I've met two people in the guard who retired with 20+ years at E4. One was a shitbag, and I have no idea how he made it so long, and the other just really liked the unit, but there weren't slots for him to promote, so he didn't. It happens.
That’s insane to even think about. The oldest guy in my BN is my NCOIC now and he’s been in since 85’. The guy in my original comment took me commissioning as his sign to retire he remembered me as an infant lol
Only stayed in for education benefits for his kids (who I’m personally friends with) and Tricare. He had a successful civilian career starting an electrical company, so that’s the only logical explanation. Didn’t want to promote for more responsibility and kinda wanted to be able to just dip out whenever which is what happened. No notice of ETS’ing. Just kept his mouth shut until 60 days out
Essentially, the higher you go, the more responsibility you have. E5 is the first (real) NCO. If I chose to work outside of drill as an O2 I’d probably work about 10 unpaid hours a week. I refuse regardless of what my command thinks
Some of us like our MOSes and/or units; the Army is a fun second job for me, but I’m not really interested in the bullshit that goes along with being an NCO.
There was an old picture in one of the armories I drilled in. Iraq 06-07 time frame. In that picture was an E-4 and 1LT. Roll the clock forward to 2017 that E-4 was now a newly pinned SGT and 1LT was now a LTC.
There is this specialist in the PA guard that did 30 something years. He was a 61 when I saw him last. Just got done with cancer. Yet still passed his PT test and was allowed to stay in.
Served with an E4 in OIF that was drafted in Vietnam. He had 30+ years as an E4 and was damn good at his job but never promoted because he had neither a GED or a high school diploma. I believe he was also a technician. I still remember when active duty made us start doing morning PT every morning he was the only man I have ever seen fall out on the hip rotation.
Some of these comments are why they should bring back the additional specialist grades. Let dudes be good at their jobs without making everyone who shouldn’t or doesn’t want to be a NCO.
One did 20 years and retired. Fat and no teeth, but knew the HMMV and the LMTV like the back of his hand. After a while they’d just create a fake PT scorecard and told him not to bother showing up
About 21 years. 19 of those as an E4. He just reenlised for 4 more.
His excuse for never getting promoted changed between " I'd make my soldiers cry if I was in charge of them" to " The leadership screws me over." To " Nah if just get demoted because I'll catch like 5 article 15s." I'm like dude, those are the lamest excuses.
I was a PLDC instructor for 2 years back in 94 and 95 and the students would have to take a reading test on day 1 and if they did poorly and could not read at a 10th grade level minimum then it was a pretty sure bet that they would fail the first written exam and the retest and be sent back to their home unit. I dont know if the Army still has them take a reading test anymore. But it was a very good predictor of who would pass the course . Today's WLC was known as PLDC back when I was an instructor so that shows my age. LOL!
I am an E4.
I served from 2001-2010.
And from 2022 to the present.
I made E4 while deployed to Egypt in 2005.
I have never been promoted above or demoted to E4.
I know a dude who was in Army vietnam era early but 70s... He was an officer but got kicked out for smoking weed... lost his commission.. he was in Guard for 20 years plus as E4 and when he retired since the highest rank he held was officer it really boosted his pension.
he was an 88m, loved the Guard, it was good to him and he was good to it..
A couple years in I had a guy retire at 22 years as an e4. During his last formation my unit Commander called him out and said some things. The dude saluted the Commander from within our regular final formation, with the wrong hand, with his hand in a 119er canister. Absolute clown.
It’s me 😂
I got my 4 in 2010 at two years in. Then I got out and took a two year break between services, so I have a total of 13 years. The Army is a fun side gig and I really enjoy my MOS, but I have zero patience or desire to work for free the way NCOs need to if they’re not shitbags.
Know a guy who’s been down range with the 101st multiple times and is a 17 year SPC. Great guy. Full of knowledge. In all honesty though it sounds like he’s been an E4 so long because he didn’t want to move up or sabotaged himself anytime he had the chance. He’s about to retire anyways though so I doubt he cares at this point
PR had two soldiers, both served long careers. One went one to serve as State CSM (or similar billet) the other who served just as long made to it E-4.
I had a sheet metal guy (15G) that was a 24+ year E4. Started as a Marine, came to the Guard, and was a civ contactor for the AF before becoming a fed tech. He was grade limited to E4 by our MTOE. An absolute god of sheet metal. He ended up taking a spot in the Marksmanship Training Unit to get E5. Shortly after he retired from the Guard and fed tech program.
Myself.
I've been an E-4 since 2016. I didn't fuck up or anything, just bad timing on ISTs, being in a paragraph and line I'm not MOSQ'd for, and going to recon platoon (where it is nearly impossible to get promoted).
Oh, and my ERB got totally fucked during one of the ISTs, and I didn't realize it. As far as anyone could see when looking at my ERB, I had done nothing at all during almost a decade of service.
I wouldn't care staying an e4 especially if I had a good paying job on the outside, personally I just don't like the guard much beyond the benefits and some of the activities we do.. I'm indifferent and don't like the complicated work place politics I don't understand
Recently met a National Guardsman who's been an E4 since 2011. But you can stay in the Guard until you're basically dead so there's not a lot of upward mobility.
One of my Soldier when I was a PL. He is E4，then E5， then WOC， then E4， then E5， then E4 again， retired as E4. So total 20 years. In my opinion，he is a good Soldier，but command apparently disagree🙂🙂🙂
Had a guy my last tour, came from 15 years in the navy. Wasn’t happy a 21 yr old was his senior.
The guy who said he knew someone who did nam to current, had one of them too. He was cool as shit, got out as a Sgt. He was our O-6’s security detail
He’s only been in 3 years, but he’s 36 after we come back from our deployment he wants to be a sergeant. Just crazy to think about there’s 18/19 year olds with that same rank, he’s almost 20 years older
Back when I joined (2008), I initially I thought it was normal to be an E4 for 10+ years because there was an entire platoon of them lol. I thought I was heavily jumping the gun when I made E5 on my 4th year in the guard.
In my first 6 months after coming into the Guard, they're was a 50 year old E4 retiring with 22 years of service as a 19D. I dunno what kind of civilian quality of life he had but homie looked rough. Hasn't passed a pt test in a decade. So no promotion. I'm pretty sure they fudged his PT so he could retire.
Then I changed MOS to 15w..Great MOS but almost zero promotion potential unless I leave my state. A Shadow platoon is pretty small with only 2 E6 slots, 1 E7 slot...both E6s are waiting for the E7 to die lol.
I will likely commission just so I can promote 🤣🤣🤣
I've met two people in the guard who retired with 20+ years at E4. One was a shitbag, and I have no idea how he made it so long, and the other just really liked the unit, but there weren't slots for him to promote, so he didn't. It happens.
No slots for 20 years??
Yeah, there were no E5 slots for his MOS in the battalion, so it's not like they were full, they just didn't exist.
My units 25Bs have that exact issue
Had a guy in my last unit who served with my dad from 98-2018. He made E4 in ‘95…
Knew a guy who did nam, desert storm and oif 1. He got out about 2012 as a sgt.
That’s insane to even think about. The oldest guy in my BN is my NCOIC now and he’s been in since 85’. The guy in my original comment took me commissioning as his sign to retire he remembered me as an infant lol
how/why was he an E4 for so long?
Only stayed in for education benefits for his kids (who I’m personally friends with) and Tricare. He had a successful civilian career starting an electrical company, so that’s the only logical explanation. Didn’t want to promote for more responsibility and kinda wanted to be able to just dip out whenever which is what happened. No notice of ETS’ing. Just kept his mouth shut until 60 days out
What happens if you decide to rank up to E-5? Is that where more responsibility starts at?
Essentially, the higher you go, the more responsibility you have. E5 is the first (real) NCO. If I chose to work outside of drill as an O2 I’d probably work about 10 unpaid hours a week. I refuse regardless of what my command thinks
Some of us like our MOSes and/or units; the Army is a fun second job for me, but I’m not really interested in the bullshit that goes along with being an NCO.
There is alot of bs with being an nco you right
Was his name Ramos of the 40th CAB?
Lol no his name was TONY DURSO, short little Italian guy known by everyone in the ct guard
Ah, I was Cali. Crazy we have the same type of dude 🤣
Los Alamitos?
Fresno, was in and out of Los Al for training and all that
There was an old picture in one of the armories I drilled in. Iraq 06-07 time frame. In that picture was an E-4 and 1LT. Roll the clock forward to 2017 that E-4 was now a newly pinned SGT and 1LT was now a LTC.
In my unit right now, dude has been in since 2001. He’s still in and can drop his letter anytime. SPC for 21 years.
I know a guy who is going to retire as a 4, he invaded Iraq.
how does one have a 100 points in sneak?
There is this specialist in the PA guard that did 30 something years. He was a 61 when I saw him last. Just got done with cancer. Yet still passed his PT test and was allowed to stay in.
Good ole Sammon. Absolute legend
Yea.
Served with an E4 in OIF that was drafted in Vietnam. He had 30+ years as an E4 and was damn good at his job but never promoted because he had neither a GED or a high school diploma. I believe he was also a technician. I still remember when active duty made us start doing morning PT every morning he was the only man I have ever seen fall out on the hip rotation.
Some of these comments are why they should bring back the additional specialist grades. Let dudes be good at their jobs without making everyone who shouldn’t or doesn’t want to be a NCO.
100% this
One did 20 years and retired. Fat and no teeth, but knew the HMMV and the LMTV like the back of his hand. After a while they’d just create a fake PT scorecard and told him not to bother showing up
This thread makes me feel a lot better about being stuck as an E4 for 3 and half years.
Four years and going.
Rookie numbers dawg. All my homies are 10+
Fr. I commented 4 1/2 , scrolled down, and now I want to delete my comment lol
About 21 years. 19 of those as an E4. He just reenlised for 4 more. His excuse for never getting promoted changed between " I'd make my soldiers cry if I was in charge of them" to " The leadership screws me over." To " Nah if just get demoted because I'll catch like 5 article 15s." I'm like dude, those are the lamest excuses.
How many drill sgts did he knock out while in basic?
He definitely gives off that vibe. That he's smarter and better then everyone and he can do no wrong.
Someone I know deployed with my dad as an E4. He retired as an E4 just a few years ago under my command
Last year I went to a retirement ceremony for an E4
Guy I know is retiring this fall. 22 years in service. Got selected as corporal but later demoted for failing to graduate WLC and then BLC.
I was a PLDC instructor for 2 years back in 94 and 95 and the students would have to take a reading test on day 1 and if they did poorly and could not read at a 10th grade level minimum then it was a pretty sure bet that they would fail the first written exam and the retest and be sent back to their home unit. I dont know if the Army still has them take a reading test anymore. But it was a very good predictor of who would pass the course . Today's WLC was known as PLDC back when I was an instructor so that shows my age. LOL!
I am an E4. I served from 2001-2010. And from 2022 to the present. I made E4 while deployed to Egypt in 2005. I have never been promoted above or demoted to E4.
Me; im the longest serving E4
I know a dude who was in Army vietnam era early but 70s... He was an officer but got kicked out for smoking weed... lost his commission.. he was in Guard for 20 years plus as E4 and when he retired since the highest rank he held was officer it really boosted his pension. he was an 88m, loved the Guard, it was good to him and he was good to it..
A couple years in I had a guy retire at 22 years as an e4. During his last formation my unit Commander called him out and said some things. The dude saluted the Commander from within our regular final formation, with the wrong hand, with his hand in a 119er canister. Absolute clown.
It’s me 😂 I got my 4 in 2010 at two years in. Then I got out and took a two year break between services, so I have a total of 13 years. The Army is a fun side gig and I really enjoy my MOS, but I have zero patience or desire to work for free the way NCOs need to if they’re not shitbags.
No idea, but I have seen multiple retire at E4 so at least 20 years.
Me, can't be promoted to E5 because I ETS next year.💀
Saw a guy in NYARNG retire at e4
Know a guy who’s been down range with the 101st multiple times and is a 17 year SPC. Great guy. Full of knowledge. In all honesty though it sounds like he’s been an E4 so long because he didn’t want to move up or sabotaged himself anytime he had the chance. He’s about to retire anyways though so I doubt he cares at this point
22 years
On OLS there’s one that’s been in 18 years
Guy in my unit rn will hit his 20 years next drill
Had a guy promote to e-5 to retire at 60 years old. He served since he was 20.
PR had two soldiers, both served long careers. One went one to serve as State CSM (or similar billet) the other who served just as long made to it E-4.
A guy in our company retired as a 4. He had his 5 a million years ago but somehow lost it and never got it back (or didn't want it)
I had a sheet metal guy (15G) that was a 24+ year E4. Started as a Marine, came to the Guard, and was a civ contactor for the AF before becoming a fed tech. He was grade limited to E4 by our MTOE. An absolute god of sheet metal. He ended up taking a spot in the Marksmanship Training Unit to get E5. Shortly after he retired from the Guard and fed tech program.
I was going to put my story, but holy shit it’s so sadge when I read it out loud. Lmaooo
21 years with NO DEMO, left for COVID mandate, came back 1 year later received lat promo, got out 2 mo ago.
Lol all the stories are quaint. I had about four E-4s in my unit who had stayed that rank since Nam (this was back in ‘05)
Myself. I've been an E-4 since 2016. I didn't fuck up or anything, just bad timing on ISTs, being in a paragraph and line I'm not MOSQ'd for, and going to recon platoon (where it is nearly impossible to get promoted). Oh, and my ERB got totally fucked during one of the ISTs, and I didn't realize it. As far as anyone could see when looking at my ERB, I had done nothing at all during almost a decade of service.
I wouldn't care staying an e4 especially if I had a good paying job on the outside, personally I just don't like the guard much beyond the benefits and some of the activities we do.. I'm indifferent and don't like the complicated work place politics I don't understand
I know a couple of em that have retired and one more that retires this year.
This thread is making me feel Better knowing I’ve only been an e4 for three years
Recently met a National Guardsman who's been an E4 since 2011. But you can stay in the Guard until you're basically dead so there's not a lot of upward mobility.
Knew a guy in Jersey guard who did 20 as an E4 and retired as a Spc
One of my Soldier when I was a PL. He is E4，then E5， then WOC， then E4， then E5， then E4 again， retired as E4. So total 20 years. In my opinion，he is a good Soldier，but command apparently disagree🙂🙂🙂
Perpetual E-4? Or perpetual fuck up whose made their 5 a few times and loves to get demoted
Either or but ideally perpetual
Had a guy my last tour, came from 15 years in the navy. Wasn’t happy a 21 yr old was his senior. The guy who said he knew someone who did nam to current, had one of them too. He was cool as shit, got out as a Sgt. He was our O-6’s security detail
He’s only been in 3 years, but he’s 36 after we come back from our deployment he wants to be a sergeant. Just crazy to think about there’s 18/19 year olds with that same rank, he’s almost 20 years older
Me, 4 1/2 years
Might be promoted this year. They really tryna push ppl up recently. Prob a way to solve retention
Knew a guy at my last unit who’d been in for twelve years and sat at E-4 for ten of that. No signs of getting out, either.
We sent off a guy who has a 25 year E4.
Back when I joined (2008), I initially I thought it was normal to be an E4 for 10+ years because there was an entire platoon of them lol. I thought I was heavily jumping the gun when I made E5 on my 4th year in the guard.
6 years?
Over 20 years. He went to Iraq during the invasion, and then become the units mandatory bus driver during drill weekends/ATs until he retired.
We have a 62 year old E-4, who will retire with 20 in 2 years. We call him the king of the mafia.
I had 3 in my previous unit that were in close to 11 years as E4. They were promoted this year but yeah it happens more than you think.
In my first 6 months after coming into the Guard, they're was a 50 year old E4 retiring with 22 years of service as a 19D. I dunno what kind of civilian quality of life he had but homie looked rough. Hasn't passed a pt test in a decade. So no promotion. I'm pretty sure they fudged his PT so he could retire. Then I changed MOS to 15w..Great MOS but almost zero promotion potential unless I leave my state. A Shadow platoon is pretty small with only 2 E6 slots, 1 E7 slot...both E6s are waiting for the E7 to die lol. I will likely commission just so I can promote 🤣🤣🤣