E-1 after 4 years? Dirtbag screwuo.
At the chow hall on the Norfolk NOB, I saw a seaman (E-3) with gold seaman stripes and three gold hash marks (total of twelve year’s service). Never could figure out how you get gold stripes yet remain a seaman for over twelve years. If your conduct was bad and you busted down to seaman, then you wouldn’t get gold stripes.
What it told me was he spent twelve years doing a good job while lacking the ambition or smarts to advance himself, with the accompanying pay increases, from E-3. Still can’t figure it out.