USAF 1956-1960. E-3. There were few promotions in the AF at the time, but our Army and Navy counterparts made good rank. We provided OJT training to Navy CTs (like Teal) who got out of tech school with more rank that we experienced airmen had. I did an E-5 job as an E-3. You could tell the supervisors by their faded stripes. Best friend from HS was in Army company next door to us, and he was a four stripe sgt. before the end of his three year hitch (ASA).
It didn't sit well with veteran airmen when some Army or Navy NCO tried to pull rank. Saw a couple of fights in the NCO club over that.
Luck of the draw, the times. Later there was a heck of a deal with an early out and reenlistment that would have quickly resulted in two promotions and proficiency pay, but my separation date was three days too early to make the cutoff, so I did the full four years to the day, and got out with my faded two stripes and a Good Conduct medal. Missed the Korean GI Bill by six months too. Can't complain too much. Picked up the Vietnam era GI Bill in 1966, and got an Expeditionary medal a few years later when they recognized that I had served in a hot zone. Also, 20 years later got a couple of medals from the Republic of China, presented by an ambassador at a big Chinese dinner event in Chicago for their national holiday. Nice of them.
When I was in (02-06) - the services picked up rank pretty even, except for AF. They were stuck at E3 longer than we were in the Navy but by the end of 4, we were all E4s at a minimum. Differences being sea services have E4 as NCOs and the others don't. Most Navy were looking at E5 tho right at that 4 year mark and my AF friends had to go a while longer - it seems.
