How to Move Up in Rank in the Army

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Military men and women have a level opportunity to move up the ranks. The main components to promotion are time served and perseverance. But if you have a clear understanding of what your goal position is, you will be able to achieve it much faster than other candidates.

1 Enlisted Personnel

2 Maintain good performance

Maintain good performance and stay out of trouble with authority, and you should earn an upgraded rank every six months. As stated by the Enlisted Promotions and Reductions Regulation protocol, skirmishes might cause you to have to wait up to one year for promotion. But you should move from your initial E1 ranking to an E4 ranking without a hitch within 18 months to three years, at most. This system is designed so you build tenure as a soldier.

3 Sign up for promotions test

Sign up for promotions test. This military test will assess your civilian education, military education, awards and combat experience during your military service. Make sure you know when the test will be given so you can prepare--the test is given only at certain times. If you miss it, you will have to wait to take it again.

4 Stay competitive

Stay competitive. Although being a huge part of the military is an important aspect, it is also about personal growth and development. You have to go above and beyond and prove yourself a valuable asset to the team. This means you have to keep your nose clean and consistently provide efficient, dependable service in whatever capacity you serve. If you don’t, further promotion will be at risk.

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