I spent 10 years in the Marine Corps, pinning on E-6/SSgt around the 9 and 1/2 year mark. I thought I was doing pretty good, but I was playing around on Google the other day, doing some research and I found a post where someone asked the question “What rank are you after 4 years in the Marines?” and that answer was Staff Sergeant (SSgt). But then again the answer also states that a Staff Sergeant guide the Marines and lower-ranking sergeants with their duties. Staff sergeants usually supervise one or more sergeants. SSgts are accountable for their sergeants and all Marines in their section.

Well, I guess that might be what the book states, but it didn’t seem that way in practice. But really, you shouldn’t expect to make E-6 in 4 years. Hell, the minimum TIS (Time In Service) is 48 months for E-6. That means that you got promoted at all the right times and it just doesn’t work that way in the real world. I got promoted fairly quickly, but everytime I got to the right TIS and TIG (Time in Grade), the MOS would be closed. It was that way everytime I wanted to re-enlist too. I manage to always get it just in time, but nonetheless it sucked.

I was the senior Sgt in my MOS for nearly three years, it was so sad, in fact I stopped tracking it and was totally suprised when I was told I was getting promoted.