How does an E6 have 6 service stripes?

I knew a LOT of SSG's who retired, and even more PO1's in the Navy. A lot depends on a person's MOS. No shame in retiring as an E6 in the Army or Navy ... and I think it's even more common itn the USMC - or at leat it used to be. A good friend, of my son, just retired early as a Marine SSG because had he stayed in for a full 20, and not gotten promoted, he'd have been discharged without a retirement. He was in a situation where it was retire and get a pension, or stay and HOPE to get promoted which, IN HIS MOS, was not likely.

While I was stationed in Hawaii we had a supply Sergeant E-5 that had been in for 15 years. Our Company Commander looked down on him because he was just an E-5 and didn't really want to be promoted because he had problems speaking. We had an theft incident in the unit, and it was revealed then that he was the Sergeant Baker the Quad was named after. He was a Medal of Honor winner that was wounded in action, and wanted to continue in the Army. Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a soldier just because someone hasn't been promoted.

Lets see i retired out of the AF as an E6 with 21 years

Thank him for his service and move on

Some of the reasons could be: Reserve Time, Returned to Active Duty and lost a stripe - just a couple that could explain it - Check his rack and his stripes on his right arm -

I was an E5 with 8. No Art 15 just not enough of an asshole to get promoted.

I had 19 years in service and retired as an E-5, high cutoff score of 798 to make E-6 for 10+ years. So if you are in a static mos it can happen, and no article 15s or adverse actions on my record.

In my observation many have the years in and service they're either held back because, some chose not pursuit an associate degree, or higher, before I myself left the US Army in 1987, the Army wanted soldiers to further their education, I didn't and I wasn't going to stay in any longer, my decision was based on Medical reasons

Some MOS promote quicker than others! Based on performance and allocations some.folks move quicker than others!

Based on MOS and performance some folks get promoted quicker than others. Some folks retire as SSG because their branch would not promote them based on performance MOS allocations.