How does an E6 have 6 service stripes?

He could also be in the National Guard, in which each NCO position is based on MTOE. You cannot promote higher than the MTOE will allow. In my old Medical section, There was 1 E6, 4 E5 and, 8 E4 and below. My new Medical section is 1 E6 and 3 E4 and below. So, it does not matter if you have points or not, you aren't promoting in your position. Also, when there is a limited number of E7 spots in the state, I believe 16, then the changes of the other 24 E6's to promote is very unlikely or slow, until someone retires or literally dies. Good luck changing MOS at E6 as well. Good news, I LOVE MY JOB, so I don't care if I stay an E6 for a few more years. Oh yeah, getting into ALC or SLC as a 68W seems damn near impossible these days too.

I did 20 years and retired as a SSgt. Don't know how many times my test number came within 2 digets of the cut for TSgt. It all depends if the force is in a draw down or a build up. To many good workers get overlooked.

Could have been a reservist. There is no RCP in the reserves... I've seen SGT's with 6 or 7 service stripes.

I had an uncle, AND my father in law, both retire at 20 as E-6.....Not all MOS are neccesarily leadership positions. When is the last time you saw an E-7, or E-8 Supply sergeant? Or a motorpool sergeant????? Get over your selves guys. Both of the men I knew were good soldiers, dedicated to their craft.....It just wasn't meant to be. Ask MP's how easy it is to make rank.

To easy, A. he only has 18 years of service. or B he is a reserve/guardsman.

Retention control points did not come about until after Desert Sheild/Storm. I worked with a Navy E-5 who retired in 1989 with 20 years of service wearing gold rank, which meant he had never been in trouble.

Many NCO's only reach the rank of E6. You have to understand that there are different slots for different MOS's (and different requirements), making promotions work different (and happen at different speeds) across the different jobs. And, many NCO's are unwilling to switch MOS's to get promoted faster.

Additionally, in the guard and reserves there are even less slots/positions available the higher you go up in rank, making it even harder to promote (especially in the guard, where you are limited by small number of available slots within your state--unlike the active Army). So it is actually quite common to see people do a full 20 years and only be an E6 or E7 when they get out, and it has nothing to do with that person's competence or whether or not they ever got into trouble (most of the time)...

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we learned the SSG in this picture is actually a guardsman.

Bottom line, don't assume this NCO is a fake, got into trouble, or is somehow incompetent. I know *many* outstanding NCO's that have done 15-20+ years and got out as an E6 or E7.

My father was demoted from E6 to E1, E7 to E1, and finally E7 to E1 in his 12 years in the Army in the 60s and 70s. You can't go by rank on the arm as an indicator of time in service. Hell I separated as an E4 because my last month I was in I failed a PT test and I was in for 14 years.

I always understood the TIS stripes were based on your PEBD.

This can also be different if the SSG was an AGR soldier in the National Guard. While it is rare, I have seen several SFC's and 1SG's take an administrative reduction to SSG or SGT for an AGR position. Most States don't allow a SFC or higher to enter into the AGR program without a reduction.