Knew some Marines that were making E-4 and even E-5 in like 2 years back then. If you had anything “on the ball” during the Carter years of the Hollow Force, you could make junior NCO pretty quickly.
I was active duty navy in that time frame. I can't think of one E-5 or E-6 forced to leave. The Navy would give you up too $15K and E-5 in a lot of ratings to re-up. My Chief followed me around my last six months wanting too talk retention LOL. The E-6's I knew made E-7 usually. I watched my boss in my shop go from E-6 to E-8 before I got out. The only ones who weren't given a bonus I think were the cooks. That job didn't have shortages thanks to guys from th P.I.'s
I turned down the $15K and promotion. I also turned down a next day job at the shipyard. I wanted out of Norfolk. I got out Oct 80 and went home. I married in mid 81. By early 1983 a hard recession hit my area worse than the one now has hit my area. Unable to find work I went and talked to a recruiter. The billets were pretty well sewn up. I went back to school and worked part time for V.A. on contract till things picked back up.
The military active duty had much higher End Troop Strengths under Reagan and there was an economic recession. That had a lot to do with the rebuild in itself.