Why does the advancement rate seem to slow down as a SM progresses higher in rank?

2018-11-26T10:06:16-05:00

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Nov 26 at 2018 10:11 AM

2018-11-26T10:11:44-05:00

Essentially, more time is needed at the current grade to prepare for the authority and responsibility of the next grade. The move from E-3 to E-4 is quite an easy adjustment compared to moving from E-6 to E-7, and especially E-8 to E-9.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 10:15 AM

2018-11-26T10:15:08-05:00

It will not be so slow if you get all your required schooling out of the way and if you do your best. Stay healthy, don't smoke or chew, be fit and apply for everything offered. Get your Associates Bachelors Degree so you can go to OCS or get in through ROTC and be an Officer. I started out as an E--4 Specialist.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 10:16 AM

2018-11-26T10:16:40-05:00

In addition to what LTC Kevin B. said, there are fewer vacancies for each rank as you progress upward. The Army needs lots of E1-5 and O1-3, but not as many SFCs, CSM, and COLs.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 10:16 AM

2018-11-26T10:16:55-05:00

Correction, Bachelor's Degree. Associates Degree is for NCOs.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 10:20 AM

2018-11-26T10:20:08-05:00

Cpt to Major , Major to LTC took me 6 years.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 10:57 AM

2018-11-26T10:57:59-05:00

Once you compete for the senior NCO ranks, there are minimum time-in-grade requirements to meet before you are allowed to compete. Once you are selected, then you have to wait for a seat at your ncoes prior to pinning your rank. So, even if you're a fast tracker it may be 4 years between when you pinned E6 and when you pin E7.
That is for a fast track. Add on to that the fact that it becomes more competitive the higher in rank you go. Most people will not get selected on their first look. You get one chance a year, so it may take you 5 to 7 years or longer between ranks for senior ncos

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 11:06 AM

2018-11-26T11:06:52-05:00

It’s a pyramid. More positions at the lower ranks so there are more promotions at the lower ranks.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Nov 26 at 2018 11:18 AM

2018-11-26T11:18:30-05:00

The learning and synthesis of tacit knowledge takes time.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 12:00 PM

2018-11-26T12:00:02-05:00

The Armed forces need less senior enlisted than lower enlisted. The NCO corps is the back bone, but the the E4 and below are the work force. The structure is like a pyramid, if we all got promoted at the same time, nothing would get done, you would arguing about who is in charge. Just look at your organization, how many E7 to E9 there are. Besides, each leader should be coaching and mentoring three to five subordinates, one CSM has four to six 1SGs and so on.

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Nov 26 at 2018 12:04 PM

2018-11-26T12:04:18-05:00

10 U.S. Code § 517 - Authorized daily average: members in pay grades E–8 and E–9

(a) The authorized daily average number of enlisted members on active duty (other than for training) in an armed force in pay grades E–8 and E–9 in a fiscal year may not be more than 2.5 percent and 1.25 percent, respectively, of the number of enlisted members of that armed force who are on active duty (other than for training) on the first day of that fiscal year. In computing the limitations prescribed in the preceding sentence, there shall be excluded enlisted members of an armed force on active duty as authorized under section 115(a)(1)(B) or 115(b) of this title, or excluded from counting for active duty end strengths under section 115(i) of this title.

Response by SSG Tom Pike made Nov 26 at 2018 12:37 PM

2018-11-26T12:37:02-05:00

Same reasons promotions are slow in the civilian world. My office has a bunch of engineers, but only one program manager, I have to wait for him to leave before I can take his spot.

One of my sons works in a warehouse, they have 25 stock pickers (entry level position), 4 Team leads, and one warehouse manager. You want to move up, you have to excel above your peers, lean the next levels job and be ready to take over when an opening comes up. The higher you get up the ladder the longer it takes.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Nov 26 at 2018 1:43 PM

2018-11-26T13:43:41-05:00

For one thing there are less people at the management level, there will always be more workers anywhere, Military or civilian structures. You can't wind up with more chiefs than Indians so to speak, that doesn't work ever ! For ranks such as E8 and E( they are regulated by law as to the maximum percentage of the force that can even be promoted to those ranks. !% for E9, 3% for E8. The very structure as You advance so does You responsibility for not only the job but management and Supervision of those that fall under your area of responsibility. It can't work any other way. If You want to advance as SFC Uriah Jones said here, You need a phenomenal Resume to compete with Your peers. Find and read SFC Jones statement within this posting , He states it very clearly.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Nov 26 at 2018 1:46 PM

2018-11-26T13:46:50-05:00

Competition SPC Cameron Hale - the best, the highly motivated, and the self-starters!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 26 at 2018 4:12 PM

2018-11-26T16:12:12-05:00

This is why.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 27 at 2018 2:08 AM

2018-11-27T02:08:51-05:00

That looks like Erbil

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 27 at 2018 7:12 AM

2018-11-27T07:12:54-05:00

Look up DA PAM 600-25, NCO Development. It is broken down into career fields and outlines requirements that mist be met to advance to the higher rank. It also has the exact number of leadership positions there are per rank in that career field.
For example, if you want to he an Infantry 1SG, you need 2 years platoon sergeant time, but there are only 300 something platoon sergeant slots in the Army. When you do the math of how much time is needed and how many people for so few slots, you'll see a potential source of delay.

Response by SGT Jim Ramge, MBA made Nov 27 at 2018 6:28 PM

2018-11-27T18:28:15-05:00

Simply put because as you advance in your MOS, the field becomes smaller with your peers. Think of a Pyramid! There are 5K PVTs, 2.5K PFCs, 1K SPC, 500 SGTs, 250 SSG, 125 SFC, 60 1SG/MSG, 30 CSM/SGM. Make sense?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 3 at 2021 8:53 PM

2021-01-03T20:53:30-05:00

Ideally as you advance up in rank you are joinging a smaller and smaller pool of others possessing rarer and rarer skills and competencies. Advancing a person faster than normal truly does "set him/her up for failure" The infamous Peter Principle says you or I will rise to our level of incompetence. I won't go that far. But in the peace time garrison setting you ideally want promotions to come slower. It always amazes me to read about men who were 26 yr old Brigadier General during the Civil War. Of course that is inevitable with high casualty rates.

Response by 1SG Mitchell Smith made Aug 29 at 2021 6:37 PM

2021-08-29T18:37:28-04:00

Learn the promotion system....the spear is smaller at the top.