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

When I made 1SG, long story, but there was one little sawed off runt CSM that was so pissed I thought he would have a heart attack, wish he did.

Byron Skinner. My own promotion from PFC to Spc 4. We were in Long Binh Vietnam. My Platoon Leader came by the dismounts track and causally said Skinner you are a Specialist now, I expect to you to keeping doing your job. I was the dismounted M-60 gunner. Never got any orders or any thing, I had been a PFC for about three months, I though you had to have six months in grade, I guess I was wrong. In the short time I was in Vietnam I had no KIA’s when I went out and only one serious wound, I was the second. All of the Platoon came home alive.

I had fun as a unit commander and engineer of a small unit in Europe. I was working with my antenna team at about 350' on a microwave antenna tower and after we had finished with the antenna I called the team together and present Tech Sargent (E6) stripes to the team lead. I had guys hanging on safety belts all around the tower giving the new TSGT a round of applause.

On Feb 28, 1980, I was at McGuire AFB - for a PCS to Germany. I bought a copy of the Army Times to take on the Plane with me. After getting settled, I opend the paper and realized it contained the promotion points. Well, I made the cutoff, effective 1 March 80. So I walked on the MAC flight as an E-5 and walked off as a SSG!

When I made ET-1 my O-in-C, a MCPO, started chewing me out for being out of uniform at morning quarters. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of PO-1 crows and tosed them to me. I also officially was designated his XPO at that time, a role he mentored me in for the next two years.

General Fogelman step promoted a senior airman to Staff Sergeant while in Khobar Towers after the bombing. He started off by asking if she had tested and she said. He then asked id she thought she made it. She answered with I'm not sure. General Fogelman then goes, I tell you what your a Staff Sergeant as of now. Pay, rank, everything. Then he goes, your out of ranks Sergeant but I will let it slide for now. He liked to joke with you

1988, Teamwork ‘88 in Bødø, Norway, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Al Gray walked into the chow hall where I was on mess duty. As he was greeting the Marines and shaking hands, he had a firm grip on a Sgt’s hand and asked, “How are you doing Staff Sergeant?”. The Sgt corrected him awkwardly and the Commandant punched him in the arm. “I called you a Staff Sergeant!” The Commandant’s aide handed Gen. Gray a pair of SSgt chevrons and he pinned them on the newly promoted SSgt’s collar.

I was at Camp Humphreys, South Korea when the E-7 board was convening. Midway through my tour, several of us PCSd to Seoul Air Base K-16. While there, my CSM called me to his office and announced I did not make it. I knew I had done everything right in my career and something must be wrong. That night I threw myself a pitty-party in my room with a bottle of Jack waiting for the list to be posted online. It was then that I noticed my name WAS on the list. Best we could determine was that my promotion info was sent to command at camp Humphreys since I was fortunate enough to have an unusual in country PCS.

Before going to Vietnam I was assigned to Department of Infantry Operations at the United States Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. I was the Assistant Top Secret Control Officer for the Department (The one who did all the work). I was assigned to Vietnam then returned to Fort Leavenworth as a Sergeant First Class assigned to the Base Office of the Inspector General as Section Chief. Shortly after starting my new job in the IG section I received a call from my old Boss, a full Colonel who was Director of the Department of Infantry Operations. I was told to report to his office concerning some missing Top Secret Documents. I got a bit nervous right away. When I got to the Director's office the Colonel read me my rights under Article 31. Scared the hell out of me! Then the Base Commander (a 2 Star General) showed up along with my Wife and all the old Department members I had worked with for 5 years. The General and my Wife pinned on my new Master Sergeant Stripes. I was pissed and relieved at the same time. Happy came later.

Battalion formation was promoted in camo and wearing roller skates