E6 in 3 years? Is there such thing as making rank too soon?

I joined the KSARNG in 1981 and ETS'd in Jan 1991 as an E-6 with time in grade for E-7. In an infantry unit its pretty easy to gain rank as long as you have time in grade and aren't a total screw-up.

I went from E4 to E6 in 11 months and I can understand what you mean by being to fast. I was lucky because I was not a loud mouth but it was hell learning how to be a E-6.

I entered the army as an E3 and fully expected to be promoted to E4 shortly after arriving at my first duty station. Alas...it was not to be. I watched helplessly as unmotivated ragbag soldiers who entered as E1 ascend to E4 while I was growing long in the tooth as a PFC. Having achieved Honor Graduate at AIT, this did not sit well with me and I was privately more than a bit resentful about it. Far from being rank hungry, I would have been perfectly content with a promotion to full bird private. I knew I should've completed college before signing up, thus entering as an O1. Suffice to say, lesson learned.

I made E-6 in six years from 1973 to 1979 with an Engineer BN. Unit was understrength with many opportunities for advancement.

I agree with the Col. as I have also seen it both ways. I have seen it with the instant NCOs or as we called them "shake and bake NCOs". Right out of AIT they went to another school and showed up in RVN as an NCO. Some real good, some real duds. Yet I saw the same with a few career NCOs that were Infantry MOS and when they saw combat for the first time were useless. Remember different times and circumstances dictate the need for NCOs and higher grade officers. JMO

PO2 Henry Kaczmarek - could not agree more. A new officer that wants to learn and excel quickly finds and latches on to some good NCOs... while maintaining that officer/enlisted relationship. It helps the NCOs out as well. They're mentors to everyone. They have an obligation to share what they have learned. This isn't necessary and often backfires with warrant officers - especially Marine ones. LOL. You don't really need to teach those folks anything.

I think Col Burroughs is right about case by case judgement. Some people have rabis some don't. If you do make rank fast you must have the good sense to figure out how to survive and learn from the best.

This is an example of getting rank fast. In the AF medical core and I think all the branches are the same, promote rapidly. My daughter joined the reserves, then went to medical school with the AF paying her way. She got promoted to Captain while in the reserves. We got to put the bars on. So reporting for active duty she had no idea how to act as an officer. She was lost just trying to process in! One airman seeing that she was up set tried to help her. She was saying "this is my first day!" First day at Kessler" he replied" "No !, my first day in the AF" . I told her the after my 21 years enlisted in the AF the best thing for her to so was find a mature E 5 and ask what she should do. I also told her to take care of her people. Everything seemed to work out ok for her.

1SG Truelove there is definitely something to be said for specialization and skill related to your job. We do need experts who are not necessarily leaders. But we are talking about a military that doesn't maintain there own equipment. Too many contractors being used.

CPO Eugene Gillam I have a friend that made CPO in 6 he came in as E-3 made PO3 first time up was caped to PO-2 EP tested made PO1 and made board first look he is now a nurse practitioner he was also 3 Warfare qualified by the time he was a PO 2

1SG George Truelove - Right on, 1SG! I believe that the Army made a huge mistake in eliminating the Specialist (E5 and up) ranks, and, they should bring them back. There are many enlisted who do not want to be a NCO!

MSG Donna Dewar - Good point, MSG. My Army was self-reliant, with very few "civilian" jobs. I believe that having many occupations filled with civilians will turn around some day and cripple the Services. We need the Draft, back!