Tshe only way to get e9 at the time was to shoot some of the ones on active duty, took me ten years to get 7.. Most of those years it was zero to e7 in my field. Dont know if you know a name norm chandler, full colonel. He alled me and another marine retired and asked if we ould help with marksmanship at the range at lejeune, unofficially and no pay of course. I said why not and did so. Think i helped some