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Once there were also career privates. Men who beat the bush and carried the load. The Army did not want those kinds any more and made it up or out. What is wrong with a guy who is a 10 year E4 or E5, but is a damned good E4 or E5. Everyone is not made out to be a supervisor or leader of men/women, yet could still be a totally productive soldier in his/her MOS? These people want to be soldiers and want to do a good job, but might not have the "head space and timing" to be a leader in a critical combat job.

Don't have any military service, except watching "Heartbreak Ridge" 3 times, but your observations totally square with what I've seen in the fire service. For some reason, we seem to have lost respect for the tradesman who does his job well. BTW, NOTHING is nicer than having 3 experienced hands with you when going into a structure fire.

Once there were also career privates. Men who beat the bush and carried the load. The Army did not want those kinds any more and made it up or out. What is wrong with a guy who is a 10 year E4 or E5, but is a damned good E4 or E5.

Apparently, pre WW2, there were career privates, I mean E-1's and 2's, who did a full 30 year pull. And if they were truly good privates and didn't care for a promotion, so what? The pinnacle of my Army career was E-4.