US Army rank...how hard to get to SGT (E5) within 4 years as Airborne Infantry?

It is hard to get it in 4 years. It is almost impossible to get it in 3 years, but it is possible. You need a minimum of 26 months to get promoted to E-5 unless it is a battlefield promotion (the whole unit got wiped out), but in practictice, you won't be promoted unltil you re-enlist, and probably not until you have already done 4 years. Also, usually, as soon as you re-enlist, ther re-assign you to another unit at another post, wherre your new NCOs and officers don't know you from Adam, and sometimes whether you get promoted depends entirely on the first impression you give them. If you show up with a clean record, and don't give them any trouble for a year or so (e.g., your wife doesn't bounce any checks,you aren't late to any formations), they will probably promote you if they have a slot open and if the Army is allowing for new E-5s.

Sometimes there is a real glut of sergeants, and it takes longer. I have seen really good soldiers make it in 3.5 years or so, and I have seen really good soldiers wait 7,8, or even 10 years, or get out, because they just were not promoting people for years. It goes in waves. They will promote a bunch or people at all levels for a while, and then it will be normal for a few years, and then it will just stop for a few years.

Jay Dub and Max are both close but, not quite there. If you enlist as a 68WP, you should have no problem making SGT/E-5 within two years. 11B does promote faster to E-6 and above. However right now, the Army is trying desperately to keep as many 68W in the service. In order to do this, they have decreased the time in service and time in grade requirements. You do not have to go to BNCOC to keep SGT/E-5. You have to attend the Warrior Leader Course (WLC, formerly PLDC) within one year of your promotion. Once you make SSG/E-6 you have to attend ALC (Advanced Leader Course, formerly BNCOC) within one year of promotion.

at your 2 year mark if you try hard enough you can try get E5 if youve been a E4 for 8 months or you get a superiors recommendation and it gets approved at battalion. basically as soon as you get in if you cant keep a PT score of 230 or higher you can forget it. basically get your self the E-5 board study guide and read it from the time you get in till your 2 year mark when you try for E-5. your first 3 months at your first unit you need to be strong, dont be a wussy and get punked by E-4 and below, dont be a turd bag, be the first to volenteer for every thing, ask and start taking Correspondance course AND most importantly do allot of PT where people in your company can see you. The first seargent will bump your pay grade up if he gets a hard on from seeing you covered in sweat during non PT hours.

The only way an 11B doesn't make E-5 in 4 years is if they've been in trouble or aren't up to performance standards.

definately doable as an 11 series. low points and plenty of positions. takes most infantrymen 4-6 years for ssg.

I made it in 15months, but was drafted and sent to Nam as a 11b

Pretty sure that you can get e5 in the army, along with about $400,000 enlistment bonus, just by having less then 2 DUIs when you enlist.

Or something like that.

Think about that when you get out of ABN school.

Doesn't the Army just give you e-5 on your contract if you spell your name right?