My Master Husband

I'm so proud of my husband! He FINALLY got to sew on his stripe for earning his new rank of Master Sergeant! After testing last February, he found out last June that he made it. One year later, he finally has it!

This is probably the one area of the military that I understand the least. It seems in any other job, if you pass your test, or are promoted it's immediate. Not so in the Air Force. While everyone up for promotion tests about the same time, they award the stripe (along with the raise) in order starting with those who have been in the military the longest. If you're on a faster track and have been in less time, you even have to score higher than those with more time in service. To me, it almost seems like you're punished for testing well and passing faster. There are some who tested the same time as Jim,who sewed on their stripe last August and have enjoyed the raise almost a full year longer.

On the flip side, they have no problem immediately moving them in to a job with more responsibility. I'll probably never understand it- guess it is what it is! At any rate- it was a very nice ceremony, we're happy his time finally arrived!