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

When I was out-processing from Ft. Sill, I went to the orderly room for something on my list (currently an E-2 finishing my school) and the 1Sgt said I was out of uniform and smiled. He was holding my promotion orders at the time. I had been told on arrival at Ft. Sill that no promotions were to be given in their school. My DS / GS instructor told me that he was also told I could not be promoted, but he had not been told he couldn't recommend a promotion. So he did recommend and it went through. I was carrying a 99% average on the full course seven months total.

My first station out of boot camp was as PFC in H3 in headquarters battalion. One of my jobs was to administer the Infantry Aptitude Test to Marines in the regiment. After doing this for several months I knew the answers to every question on the test. Then it came to somebody's attention that I had never actually taken the test myself. Naturally, I finished the test in about ten minutes, Later, back in the office, an accusation arose about my cheating on the test. There was quite an argument with me defending myself because of the circumstances and the H3 Major finally decided I should retake the test in his office with the skipper watching me. Skipper said "If you don't ace this, you'll be a private in the morning. If you do," He said with great sarcasm, "I'll promote you myself."

That evening the Skipper walked into the barracks, called the room to attention, marched over to my bunk and removd my PFC chevrons with a stern look on his face. Then put new Lance Corporal pins my collar and walked out without another word.

Early in my career, we were at the squadron Christmas party. My boss, "Wabi", was called as the winner of the door prize. When he got up there, he opened the small wrapped present they handed him and found himself looking at a pair of TSgt stripes. That's how they informed him his STEP (Stripes for Exceptional Performers) promotion came through. The funny thing was only a few nights prior on mid shift, he'd been thinking about not reenlisting.

I was at Ft. Hood in 1992. I got orders to go back to Germany and had to extend so that I could take my wife with me so, I go talk to the reenlistment NCO. Three days later, he comes up to me and says "Hey, you were promoted to E-4 weren't you?" Turns out, I got promoted about 8 months before and NOBODY knew it. When we got it straightened out, I got a nice paycheck with all my back pay.

1.) Fellow I went to college with opted for a Navy Commission. He ended up the DCA on the USS Stikle (DD888). One day at evening meal the Ship's Captain (not his actual rank, following Navy tradition to give him the honoriific Capt because of his position) started the discussion about how people were commissioned. Captain started off by saying he graduated from Naval Academy and opted for a Marine Commissioned. Later in his career he decided to return to the Navy. He said, I received my commission in the Navy in the mail. To which my college pall, under his breath said, "yeah addressed to occupant."

2. III Corps Chief of Staff in the late 1980s was a fellow known at BG "Doc" Bahnsen. He was romantically associating with a CAPT on the Corps staff. One day at the Corps Staff meeting he asked the III Corps Adjutant when the Major's list was coming out, I'm getting tired of sleeping with a company grade officer.
(NOTE: Story was of evens in an Army long ago and far, far away. Some of the details may be in error.)

Years ago when I was a SH-2 (SW) the bridge passed the word for me to report to the bridge. As I got to there the C. O. , X. O. , master chief of the command were all there. At that time the X. O. stated,petty officer Reiffenstein,it appears you are out of uniform. The C. O. said that is true. As from right now you are a SH-1 by command advancement program. Needless to say that made my day.

I was really close to the cut for making Chief. It was close to the deadline to submit my choices for transfer in the next year. Wasn’t up for transfer, but I filed a new one annually just in case a dream billet popped up. I called the assignment detailer for advice on whether I should submit for 1st Class billets or Chief Billets. He told me to hold on a minute and then said the the new list was getting submitted for approval and my name was on it, so I had better submit for Chief billets. He called me a couple of months later and gave me my number one pick. Turned out to be the worst unit of my career, but that’s another story.

Was on a Med cruise in 73 going to a promotion board, got to the ship and we were told that the promotion board was cancelled, everyone was promoted.

I received a phone call from my former Battalion Commander congratulating me on my promotion to Major. I was working in a fellowship during my medical retirement transition.

At an Engineering inspection, our Div. Officer looked me over, then took out his memo bok, “Petty officer Isrea, why are at an official Engineering inspection NOT in proper uniform?” l glance using my peripheral vision, “Sir, this Petty Officer is in the proper uniform of the day as specified by the Commaning Officer’s Plan Of the Day, Sir.” “Petty Officer Isreal, My listing of personnel assigned under my command has an MM2 Isreal, R L, but has no MM 3 Isreal, R L. I suggest that you take the rest of this day off and attend to this matter so it NEVER happens again. Do I make myself clear to you?”