Most time in grade as an E-4 in this group

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 09:50:13 -0400

I have over 8 years as an E-4, how many others here are in the same boat or worse?

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Oct 25 at 2014 10:38 AM

CPT Chris Loomis — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 10:38:39 -0400

Q: Why do you have that much time? Why have you not promoted?

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Oct 25 at 2014 12:04 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 12:04:33 -0400

What are doing to overcome this? Or are you just trying to validate something?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2014 1:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 13:14:29 -0400

8 Years, 4 Months. That should change with the next round of promotions within our BN.

I had the unfortunate luck to break all four of my limbs in a motorcycle accident, spend a year and a half in the IRR, and a year getting DMOSQ and settled in my new life as a Reservist. Considering the position I've occupied within my unit for over the past year (that of a Squad Leader) I may have fallen behind my peer group rank wise, but at this point the experience means much more.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 25 at 2014 1:51 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 13:51:52 -0400

I understand your trouble, more or less. I made my PFC a month before it was mandatory, and I was pinned SPC a month before it was mandatory. I was by no means a bad Soldier, in fact my PSG at one point in time told me that I was not allowed to volunteer for anything anymore because some of the other joes in my platoon were dirt bags and I was his best Soldier. I made my 5 in 5 years, and it was a battle for me every step of the way. I was an E-5 (P) for almost 2 years before I made points, and the thing that saved me there was being Distinguished Honor Graduate at ALC (112 points is awesome, on top of the AAM and 2 COAs I got along with it) so you just need to buckle down and improve where you can. Whether it is correspondence courses, PT, Weapons Qual, whatever you can. Awards will come, but if you start doing some volunteer work the MOVSM will help.

If you need some help, advice, or anything, please Inbox me. I will be more than happy to help however I can. Believe me when I say I know how real the struggle can be.

Response by SPC Curt Dennis made Oct 26 at 2014 12:14 PM

SPC Curt Dennis — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 12:14:19 -0400

I had over four years at E4 (even after a combat deployment) because as it was explained to me, I needed two consecutive positive 90 day courselings from my squad leader to qualify for the PLDC list maintained by my company. This sounds good in priciple but it sucked in practice. In the first year I went through THREE squad leaders due to DEROSs, compassionate treansfers and reassignements. I finally complained to the 1SG, and he tagged me as a whiner. Needless to say after getting kicked in the teeth a number of times my concern for unit cohesivness kinda dropped. When I FINALLY was scheduled for PLDC (at Bad Tolz of all places) Desert Shield happened and my unit ended my detail to community and I still missed out. Eventhough I was boarded after Desert Storm, I was never sent to PLDC and was RIFFED in '93 still at E-4. SIDEBAR: During my final out brief they asked me if I wated to finish out my time in the NG or RES - I replied with a VERY bad word.

Response by SSG Tim Everett made Oct 28 at 2014 11:28 AM

SSG Tim Everett — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 11:28:41 -0400

If I combine the years for both times that I was a Specialist, would that count?

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2014 6:55 AM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 06:55:45 -0500

I came in as a SPC in 2007, and was set to go to the board during my first deployment in '08. However, I got selected for OCS and my BN CSM decided that I didn't need to be promoted if I was going to OCS. I could not complete OCS due to medical reasons. During my second deployment in '11 my PSG kept me from the board for no apparent reason. When we got back from A'Stan, we got a new 1SG who stopped all the BS of holding Soldiers back from going to the board. I got picked-up for SGT in 2012 after 5 years. Luckily I picked up SSG only 19 months later.

I think all the SPC time helped me to become a better Soldier as well as see both good and bad leadership. I tell people that I learned the most about leadership from the bad leaders, because I promised myself that I would never be that "leader" who failed his/her Soldiers.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2015 3:11 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 03:11:52 -0500

Congrats on getting your promotable status. I'm sure you'll get picked up soon.

I'm told I'll be going to the board next month, and I'm really excited about it! I've been a specialist (E-4) for 2 years and come this April, I will have 4 years time in service. I've recently been allowed to take on a lot more responsibility, so I've pretty much been walking on clouds for the last 2 weeks and will be disappointed when I have to relinquish my Platoon Sergeant duties in a couple of weeks.

Hang in there. Things will get better!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2015 7:14 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 07:14:33 -0500

Not quite that bad, though I thought you had to be out at 8 once you made E-4. I am currently in that position with the AF and just barely miss the testing window to make SSgt my last try. 8 years as an E-4, not awesome. A lot is expected of you, and yet you have almost zero authority.

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Jan 15 at 2015 7:17 AM

SGT Jim Z. — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 07:17:28 -0500

I spent 4.5 years as a specialist and not because I was bad Soldier but because of promotion points and board appearances. By the time I was promoted most people in my unit and battalion were treating me as an NCO which is a good thing and a bad thing. Keep you head up do what needs to be done.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2015 4:14 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 04:14:18 -0500

Meh - SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member : You got nothing on me! 1986-1988(RA), 1989-1992(NG), 1992-1994(USCG), 1994-1995(RA): just short of 10 years as a SPC. Changing branches so many times didn't help, but eventually I pinned SGT and never looked back.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2015 4:21 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 04:21:56 -0500

I thought RCP for SPC was 8 years. Have you done anything to try to help? I can speak from any sort of experience, as I've progressed through the ranks pretty quickly; but I have seen numerous soldiers pick up a promotable status and do literally nothing to better themselves. They wait forever as a promotable specialist while people around them make SGT; they don't even try to do anything outside of the mandatory PT and weapons updates on their ERB. If this is you, you seriously need to step your game up in today's downsizing army. If this isn't you and you've been doing everything you can, have you thought about reclassing? One thing I have noticed is people don't pay much attention to their civilian education or their correspondence hours. Army Skillport will help you maximize your correspondence hours and there colleges like North Central Institute (NCI) that will do a full TCE of your military experience and issue you an official transcript without you actually enrolling in school (I got 54 credits for military training!)

Response by SSG Sean Garcia made Feb 7 at 2015 4:33 AM

SSG Sean Garcia — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 04:33:27 -0500

I was a SPC for a while. Because I had my head up my ass. If you need help trying to make your points let me know, I can try to help you. If you intend to make the Army your career, then going for the next rank should always be in the agenda. Good luck and always keep your head up.
I used to tell my Soldiers to look at the person that out ranks them. Make a plan to take their job and their rank. Because at the end of the day, he's looking up with the goal of taking the next persons job and rank. And so forth.....

Like I said, if you need help send me an email

Response by MSgt Allan Vrboncic made Mar 11 at 2015 8:40 AM

MSgt Allan Vrboncic — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 08:40:47 -0400

Wow. in the Air Force you automatically sew it on in 36 months. And you will actually get a shot at sewing it on 6 Months early if you win our Below the Zone Board where you compete for it.

Response by PO1 Cleve Ikaika Waiwaiole made Mar 19 at 2015 9:38 PM

PO1 Cleve Ikaika Waiwaiole — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 21:38:14 -0400

I have 7 years active duty. I got involuntarily seperated from "perform to serve" my rate was BU. I was scoring 90percentiles with MP / EP evaluations and still couldn't make rank

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2016 12:24 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 26 May 2016 12:24:23 -0400

9 sad years