Two Points away...

[grunt0311]

So I missed picking up CPL by 2 measly points this month. Kinda irratating. Anyone else ended up missing my the skin of your teeth?

[DaveIn3D]

So I missed picking up CPL by 2 measly points this month. Kinda irratating. Anyone else ended up missing my the skin of your teeth?


Sorry to hear dude. I am guessing your pissed you didnt talk that one guy into joining now...

-3D

[grunt0311]

No, got those points already. 0311 is just rediculously high cutting score. With luck next month I'll be good

[JohnP]

So I missed picking up CPL by 2 measly points this month. Kinda irratating. Anyone else ended up missing my the skin of your teeth?

If it makes you feel better, I missed E-5 the 1st time by a half a point. That's less than 1 guess on either test of even an Air Force Achievement medal.

Hit the books harder and you'll make it Marine.

[armysc_25b]

The closest I've come is missing cutoff by 5 points. Cutoff the last month they promoted E-4 25B's to SGT was 621, and I had 616. That said, I'm sitting at 672 as of today, and waiting for them to bring the cutoff back down and start picking up E-4's again. Sucks being in an MOS overstrength at the E-5 and E-6 level...

[skf_atc]

I've got to start studying for the OS3 (E-4) exam. My understanding is that OS3 is pretty easy to pick up and so is OS2 but once you go for E-6 and up it starts bottlenecking.

[03_SHOOTER]

So I missed picking up CPL by 2 measly points this month. Kinda irratating. Anyone else ended up missing my the skin of your teeth?

Don't feel too bad, I sat as an E-3 for 26 months, time in grade, before being promoted simply because we were over our TO&E. There were times that there were semi-serious discussions among the "perpetual E-3's" about which dirtbag we would have to KILL in order to get promoted. There was one guy that I went through Tech School with who was STILL an E-3 when he left the unit nearly 3 years later!! You can ask JohnP what it was like trying to get promoted back then.

[Wolfy]

My senior Lance just missed picking up by (his new nickname) one point.

I missed it by 6 points the month before I got my blood stripes.

[Ivan_The_Mute]

Don't feel too bad, I sat as an E-3 for 26 months, time in grade, before being promoted simply because we were over our TO&E. There were times that there were semi-serious discussions among the "perpetual E-3's" about which dirtbag we would have to KILL in order to get promoted. There was one guy that I went through Tech School with who was STILL an E-3 when he left the unit nearly 3 years later!! You can ask JohnP what it was like trying to get promoted back then.

Are you kidding me? 26 months TIG? Hell, I was a SrA at 26 months time in service! 26 months as an A1C is freakin' nuts. How much TIS did you have at that time?

[grunt0311]

Don't feel too bad, I sat as an E-3 for 26 months, time in grade, before being promoted simply because we were over our TO&E. There were times that there were semi-serious discussions among the "perpetual E-3's" about which dirtbag we would have to KILL in order to get promoted. There was one guy that I went through Tech School with who was STILL an E-3 when he left the unit nearly 3 years later!! You can ask JohnP what it was like trying to get promoted back then.

thats a morale booster right there...i'll be at 2 years TIG in November...

[Psybadek]

That sucks man, my Uncle went through that, he had to take his OS2 twice because he was shy by so little. I'm sure I'll see what it's like when I get in the Navy, glad I'm going in as a E-3 though!

[DaveIn3D]

Are you kidding me? 26 months TIG? Hell, I was a SrA at 26 months time in service! 26 months as an A1C is freakin' nuts. How much TIS did you have at that time?

I was at 24 months TIG at A1C before getting SrA. That was 28 months TIS. I was at SrA for nearly 3 years before pinning Staff.

If I recall correctly, the earliest you can get e-4 is 22 months in service. That is only if you come in on a e-3 contract and make Below the zone. Most on a 6 year contract make SrA in 28 months while the 4 year contract guys have to wait 36 months. If you come in contract E-3, you could be waiting a long time to pin E-4.

As I tell my young Devil Dogs, the Marines 'earn' CPL usually well before the Air Force 'gives' SrA away. Just the nature of the beast.

-3D

[Stabby]

I spent 5 years 7 months as an E4. Time in Grade and Time in Service. Some people just can't take a joke. Then they hold it over you for your entire military career. And then when you hit that automatic promotion thingy that they do nowadays, they change the cutoff from 350 to 798. I loved being a SPC...

[DaveIn3D]

I was at 24 months TIG at A1C before getting SrA. That was 28 months TIS. I was at SrA for nearly 3 years before pinning Staff.

If I recall correctly, the earliest you can get e-4 is 22 months in service. That is only if you come in on a e-3 contract and make Below the zone. Most on a 6 year contract make SrA in 28 months while the 4 year contract guys have to wait 36 months. If you come in contract E-3, you could be waiting a long time to pin E-4.

As I tell my young Devil Dogs, the Marines 'earn' CPL usually well before the Air Force 'gives' SrA away. Just the nature of the beast.

-3D

Yes, I am so awesome I am quoting myself.

I entered the gunclub Oct 2006 as a PFC. I put on LCPL July 2007. CPL JAN 2008 and SGT Apr 2009. I could have put on SGT Jan 2009 if my MOS had a score.

About 2 1/2 years to Sgt. All you kids thinking about joining the Air Force might want to think about that. Suck it up for 3 months and not only will you actually respect yourself afterwards, you will most likely pick up rank faster and you wont go around telling actual Marines that "i thought about joining but..but...but.."

I think i just hi-jacked this thread..

-3D

[grunt0311]

Only hi-jacked when taken by force Sgt. :)

S/F

[Spider]

Yes, I am so awesome I am quoting myself.

I entered the gunclub Oct 2006 as a PFC. I put on LCPL July 2007. CPL JAN 2008 and SGT Apr 2009. I could have put on SGT Jan 2009 if my MOS had a score.

About 2 1/2 years to Sgt. All you kids thinking about joining the Air Force might want to think about that. Suck it up for 3 months and not only will you actually respect yourself afterwards, you will most likely pick up rank faster and you wont go around telling actual Marines that "i thought about joining but..but...but.."

I think i just hi-jacked this thread..

-3D

Not a dead man's shoes branch then... When do you expect to be Generalissimo of the Soviet Union?

[Wolfy]

Hmm, as far as my "promotion track" goes... came in contract PFC Jan 2007, picked up LCpl Sept 2007, picked up Cpl Oct 2008 with a 1609 cutting score... I'll be on track for Sgt by April 2010, if they don't close it out like they have been doing.

[JohnP]

Are you kidding me? 26 months TIG? Hell, I was a SrA at 26 months time in service! 26 months as an A1C is freakin' nuts. How much TIS did you have at that time?

During that time in the 80's the SP field was so overmanned the TIG from E3 to E4 was nearly 36 months. If you were lucky and had the commander's eye, you go Below the Zone in 24 months. Unfortunately for '03 he was on my crew that not only was on the Commanders Sh** list but the 1st Sergeant didn't like us either. The only reason I made rank there was to cross-train.