Posted on Jun 19, 2019
SSG Customer Service Representative
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Hopefully I can get this an answer today, I'm trying to find out about Enlisted Active Army Soldiers, and more specifically how long somebody can stay in their Rank, before they are mandatorily separated. I was told the answer is Eight years, but they told to go find out for myself. I have searched a lot of Army Regulations and their is no answer cut and dry... AR 601–280 Army Retention Program
AR 600-8-19 Enlistment promo and reductions
635-200 Active Duty Seperations
AR 135-178 Enlisted Administrative Seperations for NG and Reserve
AR 635-8 Seperations and Documents
AR 635-5-1 Seperation Program
AR 600-8-24 Officer Transfer and Discharges

(Maximum Time in Grade for Enlisted Soldiers) - If anyone knows where I can find this answer in Army Regulations please helpout, Thank you.
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SFC Senior Counterintelligence Sergeant
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The quick answer is below. It's called Retention Control Points.

http://www.armyreenlistment.com/rcp.html
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SFC Senior Counterintelligence Sergeant
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SSG (Join to see) - Make sure to check out MILPER Message 18-376 as well. The extended RCPs noted within are valid until November 2019.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
CPT Lawrence Cable
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SFC (Join to see) - Since this is all new from when I was in and for some unknown reason, I still like to know the rules, let me make sure that I understand it. The basics are that you have to make E4 in 5 years, E5 in 8 years and E6 in 14 years, unless you are in certain understrength MOS's?
Doesn't seem unreasonable in larger Combat and Combat Support MOS's, does it cause problems in those small MOS's where the positions for E6 are rare?
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SFC Senior Counterintelligence Sergeant
SFC (Join to see)
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CPT Lawrence Cable - Yes, that is the basic idea, although while the milper message is in effect, those categories get a few more years.

It does create some issues in certain job fields that are middle and top heavy. There is no run for them to move up, so they start getting very close to their RCP. If they were planning to stay in the Army as a career, they have to make the decision to reclass to another MOS that has significantly better promotion potential; usually the understrength MOSs.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
CPT Lawrence Cable
5 y
SFC (Join to see) - I hadn't considered that last part. Certainly a way to encourage people to reclass to where the Army need you.
Better chance than officers get. That up or out can get pretty vicious above Major.
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CW3 Counterintelligence Technician
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Edited 5 y ago
So I see you are National Guard. It works a bit differently in the guard mainly because there are limited slots in any given state for certain ranks/MOS. There is definitely a regulation on this, but, I don't think its strictly enforced the same way in the guard. It seems to be largely up to certain states and limits on TIG often seem to be far greater in the guard because of those limited slots. I have personally seen E1-E7 serving for many, many years (up to 20 years and beyond some times). For the most part though, once you hit 20 years enlisted Time-in-Service in most Guard states--if not all (regardless of rank/TIG), your packet will have to go before an Enlisted Qualitative Retention Board (EQRB), and not advancing is a big factor in whether or not you are retained past 20 years.
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SSG Armed Security Officer
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Depends on if your active/reserve/guard but mostly your mos and your unit I have met e4s in all components going on 15 years or more TIG because of there mos personal numbers being low.
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