a grab bag of reasons!

If you are or were in the Army or Marine Corps, this really is a basic question. If you were or are in the Air Force, then that explains a lot since the USAF is backwards in slow when it comes to how their stripes work.

This question is hilariously simple to answer. The SSG in this picture has 6 service stripes because he's served for 18 years. I had that many stripes on my uniform before I retired as a SSG in 2008. Now depending on what he has done during his time in(MOS, how long he's been a SSG, etc.), that would further explain why he's still a SSG, but that's something you would have to ask him about.

I made sgtE5 in 21 months.