I’m sorry to say that I do not know how advancement requirements may have changed during the last 24 years since I retired. I made Chief my first time up, on the Jan 1984 Exam Cycle. It was fairly unusual in my rating, Dental Technician, to make Chief in under 10 yrs, and pretty fun to be a RED STRIPED Chief!

In the Navy, we were awarded a Good Conduct Medal, after completing 4 years of good conduct.. Also, one long RED stripe on the lower right sleeve of the Dress Blue Uniform, matching the red Rating Badge on the same Right sleeve. After 12 years of CONSECUTIVE GOOD CONDUCT, those Red stripes and Rating Badge were replaced with GOLD ones.
Thanks for reminding me⚓️