Bowe Bergdahl

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

In the old days the only way to even be considered for E-6 was to re-up for another 4 years. And then suck some ass.

In the Navy Staff NCO is considered E-7 (the same in the Army I think).
You do not have to be a total brownnose to make First Class since it is based on a test along with fitness reports. In other words if you are not a brownose and get an average evaluation grade you still can score high enough to make E-6 on the test, which is sort of under your control. In other words if you study hard enough you can get promoted if you have a less that stellar political career.

The E-7 rank however is determined by a selection committee of E-9s who may or may not know who you are. Here you basically are judged on your lifetime experience and if they know who you are i.e. political acumen (or lack of it). Here quotas play a role too. It is much more difficult to make E-7 than E-6. I never made it.

Once I did not make it because the board felt that although there were about 10 slots for Chief vacant none of the remaining candidates (me included) were worthy. That pissed me off!