Posted on May 27, 2025
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What if an Army E-6 Staff Sergeant gets to 14 years, and decides to re-enlist for 6 more years, to make it to 20 years and retirement safely. But then, a year or 2 later, he gets busted to E-5 Sergeant for some reason. What will happen with his HYT? Will he be able to complete his enlistment and 20 years even if he never gets back to E-6, or would he have some certain amount of time or conditions in which to get back to E-6 or be separated from the military before the 20 year retirement?
8041: Colonel, Ground
RCP
Enlisted
UCMJ
Edited 7 mo ago
Posted 7 mo ago
Responses: 11
If the Soldier is over their RCP due to reduction, then their ETS date is adjusted to 180 days from their new GED if it is currently further out. If the Soldier subsequently gets back their rank, then the ETS reverts back to what it was previously.
In this hypothetical situation, because a Soldier must serve the full TIG requirements (non-waiverable) to be promoted after being reduced, they would need to ensure their transition plan is updated.
BTW, your hypothetical (SSG with 14 years reenlisting for 6 years) wouldn't occur as they would be reenlisted under the Career Status Program (i.e., indef).
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* AR 601-280 (Army Retention Program) - https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN35366-AR_601-280-000-WEB-1.pdf
* DA PAM 601-280 (Army Retention Program Procedures) - https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2024/10/17/6e3d2b5a/smartbook-da-pam-601-280.pdf
In this hypothetical situation, because a Soldier must serve the full TIG requirements (non-waiverable) to be promoted after being reduced, they would need to ensure their transition plan is updated.
BTW, your hypothetical (SSG with 14 years reenlisting for 6 years) wouldn't occur as they would be reenlisted under the Career Status Program (i.e., indef).
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* AR 601-280 (Army Retention Program) - https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN35366-AR_601-280-000-WEB-1.pdf
* DA PAM 601-280 (Army Retention Program Procedures) - https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2024/10/17/6e3d2b5a/smartbook-da-pam-601-280.pdf
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CW3 Richard Doty
I retired several decades ago, so my knowledge about how things work is really out of date. I did a quick search and found that the Career Status Program means you are in effect reenlisting for an indefinite period. That sounds like a good idea, but does that mean that an NCO can essentially reenlist at 10, and stay another 20 (or more?) years (assuming all other things work like grade)? Or is this just to get to 20? I couldn't get the link you posted to resolve, which is why the questions.
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COL Randall C.
CW3 Richard Doty - When you're in the CSP, you're there as long as you don't come out.
Normally, this the enlisted Soldier can stay in that component until they volunteer to seperate (discharge, retire, transfer components, etc.) or they are forced to seperate (reach a mandatory age limit, some administrative or disciplinary discharge, etc.).
I'm not sure of the issue you're having with the links. I just double-checked them and they are working. I just fired up my VPN and was still able to access, so the servers aren't refusing the connection. I suspect it's a DNS issue, in which case putting Google's DNS (8.8.8.8) as a secondary DNS should fix the issue.
If I'm speaking Greek, then don't worry about it ☺.
Normally, this the enlisted Soldier can stay in that component until they volunteer to seperate (discharge, retire, transfer components, etc.) or they are forced to seperate (reach a mandatory age limit, some administrative or disciplinary discharge, etc.).
I'm not sure of the issue you're having with the links. I just double-checked them and they are working. I just fired up my VPN and was still able to access, so the servers aren't refusing the connection. I suspect it's a DNS issue, in which case putting Google's DNS (8.8.8.8) as a secondary DNS should fix the issue.
If I'm speaking Greek, then don't worry about it ☺.
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CW3 Richard Doty
COL Randall C. - That makes a heck of a lot more sense than the old system of 6-years at a pop. Thanks!
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In this particular case, as the good COL Randall C. said, they will face the RCP Chapter Boot unless they get their rank back. However, another key thing to take into account is that any time a SSG thru CSM is reduced in grade due to an Article 15, they are automatically put up for the QMP Board. If they can hit their 16 months TIG and promoted again prior to RCP, then RCP is no longer a factor. Still looking at the QMP, however.
In case you are wondering, what automatically triggers a QMP Board for a SM (E6-E9) is the following:
Article 15 resulting in reduction
GOMOR
NCOER Relief for Cause
DUI (this one is 100% fatal; there have been NO persons retained that had a DIU).
Failure of an NCOES for promotion
In case you are wondering, what automatically triggers a QMP Board for a SM (E6-E9) is the following:
Article 15 resulting in reduction
GOMOR
NCOER Relief for Cause
DUI (this one is 100% fatal; there have been NO persons retained that had a DIU).
Failure of an NCOES for promotion
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SSG (Join to see)
"DUI (this one is 100% fatal; there have been NO persons retained that had a DIU)."
Big change from the mid-1990s. I distinctly remember our post CSM getting dinged not once, not twice, but THREE times for DUI back in the mid-90's. Nothing happened. Same time frame, had a SSG in our unit, exemplary record, only 8 years in, get a DUI (just AT the legal limit, though!), and he was gone within a week.
I wonder if the punishment disparities still exist...
Big change from the mid-1990s. I distinctly remember our post CSM getting dinged not once, not twice, but THREE times for DUI back in the mid-90's. Nothing happened. Same time frame, had a SSG in our unit, exemplary record, only 8 years in, get a DUI (just AT the legal limit, though!), and he was gone within a week.
I wonder if the punishment disparities still exist...
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MSG (Join to see)
SSG (Join to see) - It's situations of old like what you just described as to why the QMP (Qualitative Management Board) now exists. A (Former) SFC in Honduras in 2023, decided to drink and drive on base, to include damaging light poles and evading the MPs. He was given a GOMOR, a FG Article 15, NCOER Relief for Cause. He didn't lose rank (that I'm aware of) but he was off base within 3 weeks back to the States to be processed out of the Army. He had 17-18 years. He didn't pass GO, he did NOT collect $200.
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I'm curious though. What brought this very specific 'what if" question about?
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SPC Tim K
Ah, I was just thinking about it, I have known one person who got up-or-outted at 12 years for not getting past E-5 in the Marines. That was about 10 years ago. I forget the exact dates. I'd think that once you got E-6, you could have a bit of relief knowing you were good for your 20, but things happen.
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I know the answer to this question way too well as it actually happened to me. My infraction took place in Dec of 2013 in Korea. I was an E6 with over 16 years of service and INDEF status. In Jan of 2014 a MILPER message came out stating the previously referenced actions that would be taken for people in this situation. I was reduced on 2 May 2014 and since I was beyond the RCP standards for an E5, I was immediately scheduled for involuntary separation. Fortunately for me, at the time, the reserves were in serious need of personnel so I was able to reenlist into the army reserves without a break in service. More great news was in 9 years of reserve service, getting promoted back to E6 in 2019, and 1.5 mobilizations, I was able to acquire 18 years of active federal service. This allowed me to apply for sanctuary status, which sent me to Fort Stewart back in 2023 and I'm set to retire 31 Oct 2025. I might be the luckiest person to ever reach retirement status with the things I've done in my past, but I sure am grateful for the Army giving me a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and finally a 5th chance at retention and bouncing back.
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Things sure have changed since I was in the Corps back in the 70's. The most that happened to someone back then if they got a DUI was they took away their base driving privileges. I seen it happen to those from Private to Gunnery Sergeant (E-1 to E-7). Come to think about it, a 1stLt also got a DUI. Not sure how that affected his promotion but as far as I know, he only lost his base driving privileges the same as enlisted.
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When I was in Antarctica we had an ET1 that made Chief but was not frocked. He got into trouble and got busted down to ET2 and out of the Navy.
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I would add the wrinkle of the "sanctuary program." If you're an E-5 past 18 years of service, don't you get to retire, RCP be damned? I ask this because I was the extremely rare O-4 who would have been past 18 years at my RCP if I had not been promoted. Naturally, I'm a stud, so it didn't happen, but it's an interesting intellectual exercise....
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Usually if an NCO is reduced in rank, they are barred for reenlistment or any other favorable actions. And if reduced, they are usually separated after their other penalty are finished with( ie... confinement, extra duty, restriction).
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