that if you failed to make Captain, you were screwing the General's daughter, and if you failed to make 1st Lt, you were screwing his son. (Assume a male officer). This was, of course, a joke, but perhaps a fairly accurate rendition of how easy/automatic the first two promotions are. Beyond that, you don't actually get promoted, you get put "on the list" for promotion and wait for everyone ahead of you to get promoted, separate, or die.
However 1). Availability of promotion may vary by era and personnel needs 2). As of the time I was in (20 years ago, between Vietnam & the War on Terror) you could not get to half-pay retirement (20 years) if you go in as a 2nd Lt, and never get promoted beyond Captain. Some Captains retired, but they had prior enlisted time. I met two Navy Lieutenants (O-3, like an AF Captain) who were involuntarilly separated without getting retirement for failure to be promoted.
A Major/O-4 can get all the way to 20 years without further promotion, but not to 30. I think a Lt. Col can get 30 years in.
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johno
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We used to say
Date: 2008-10-21 01:54 pm (UTC)However 1). Availability of promotion may vary by era and personnel needs 2). As of the time I was in (20 years ago, between Vietnam & the War on Terror) you could not get to half-pay retirement (20 years) if you go in as a 2nd Lt, and never get promoted beyond Captain. Some Captains retired, but they had prior enlisted time. I met two Navy Lieutenants (O-3, like an AF Captain) who were involuntarilly separated without getting retirement for failure to be promoted.
A Major/O-4 can get all the way to 20 years without further promotion, but not to 30. I think a Lt. Col can get 30 years in.