Yeah… the Navy did that to Father. Father had been the youngest E7 in Florida back in 1970. He passed the E8 exam in the top 10% service wide on three separate tries over six years. After the first three years, they transferred him to run the AME training school at Millington, but withheld that E8. Then, they dangled promotion if he promised eight more years.

He told them where to and how to stuff it.