I was supposed to be fast tracked in the CG and it was not uncommon
for guys to be E-6 (FT1) in 4 years with the CPO as the incentive to
ship over. Unfortunately me taking the GM 3&2 course and pushing that
instead of the FT3 that was pretty much automatic after "A" school,
derailed that path. When I got to my reserve unit I was in an ORTAUG
and back to being a Gunner's Mate until they finally found me 3 years
later. They gave me my FT3 crow and shipped me off to the ORTEL
(electronics unit). I couldn't wait to get out after that.
I don't know of anyone who was "fast tracked" in the Navy. Some were
given E-3 straight out of boot camp if they had a college degree. I
also never heard of anyone getting advanced as an incentive for
re-enlisting. Money, yes, as a re-enlistment bonus for critical
(needed) rates but no advancement in rank. To be advanced you had to
have completed the qualifications, done the courses, get the sign-offs
and recommendations, have the required time in your current rank, take
the test and wait and see if you made it.
Often the Navy had several "increments" of advancements. If you scored
high enough on the test combined with time in rank, you might make it on
the "first" increment, meaning sooner than others. Some may be advanced
but would have to wait until the second or third increment. I remember
that some delayed advancements permitted you to sew the new "crow" on
your uniforms and take on responsibilities for the new rank but you had
to wait until the official date according to what increment you were
advanced under to receive the additional pay.
The Air Force sucked for getting rank if you changed specialties. They
disbanded the mobile comm squadron I was first in and sent to the IT
section as I worked on computers, as a clerk. Then changed to fixing
airborne radar units. Each a different AFSC. So was hard to get the two
years experience two get the promotion in rank. Was an AF problem