Joining Air Force as E-3...How long till E-4 and E-5??

Question

Because of college credit, the recruiter told me I'd be joining the Air Force as an E-3. When will I officially be an E-3?? During Basic (for pay at least)?? Right after Basic?? After Tech School?? How long on average does it take to move from E-3, to E-4, to E-5??

Answer 1

You'll be an E-3 after you graduate bootcamp. E-4 is an automatic promotion. If you keep ourself out of trouble, you will make E-4 after 36 months Time In Service with 20 months Time in Grade , or 28 months Time in Service, whichever comes first. Since you are starting as E-3, you will get that E-4 promotion after 28 months.
For E-5, you have to test for it. The promotion test is difficult and you will have to study your butt of to make it the first time around. To get the promotion to E-5 you must have enough points to be promoted. You get points through your evaluations, PT Tests, Awards, and the test itself.
My husband also joined as E-3. He made E-5 in 3 1/2 years so it can be done quickly if you put your mind to it! Be exceptional! My husband is a Crew Chief with a total of 7 deployments, 2 achievement awards and 1 commendation.

Answer 2

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RE:
Joining Air Force as E-3...How long till E-4 and E-5??
Because of college credit, the recruiter told me I'd be joining the Air Force as an E-3. When will I officially be an E-3?? During Basic (for pay at least)?? Right after Basic?? After Tech School?? How long on average does it take to move from E-3, to E-4, to E-5??

Answer 3

You will get to put on A1C stripes the day you leave basic training. You get paid as an E-3 from the first day of basic training and that is your date of rank.
Normal promotion to E-4 is 28 months, but you can make "Below the Zone" six months earlier.
You have to test for promotion to E-5. You will be eligible to test the next cycle after promotion to E-4.
If you make it the first time. You will have to wait a year to sew it on.
I entered in 83 when E-5 Promotion cycle was every six months. Entered as E-3, made BTZ, and Staff the first time.
Sewed Staff on at 3yr 3mos.
This could not be done under current system. If you make E-5 in 4-5 years you are doing well.

Answer 4

You will be allowed to sew on your E-3, when you leave basic training.

It will take 28 months, before you go from E-3 to E-4.

You can make it earlier, if you go " below the zone "

But don't count on that, those promotions are hard to come by.

When you go over the 2 1/2 year mark, you will be allowed to test for E-5.

E-5 promotion cycles are Janurary to June, and July to December.

As long as you will have 6 months time in grade as a E-4, during a promotion cycle, you will be allowed to test.

Note: you don't test for both cycles, if you test for the Janurary to June cycle, then your test score is carried over to the July to December cycle.

When you test, you take two exams,

The Promotion Fitness Examination (PFE) on general military knowledge.

And the Specialty Knowledge Test (SKT) on specific job knowledge.

Those scores are added to your Annual performance report scores, time in grade and time in service points and any points for decorations.

The average time to be promoted to E-5 is 4.4 years.

Promotions are based on your AFSC and your promotion score.

Each AFSC is authorised so many promotions.

So you could score alot higher than someone in another afsc, and they get promoted, while you do not.

You are only competing against other SRA in your AFSC, not Air Force wide.

It is possible to be promoted the first time you test for it, if you study hard enough.

Of course, since other SRA might have been in the AF longer than you have, they will have a couple more TIG and TIS points than you do, so you will have to make up the difference on the two test.

Answer 5

Advancement to E4 depends on several things, how well you do on the test, shortages in your particular AFSC, your performance ratings, time in service, time in grade, etc. You should get your mosquito wings after boot camp. Be prepared though, the AF is not like the Army, to advance in rank you really have to have your stuff together and do well on the tests. I made E5 in 5 years so it can be done, it all depends on what job you are assigned to and how well you perform at it. Hazardous duty assignments will also help you move up in rank.

Answer 6

You don't get your E-3 rank until your graduate basic.... E-4 was about 2 years after making E-3...and you have to test to make E-5.

Answer 7

the day you enter you start getting E-3 pay when you graduate boot camp your put on E-3 strips. Depending on A School and grades, you MAY make E-4 before your first command.

Answer 8

You pick up your rank after bootcamp in every branch. My best friend is in the Air Force and he did the same thing. It really depends on your job and your supperiors but he had been in for 2 years before he got promoted to E4 and then another 2 years before he got E5.

Answer 9

if you were army you will get E-4 usually in a year.....

Answer 10

The AF is the SLOWEST to advance anyone. You will be wearing the E3 for a very long time and you are lucky you started with that. There are people that it takes 15 to 17 years to make E5 so you thinking you are going to get E4 just for showing up is a dream. Sorry, but if you wanted quick advancement for working hard and getting all your ducks in a row you should have gone Navy. Your E3 kicks in day one of boot camp as long as all your college credit has been verified.