Quote:
Originally Posted by joesomebody
Someone earlier mentioned that rank is slow in the Air Force. This is extremely true. I made rank as fast as it is possible and I still didn't make E-5 until 2 months before the end of my 4 year enlistment. And that was even with making Senior Airman (E-4) below the zone (basically you get promoted 6 months before you have the time in service to qualify for it.)
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This can also be true in the Army depending on what job you have. Generally speaking, with any branch, the better your job, the slower your rank. I was in the Army and in my MOS E-5 usually took about 6 years IF you busted your ass. You pretty much had to re-train to make E-6. For me, however, I concerned myself much more with learning everything I could OJT, and going to college on the Army dime at night. I spent just under 4 years in, came out with a 2 year degree, and most importantly 3 years of broadcast engineering experience. Got me right in the door at a commercial radio station right out of the Army. Still took me about 4 more years of moving every year to make any money, but that's just the way the broadcast business is.
And I may bust balls about the Air Force being lax, but they do take care of their people. I went to tech school at Lowry AFB and then was fortunate enough to be attached to the Air Force for my first assignment in Greece. My supervisor was a party-hard Air Force E-5, and honestly outside wearing a monkey suit it was like a civilian job.
If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn't change a thing. It was a huge springboard for me career-wise.
DT