Longest Time In Grade
 

I think I saw something like this once in the Air Force Times. Just wondered if anyone might like to post some interesting "records". I pinned on 0-4 in 10 years, 4 months and 8 days. Retired as an 0-4 12 years, 7 months and 16 days later. I guess they were really serious about the Masters Degree, Air Command and Staff College, and jobs above Wing Level. I did however stay in an operational flying job the entire time. Went to my airline job "current".

That's awesome! BRAVO!!! I know there are a lot of guys out there that would kill for he same thing.

You beat me, but there was no way for me to stay in past 20 as an O-4 - so you had opportunity that wasn't available to me.
I did end up being the senior O-4 in the USMC for at least 3 months though! :D
Those last 4 years flying were all worth it too!

USMCFLYR

Ditto, flew for 20. The last 8 years and 6 months of that as O-4. I passed up two chances to go to AMC staff--a poor career move, but it worked out.
Zach

As they say, timing is everything. I was about ready to get the boot when Desert Storm came along. Did that for awhile and then somehow just got lost in the system. Life was pretty good so I figured, why not hang around and just see what happens. Besides, 1991-1993 was not a real good time for an old guy (43 at the time) to be looking for an airline career.

I'm an O-4 at 18 years and 1 month...on my last navy tour, a flying tour. Matter of fact, I've had only 1 non-flying tour in my 18 years...though my flight time doesn't show it :( Too many COD flying tours or should I say, on paper, it was a flying tour :o

I might have beat you, had things not improved:
I was pinned on O-4 on 1 April 1997.
I was well on my way to retiring as an O-4 in 2011, but got picked up for O-5 in August 2007... 10 years, 4 months later.

Pinned on O-4 on 1 Nov 97, retired as O-4 on 1 Feb 10 after 24 years, 3 months, 24 days of active duty.

So you got me beat by one month, 16 days if my math is correct.

I had a DP to O-4 but no school slot. Had about 15 hours toward my Masters when the AF changed their policy and said Masters' were no longer required. I was a DO at a small detachment was extremely busy. I welcomed the chance to dump my Masters classes and I took the AF at their word. Big mistake.

Like you, I stayed operational the whole 24 years, did a 6-year stint working AF-1 advance duties as an additional duty (something that wouldn't have been possible had I made O-5) and have no regrets. It would have been nice to have the extra retirement pay though....

Certainly a lot of us took the bait on that one...and paid the price a couple years later.

Pinned on 0-4 in May '02...Actually that's the official date...Pinned in Sep '04....Made 0-4 while on IRR status and no one told me or the AF when I re-entered AD. Impersonnated a 0-3 for 2 1/2 years...awesome!! Been 0-4 since and always will be. Still going, no staff tours, just flying all the while. Feel lucky everyday I wake up. Best to everyone.

Kenn