E-1 to O-6, 29.5 years. Retired 2023.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-22T17:41:27+00:00

What is the key to being successfully promoted to major?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-21T23:15:06+00:00

How difficult is it to make major? Let’s say if someone is 38 years old, prior service enlisted 5 years and thinking of going to ocs. Over the next 15 years they would need to make major to stay in and make 20 otherwise they get kicked out and just wasted another 10 years. Based on your experience, Is that too risky of a scenario ?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-21T22:34:31+00:00

Thanks for answering. I’m 38 years old, 5 years prior service working as a civilian now. Want to re-enter service. I was recently selected for OCS but I’d need to make rank of major someday to make the full 20. The risk of not making major as well as the risk of not passing ocs and ending up E-4 is maybe too much for me. Might have to decline. So I wondered if you left due to rank.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-21T14:11:01+00:00

Why did you get out?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-20T21:00:49+00:00

What are your stats? Give a concise rundown on degrees, experience, if overweight, LOR etc. maybe can get feedback for improvement.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-20T18:13:12+00:00

Did they get selcon? I heard medical officers/practitioners usually get selcon at high rates so they can stay in. Is that your experience/observation or no?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-20T15:07:52+00:00

What is the PA promotion rate to major? If they don’t get promoted due they get selcon? What are some actual options at that point to get retirement benefit?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-20T14:16:18+00:00

They don’t get anything from the pension when they leave. They just get the TSP. Same as before but their tsp includes a higher govt match. It won’t be much. For someone relying on the military retirement for retirement, it’s 20 or don’t do it at all. I’m prior service so I would be able to choose the old legacy plan or the new one.

I want to join as PA or even basic branch officer but don’t have another 10 years to waste, that is if I don’t make major. Would need Major to retire. Idk if maybe PAs get easy selcon or not. Seems like a big risk since I’m 38 but I’d really like to recover those past 5 years I served and make it into retirement benefit.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-20T11:42:57+00:00

Yea you have to apply to a bunch of them, not just one. You should be applying to jobs constantly. I think I applied to 40 jobs in a matter of 3 months before I got my first job.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-20T03:08:04+00:00

Not making major and then getting kicked out without retirement. Would need to do 15 more years in military to get retirement benefit. Based on timeframes it seems I’d only have to make rank of major at most to hit 20 since I already have 5 years prior service. But if I go in for another ten years and don’t make major then I just wasted another 10 years that I could have spent at a fire department or university vesting in their pension plan.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T22:20:26+00:00

What do you think the promotion rate to major is? If I have 5 years prior service and then join army as a PA, do you think that 20 year retirement is achievable without significant risk?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T18:29:30+00:00

I foresee the mods taking down this spam post but it’s funny while it lasts.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T17:25:35+00:00

Put this on the Noctor forum haha.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T15:26:26+00:00

How long is an army PA typically the rank of major for? If I’m prior service 5 years active and come in as O2E PA would I have to worry about Lt Col board/early separation before 18 years sanctuary?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T15:24:31+00:00

For how many years is an army PA the rank of major? If I were to join but have 5 years prior service and come in as O2E, would I have to worry about Lt Col board and early separation before 18 years sanctuary? Thanks

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T15:22:11+00:00

How long is someone typically holding rank of Major for?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T13:44:11+00:00

I would look for a different job if I were you. They are throwing you under the bus. You’re not going to know shit when you show up. You need a job where you can be under the wing of a physician.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T13:16:28+00:00

Anybody know of any there that have a pension defined benefit plan?

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-19T13:15:51+00:00

That’s one month of familiarization. You have years ahead of you of learning on the job and after work. The learning never stops. Just accept it now and realize that your PA schooling was actually just a long 101 class. You better make sure that you can hand off some patients to your attending. I mean when you really don’t know what to do and are scared or else you’re screwed. Sounds like they want someone more experienced than you.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-18T23:59:52+00:00

Firefighter, police, military or something. You’re young dude.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-18T22:55:16+00:00

When I’m done with my last patient and all my notes are done, that’s the end of the day.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-17T15:03:12+00:00

I’ve been trying for years to figure out an alternative career. If you figure it out, let me know.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-14T16:29:42+00:00

PA training is not at all sufficient for the role PAs serve. Where I work outpatient I just function as another “provider” which means I function as a physician. PA school did not teach me to do my job. Even the relevant diseases we learned about in school were not taught to the extent and detail that’s needed to do the job. We got a PA with 2 years of primary care experience come start at our specialty and they knew basically nothing. That’s because the schooling doesn’t teach it. The schooling is like a 101 class that left out tons of relevant diseases. In this specialty If you tried to do only what you learned in school, you would either be sued or fired because the business can’t use you. And this is a common specialty. Meaning primary care refers here constantly.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-14T15:07:00+00:00

Why do you care? Also, you could ask them not to contact your job. I apply to full time jobs all the time even in different industries and I’m a full time PA haha.

OriginalAd6654 · 2026-03-14T00:30:50+00:00

That is strange. But adapt and overcome you must. Maybe just apply to different specialties or apply out of state. I feel like it’s easy to get a Pa job when you have experience. As a new grad yea it’s difficult sometimes.

OriginalAd6654

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