In conversation with a non-Doper friend I found out her new beau is retiring from the air force. I jokingly asked if she wanted to know what his retirement pay as I had been looking at military pay charts recently answering a SDMB question. I found he’s a tech sgt, an E-6. I regretted asking the question because she had to ask him what rank he is. How common is it to go 20 year and not get above E-6 these days?
It’s not terribly uncommon, depending on the career field (AFSC). Some are difficult to make rank in. My (former) AFSC only had 1500 people in it, AF wide so it wasn’t uncommon to see people retire out of it as E-5(!) as there weren’t many promotion opportunities in such a small field (someone had to die or retire for a slot to open, just about).
It’s not uncommon. For one thing, the incredibly fast promotion rates are a fairly new thing. Today, airmen are making staff sergeant in four years, leaving them another 16 to get Tech and Master and on up from there.
Things were different when the person in question was up for staff sergeant. He might have had to wait a lot longer for his promotions back when rates weren’t so high.
And as was mentioned, career field can have a major effect.
I retired 11 years ago as an E-7, Chief Petty Officer. I guess I could have gone further but the duty assignments for E-8 and E-9 sucked enough that I never really considered advancing further. I worked at a joint operations center for three years with Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine members. It did appear that the Air Force members advanced extremely slowly. All the other service members seemed to advance more quicky than the Air Force.
I don’t see any “shame” for a person to retire as an E-6. I would have much more respect for a retired E-6 that knew what they were doing, did their job and had the respect of their peers, officers and subordinates than I would for a retired E-9 that got to that position by kissing up, lying, walking on their peers and subordinates and knowing nothing about their jobs.
I retired 11 years ago as an E-7, Chief Petty Officer. I guess I could have gone further but the duty assignments for E-8 and E-9 sucked enough that I never really considered advancing further. I worked at a joint operations center for three years with Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine members. It did appear that the Air Force members advanced extremely slowly. All the other service members seemed to advance more quicky than the Air Force.
I don’t see any “shame” for a person to retire as an E-6. I would have much more respect for a retired E-6 that knew what they were doing, did their job and had the respect of their peers, officers and subordinates than I would for a retired E-9 that got to that position by kissing up, lying, walking on their peers and subordinates and knowing nothing about their jobs.
I left the Navy in 1982 as an E-5 after 6 years. My older brother made E-6 in 6 years. I could have, too, except for a few oversleeping incidents:smack: and some incredibly inept division clerks :mad:. The only person I knew that was an E-6 after 20 years was privately known as The Bullet, because he was short, dense and dull :D.
My best friend is retiring as an E-6 - Navy, CTO1 (SW)(AW), awards up the yingyang - because, in his particular field, one must walk on water to make chief. Mike can’t swim quite that well.
Two of my favorite CTM1s retired because they’d rather do the work than put on khaki and manage the work.
Overall I wouldn’t say it’s rare, but it’s not that common.
I’m real fuzzy on the criteria, but if it’s even possible to retire as an E-6 in the Corps, it’s right at the borderline. If you haven’t made E-7 in 19 or 20 years (can’t remember which), you have to submit a waiver to re-enlist, which is rarely granted or retire (if the cutoff is 20). I’ve known quite a few Navy E-6s that have retired, but never a Marine. Lowest I’ve ever seen was E-7.
I originally had planned on staying in the service as a career, but after 7 years and 70 months TIG as an E-4 the month I was discharged, I finally made the cutting score for E-5. Figured I was looking at an E-7 retirement and financially, it didn’t seem worth it.
I’ve got a good friend who just retired from the Marines after 20 years as an E-6. He was great on the job, very knowledgable,but he never could get enough promotion points to make E-7.
In the Army, it’s possible to retire as an E5. The Retention Control Point (that’s when they say, “Okay, you’re not getting promoted fast enough – scram.”) is 20 years for an E5§, which is a Sergeant who’s passed his E6 promotion board but doesn’t have enough points to make E6. It’s fairly rare, since once you have the points to make E5, you’re pretty close to the number you’ll need for E6, but it does happen.
In the Nav, we have a saying:
“Choose your Rate, choose your fate.”
Some Rates are wide-open, and any schlub can make Chief. Others are cramped, top-heavy, or two small for there to be much room for advancement. I’ve know retiring E-5s. No shame on them, they did their job, did it well, and served with pride and distinction. Simply because there was no room above them, I should look down on them? I don’t think so.