What were some things you did when you got promoted to the next rank?

2016-08-17T08:33:57-04:00

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 8:36 AM

2016-08-17T08:36:54-04:00

I was promoted to E-7 at the US Embassy in Bolivia. I invited my enlisted counterparts to the event and then toasted with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. I had my military counterparts write the best piece of leadership advice they were ever given on the case the bottle came in. It was a great experience.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 9:45 AM

2016-08-17T09:45:48-04:00

Carried on with the duty day. Bought a 6 pack of beet for later that evening. Pretty uneventful, really.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Aug 17 at 2016 10:05 AM

2016-08-17T10:05:31-04:00

That always cost me as promotees had to lay money on the bar for the wetting down. But it always was a good time had by all.

Response by MSG Pat Colby made Aug 17 at 2016 10:39 AM

2016-08-17T10:39:29-04:00

The day I got pinned for MSG, I called my Father. He retired as a Gunny (E-7) in the Marines. I informed him that I finally outranked his old ass. After the phone call I realized he had never seen me in my dress uniform. A couple of months later, I took a road trip and surprised him at his usual watering hole. As I walked in wearing my Class A's, he had his back to the door and was slightly hunched over the bar. I loudly proclaimed to the half full bar "I heard there's a weaselly Marine that hangs out here!" He sat up and kinda puffed up a bit before turning around. We had a great time! Of course the drinks were on me.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Aug 17 at 2016 11:31 AM

2016-08-17T11:31:24-04:00

Air Force tradition: the officers who are selected on the promotion list, at least for major and above, "buy the bar" at the O'Club. At large bases, the selectees normally got together with the club manager and arranged for a designated number of hours of open bar. If there were several people on the list at one location, they often bought bar snacks. I did this for O-4 and O-5. I paid about a hundred dollars each time (that's 1980s dollars).

I was at the squadron level for promotions to O-2 and O-3. In the 1970s this was no big deal because the promotion rate was nearly 100%. When you normal promotion date came around, you checked with the orderly room, received a copy of your orders, and came to work with you new rank. No ceremony.

Working at a Unified Command, I noticed other Services celebrated only when the selectee pinned on their new rank, so the Air Force officers got to celebrate and pay twice. We had promotion ceremonies that included all the elements you would expect such as a speech by a senior officer telling us what a great person the selectee is, ceremony of re-sweating the officer, family members pinning on new rank, short "thank you" speech by newly promoted officer, then cake and punch (O-4 or O-5) or a reception at the Club with drinks and snacks (colonels and GO/FO).

Response by MSgt Tim Fennema made Aug 17 at 2016 12:14 PM

2016-08-17T12:14:01-04:00

Probably the most memorable was my promotion to E-7. My Det CC tried to surprise me. I was working a swing shift, and noticed that my wife had my daughter all dressed up for some reason (a little suspicious), then they headed out to visit some friends. By the time I arrived at work, they were all hiding in my Det CC's office. Then I had the rest of the day off to take the family out to dinner some where special (of course when you're overseas, it's not the restaurant that makes special, it's the company). Really appreciated his effort to make it a special event.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Aug 17 at 2016 12:20 PM

2016-08-17T12:20:33-04:00

Nothing special. Just another day.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 17 at 2016 1:29 PM

2016-08-17T13:29:43-04:00

Got promoted, had a beer and went to work the next day.

Response by PO3 John Keas made Aug 19 at 2016 8:06 AM

2016-08-19T08:06:37-04:00

I wasn't in long enough to have anything special, but when I made 3rd...I had my Crow tacked on properly. Against Captain Picavance's wishes. He banned any sort of ceremony that even resembled tradition We managed to properly tack crows tho. I think people took a bit too much pleasure in it sometimes...My shoulder still hurts...Was still happy to experience that at least. Still wish I could have Crossed the Line and become a Shellback though...but it was not meant to be.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2016 11:34 AM

2016-08-19T11:34:22-04:00

in Bamberg Germany I was promoted to E4 drink a lot of beer that night and ran 5 miles and next morning hoha

Response by SGT Suraj Dave made Aug 19 at 2016 8:54 PM

2016-08-19T20:54:01-04:00

I was deployed when I made SGT. So I ate at the difac and called it a night. Lol

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2016 11:39 PM

2016-08-25T23:39:47-04:00

Was told I was out of uniform and to fix it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 13 at 2016 5:12 PM

2016-09-13T17:12:04-04:00

Went to Texas de Brazil the day after I got promoted to SGT.

Response by SSG Steven Mangus made Sep 13 at 2016 9:41 PM

2016-09-13T21:41:56-04:00

When I ways promoted to SGT I had the troop over, bought all the booze and got loaded. I also broke in my Stetson. The pilots mixed beer, whiskey, vodka, wine, deviled egg, tomatoes and pickles for my drinking pleasure. I was placed on a merry go round and spun with the order "don't spill any." I managed to stomach it all however I had a rough next day..good times.