How Do Promotions Work in Different Military Branches?

Hey everyone, I'm starting to seriously consider enlisting after high school. Does anyone have any insights on which military branch tends to rank up the fastest for enlisted members?

The speed at which you rank up in the military is largely dependent on the branch you join, the job(MOS/AFSC/Rating) you have, and your performance. However, it's important to note that each branch has a similar, yet different, structure for promotion.

The Army, for example, employs a multi-tiered system for promotions, which includes both time-in-service requirements and merit-based promotions. Soldiers can rank up to E-4 (Specialist) with only time-in-service requirements, however, moving beyond that rank typically involves attending a promotion board and achieving points for factors like physical fitness, job performance, and education.

Promotions in the Air Force are based heavily on an individual's performance and are less dependent on other factors such as specialist education. For instance, promotion to Senior Airman (E-4) can typically be achieved in around three years.

For the Navy and the Marines, it's typically a combination of time-in-service, exams, and meritorious achievement that will dictate your potential for advancement. Each year, they'll release a NAVADMIN (for the Navy) or MARADMIN (for the Marines) that lists the quotas for each MOS/AFSC/Rating, which is the available number of slots for promotion to the next rank.

Finally, in the Coast Guard, promotions are based on a combination of time-in-service, performance evaluations, and specialty qualifications. They use a points system very similar to the Army.

Overall, while it's useful to consider which branch you might rank up fastest in, remember that promotions aren't everything. Consider what you're most interested in doing and where you can see yourself having a fulfilling experience. What might be the fastest path to promotion may not align with what you're genuinely interested in doing.