what has to be done to advance?

Question

i really want to be E3 after basic...i asked my recruiter and he said doesnt have to be in contract and i was like you sure? he was i can get it to you when ur in DEP (delayed Entry Program) AFTER YOU SIGN..... Can that be done and what exactly does he have to do to get me E3 with no references or ROTC background??? is there alot of paperwork or is it simple and can be put on the contract?????? HELP ME OUT im supposed to sign on august 24 2007......can it be done without it in the contract?????? i want the advancement before i leave for basic!!!!!!

Answer 1

While you are in Basic, you will not wear the rank anyway. Everyone in Basic is the same piece of scum.

The only way you can get advanced rank is if:
1. You were in the Civil Air Patrol and you earned a certain ranking/award.

2. You were in a High School ROTC program and you earned certain ranking/award.

3. You have already earned a certain number of college credits.

4. You qualify for a 6 year enlistment - depending upon your job.

5. The military service you are entering is offering an advanced pay rate because of the critical need in that career field.

6. Some services offer an extra rank if you referred a friend.

That is just about it. If you have none of the above, you are out of luck and will be an E1 just like everyone else.

Answer 2

When I joined back in '81 the only way to get the E-3 after basic was to join for more than 4 years. I joined for 6 and got E-3 out of basic. What was nice, is that I could retrain after 3 years.

Anything the recuiter promises means NOTHING unless its in the contract. Contracts can be changed at anytime before you sign. Since the military is needing troops now, the recuiter should be able to change the contract.

Answer 3

I hate to tell you this, but your recruiter will tell you anything to get you to sign. Now I am not against serving your country. But the military is one place where you advance on your merits. My nephew joined the Navy just a few months ago. He had no ROTC and had just one year of college. However when he graduated from basic he was an E-3. The reason, born leader. If you want to advance, you must prove that you are capable of leading others. That you can follow orders without screwing up and that you can take your superiors breathing down your neck while trying to follow orders. In the military, it is important that you can work under extreme stress. Work on doing meaningless tasks while under stress or with time limits. This will prepare you. Also try reading with the stereo full blast on music that you hate. Get your friends to yell at you while you tie your shoes. Etc....This will help you when you get into basic. Learn to keep your cool under all conditions. If you can keep your head, lead your fellow men, then you have a better chance. Do not puss out at any time. Don't whine, Don't cry, Take everything they dish out and beg for more. One more thing, if you are not used to leading people, learn. Read about leaders and how they do it. Take your friends on a task and make them do what you want. Use a firm voice but don't be condescending. Lead by example. Once you distinguish yourself, your locked in. That is the only way to get what you want, because your recruiter damn sure wont give it to you. He might say that he can, but he cant....He will tell you whatever to increase his recruitment bonus. Yes, they work on commission, so to speak. Good luck and give them hell.....

Answer 4

Your recruiter don't have anything to do with advancing your rank. E-1 Up to E-4 are basically time in rank, and time in service. The only thing that would stop a promotion are any disiplinary actions against you, or you not passing a PT test.

I don't know if the deal is still going on that if you recommend someone for the military and they sign on and complete basic training, that you gain a rank, but that used to be another way to gain rank.

From E-4 and on you have to appear before a promotions board, when you name comes up on the list for promotion.

Answer 5

There are a few way to get it if you are concerned that he is not being honest wiht you ask him to explain it and if you don’t have a warm and fuzzy call a other recruiter in a other station and tell him what you were told and ask his opinion.
Just to let you know coming in as an E2 or E3 has no advantage other than just a few dollars. When you get out of training you still have to wait 18 months to be promoted to E4. Yes there are waivers for even that but you have to have the time in grade to get it. the waivers are determined by Dept. of the Army and your Brigade has only so many and divide them up in to Battalions’ and they divide them up to companies which selects who in the unit get the very few that that come down The units strength determines if they get one at all. For instance if your unit has a requirement for 150 people and out of that 113 are E4 and below and out of that only 75 are to be E4 and 38 are E3 and below you are allowed a small percent over that and lets say a waiver came down for one soldier. The First sergeant would get the Platoon sergeants together and ask who has an E3 that deserves a waiver. All of them will jump to it and they will start looking in to the soldiers’ performance and decide who gets it and it could be the PT it could be the weapons qualifications or just the simple fact that the first sergeant likes one over the other. So in short you would have to wait until your 18 months time in service and 6 months time in grade to get it automatically. I have seen a lot of soldiers come in thinking they were going to make E4 in a year to only find out that there a lot of E3's that want to do the same thing and only a few waivers for them. I personally have fought for a soldier to get a waiver and he finally got it one month before he would have gotten it any way. Was he happy? Yes. But was he upset that he was passed over at least 3 times for soldiers that had gotten trouble but the Platoon Sergeant talked a good game with better PT scores? Of course he was. So don't get it twisted you could still be waiting for that E4 and see you buddies that you come in to basic with, but they were E1's, get it before you . So Just come on in and serve and perform outstanding and you could make it to E4 in a year in 2 months any way.

Answer 6

Do you have college credits?
You can get E-2 by having your friend join too.
You can make E-3 within the first year in anyway.

Being an E-3 in basic means the Drill Sergeants will expect more from you.

Why do you want them to promote you twice before you do anything?

Answer 7

I'm sure there is a variety of ways you can pick it up however, I would want him to point it out to me in the contact that I have E3 be fore I sign anything. He could sell you the golden gate just to get your name on paper and then you are to uphold your part. But if it is not in black and white on paper with your name and his that you with out any mental reservation or anything that you will pick it up then don't do it.

Answer 8

Based on what you have said here- no rotc, no friends joining, no college... it doesn't sound like you can join as an E-3. Sorry. I'd make sure if I were you

Answer 9

I wasn't guaranteed a rank, a certain base, nothing.. unless it's written in a contract. It even says that ON the contract itself.
if you have any questions.. you can email me.. [e-mail]

Answer 10

You mean they can guarantee you rank right out of basic, so you don't have to earn it any more.......amazing!

USMC 68
Vietnam