Since we're in the midst of attempting to surrender, would it be likely that anyone would be in mobile suits, or would they all be in storage/shut down right now?
Also, seeing as I was stuck over in the other board like an idiot, I didn't realize that JESUS CHRIST do we have a veteran group. By the end of the One Year War Zeon was pretty much out of veteran pilots, but we have three and a half attached to a supply group.
I understand that, trust me I do. Vehicle crew ranks function slightly differently for one, and I figured that because Zeon got so fucked during the war [to the point that they were essentially out of pilots to let the goog and dom win] promotions would be fast coming.
The thing is, Sergeant Major is E-6 for Zeon, E-9 for NATO. So while you're right that he is in fact way to young to be an SM if he were serving under the USA, it would only take 8 or 9 years to reach E-6, which is the amount of time he has been serving. In addition, he is serving during a time when experienced pilots are almost all dead, so there is plenty of space for him to fill and plenty of impetus for him to get promoted.
It is good to see someone else with some knowledge of the military however. So often I get into military RPs then cringe because no-one can reach the unrealistic standards of that most pedantic of beasts: the Military History major on forum RP sites.