What's the most unusual way you have seen someone receive notification of promotion?

About a year ago, a CPL was going down the Warrior's tower here at FLW, MO. They stopped him halfway through and called everyone for "attention to orders". Promoted to Sergeant, horizontally.

I have a buddy who was promoted to e-3 two drills in a row, readiness NCO forgot lol

Ok, went and dug this out. We had been out in the field for several weeks. This was back around 1997 or 98. I had some great hair day going on, and they decided to pin my E-6 on at this time. No family. Just pin and back to work. good times.

When I was stationed at Osan AB in South Korea, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force flew in one day. As soon as he got off his jet, he asked to be taken to a TSgt F16 Crew Chief who was on the Flight Line at the time. He walked up to him and pinned MSgt on him. Bingo instant MSgt.

The night before Thanksgiving in Afghanistan I waited up all night refreshing the screen on AKO. Didn't see the file updated for promotions, so I went to bed, thinking oh well the HR Command guys went for their 4 day without uploading the promotions list. Few hours later, I was woken up by my 1SG screaming in my aid station looking for me. I didn't even realize what was going on, and he came over shook my hand and congratulate me. it took me while to realize, oh wait, I got promoted. Best Thanksgiving!!!

And btw I came back home for R&R to be pinned by my kids, and my Battery Commander who got injured within weeks of us getting there.

While serving a tour at Ship Repair Facility Guam, my XO had talked me into submitting a package to the LDO/CWO board. I was a Chief and had just made time in grade to qualify for consideration. The Navy had just split my NEC out from the rest of fleet, which put our manning at the E-7, 8, and 9 level at over 300%. I wasn't going anywhere too fast. Several months after I submitted my package, on a Sunday morning at around 0500, I received a phone call from a very good friend from my first submarine who had received a commission through the LDO program 3 years earlier and was at that time a LtJg. He had duty and was making a message run for his ship in Virginia. He saw the AlNav for LDO/CWO results and my name was on it. He immediately called me from his Saturday noon to my very early Sunday morning. Once I woke up enough to comprehend what he was trying to tell me, that I had made CWO2, I honestly thought he was messing with me. It took him 15 minutes to convince me to believe him. After I go off the phone with my friend, I immediately called my XO and we met at the admin offices where we found the message and yes my name was on it. A phone call from half way around the world from a dear friend.

I was a SP-4 and in the hospital in Vietnam. I ran fever at night but not during the daytime. During the day I had to help fill sandbags. I was filling sandbags when my CO came over to present me with my SGT stripes. I finished helping filling the sandbags that day and every day until I was released from the hospital. I was told I didn't have to do it anymore as a SGT E-5, but I would have felt guilty laying in bed while sandbags were being filled.

Not quite as unusual as these stories, but while in Germany, I was standing in a promotion line waiting for my time to pin on E-6. My wife and daughter came up, and hilarity ensued. after over 10 years of service, my wife and daughter pinned my rank on upside down. Then my 1SG smoked me for wearing Air Force Rank in his formation.

01 April 2003... A bunch of us were told to get in back of the formation. We didn't now what was going on. Next thing I knew, we were being marched to the front and were pinned SPC. After we all were proudly wearing our new rank, 1SG said "April Fools, take that shit off." The whole company erupted in laughter. I didn't think that joke was very funny...

SMSgt Tony Barnes when I was in Afghanistan, the chain of command was called up to the Battalion Commander, everybody thought it was for a chewing out, come to find out it was for a promotion, everybody was so nervous. Turned out everybody was happy after going to a promotion party. Good memories.