Lopez had received numerous awards and decorations, according to the public affairs office, including “two Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, two National Defense Service Medals, Iraqi Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Multinational Forces and Observers medal.”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/fort-hood-shooter-confirmed-as-ivan-lopez-was-being-treated
Sounds like a soldier doing well in his career The Non commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon really jumped out at me. Doesn’t that indicate that at some point he was seeking promotion and may have been on a fast track?
So now I need to know what was his pay grade despite his classification? In my little corner of the world (private sector) they cannot demote your pay because you got demoted.
Just got home from my sons house and he said the Non commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon is awarded to anyone who has completed the Primary Leadership Development Course which is required to be promoted to Sgt. E-5 in the Army. He wouldn’t have been a problem soldier to have been selected for the school.
Lopez had completed the course and was either waiting for the promotion or I guess he possibly could have been promoted and then busted but that’s speculation on my part.
A "Specialist E-4" is NOT a non-commissioned officer. A Corporal E-4 is a non-commissioned grade.
It is possible Lopez was never higher than a corporal, but to receive a non-com professional development ribbon says that he probably was E-5 or higher at some point. If I had to guess, I'd guess that he was an E-5 who lost one rank when he came on active duty -- an administrative reality in just about all transfers from NG to AD.
Then on active duty, he has not been able in 5 years to regain his E-5. Still, that says to me that something was wrong.