SPC Private RallyPoint Member5818944<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Trying to be as vague as possible, but can an e5 at the end of his contract in the 90’s get demoted to e4 if he were to re-enlist about 20 years later?Can you get demoted for having a ~20 year gap in service?2020-04-26T13:20:18-04:00SPC Private RallyPoint Member5818944<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Trying to be as vague as possible, but can an e5 at the end of his contract in the 90’s get demoted to e4 if he were to re-enlist about 20 years later?Can you get demoted for having a ~20 year gap in service?2020-04-26T13:20:18-04:002020-04-26T13:20:18-04:00MSG Private RallyPoint Member5819107<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If I am understanding your vagueness as well as I think I am....<br /><br />Someone ETSs in the 90s as an E-5 and now wants to come back in about 20 years later.<br /><br />Want to know if ETS rank can be retained or if a drop in rank has to happen.<br /><br />Am I understanding your vagueness properly?Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2020 2:09 PM2020-04-26T14:09:47-04:002020-04-26T14:09:47-04:00LTC Private RallyPoint Member5819287<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>Short answer is, yes that can happen.Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2020 2:51 PM2020-04-26T14:51:29-04:002020-04-26T14:51:29-04:00SFC Private RallyPoint Member5819382<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>It's called a grade determination, and yes it definitely happens when the Army, HRC, or USAREC determines that one is requiredResponse by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2020 3:16 PM2020-04-26T15:16:16-04:002020-04-26T15:16:16-04:00SGT Chris Padgett5819642<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>If you're asking the question I think you are, then yes.<br />My last unit, there was an E-6 that ETS'd 1995. Came back in 2001 as an E-4. <br />The running joke was he was the only SP4 in the Army that had been through BNOC.<br />But in all seriousness, he was promotable when I left.Response by SGT Chris Padgett made Apr 26 at 2020 4:07 PM2020-04-26T16:07:53-04:002020-04-26T16:07:53-04:00SFC Robert Walton5822092<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>But of Course the Military changes from time to time and so does our minds, after 20 years you forget things so a reduction to give you time to learn new and relearn old is warranted. I have also seen former NCO's have to go back to Basic. So the correct answer is Yes.Response by SFC Robert Walton made Apr 27 at 2020 10:29 AM2020-04-27T10:29:27-04:002020-04-27T10:29:27-04:00LTC Private RallyPoint Member5822806<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I was an E6 (TSgt) in the USAF and had an 8 year break in service, had to come back into the ARNG as an E4....Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2020 2:00 PM2020-04-27T14:00:22-04:002020-04-27T14:00:22-04:00SFC Private RallyPoint Member5830418<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I got out as an E-4 in 1997. When I looked to re-enlist in 2005, they wanted me to come back to AD as an E-2. They showed me the reg where it roughly stated reduction by one grade after 24 months and an additional grade every 6 moths after, not to go below E-2.Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 29 at 2020 1:56 PM2020-04-29T13:56:28-04:002020-04-29T13:56:28-04:002020-04-26T13:20:18-04:00