U.S. soldier arrested by North Korea

[franticscribe]

10 years to make major? You could retire before making colonel? Holy shirt.

My college GF just made colonel in the Air Force, and she's in year 21 of active duty service. Observing from afar, it takes a lot of endurance.

 

[three_bags_full]

In order to get a star (BG and up), your nomination has to go all the way to the President and you have to get Congressional approval.

Pretty sure you have to do the same for a second, third or fourth star, too. And you may have to go through that same process separately for whatever position you're filling.

BG and MG are traditional promotion boards. LTG and GEN are full appointments.

All E7 and above promotions require congressional approval. Title 10 limits the number of senior NCOs and Officers.

 

[three_bags_full]

10 years to make major? You could retire before making colonel? Holy shirt.

Yes. I will retire in summer/fall '26 as a lieutenant colonel.

 

[three_bags_full]

My college GF just made colonel in the Air Force, and she's in year 21 of active duty service. Observing from afar, it takes a lot of endurance.

It is definitely not a sprint.

 

[MisterCreosote]

There's no

BG and MG are traditional promotion boards. LTG and GEN are full appointments.

All E7 and above promotions require congressional approval. Title 10 limits the number of senior NCOs and Officers.

My bad. I thought all GO billets were position-specific, meaning you only get the rank if Congress approves you for the position.

Also, I've known plenty of people who retired as LTCs, including my boss. Nothing wrong with that. Personally, I'm around enough senior O6s to know I'd never want their jobs.

 

[Twirling Time]

In the Army, the promotion from 2LT to 1LT is automatic after 2 years unless you're a complete forkup. After that, each promotion is done by boards and if you get passed over, you're out of the regular Army shortly thereafter (although you may continue to serve inactively in the reserves or National Guard).

 

[Driftwood]

My niece's boyfriend is a Marine. He just put on Major after either 8 or 9 years. He's a sharp dude and deserved it.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Yes. I will retire in summer/fall '26 as a lieutenant colonel.

I have a question about time. A guy who served and was hiring for a small business said he questioned guys who served around 15 years because why didn't they just put in a few more years to retire.

 

[three_bags_full]

I have a question about time. A guy who served and was hiring for a small business said he questioned guys who served around 15 years because why didn't they just put in a few more years to retire.

Some people are just done with it and don't want to put up with it anymore. Some might've gotten in trouble and forced to get out. Some might've gotten passed over for promotion.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Times of relative peace make promotions more difficult.

 

[maumann]

And the public sector, particularly companies with federal/military contracts, will usually pay good money for that kind of expertise.

For example, if you've been navigating a nuclear sub for the past decade, you've got a skill that's unusual and specific. The companies that make the instruments for the Navy may just want to pick your brain to figure out how to make them better. Or at least sign you on for training their staff for installation and implementation.

 

[MisterCreosote]

And the public sector, particularly companies with federal/military contracts, will usually pay good money for that kind of expertise.

For example, if you've been navigating a nuclear sub for the past decade, you've got a skill that's unusual and specific. The companies that make the instruments for the Navy may just want to pick your brain to figure out how to make them better. Or at least sign you on for training their staff for installation and implementation.

That's why I couldn't help but laugh a few years ago when USA Today thought it had the story of the century when they wrote an article about "ZOMG retired generals make money as defense consultants!"

They have expertise and insight that only a few hundred people on Earth have.