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I know nothing about the Navy. I specifically referenced the Army...as did the OP in the comment I responded to.
But...in order to be more clear and up to date on the issue, I looked up the current Army Retention Control Point (RCP) standards.
Retention Control Point (RCP) - ArmyReenlistment
Retention Control Points (RCP) are for enlisted Soldiers serving on active duty across all Army components. These are the MAXIMUM years you can serve at current rank. RCPs apply to: Soldiers serving in the Regular Army, Soldiers of the U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National Guard Soldiers serving...armyreenlistment.com
This is a change from what I recall the standard being almost 30 years ago and this standard has changed and is always subject to change as the needs of the Army change. Keep in mind that there are a slew of additional qualifications and conditions that can impact these standards to make them shorter or longer.
In any case, my original comment to the OP's remarks about "E3 career" stands.
I gathered from talking to them that each of the branches of service are very different. Personnel with exact technical/maintenance specific high specialized skills are in very short supply, so low rankers who do not climb for maybe conduct, promotional testing reasons etc still can be critically needed people. One even suggested a person can actually not receive a promotion because the promotion might result in losing the person to an at-the-time or particular base where they do not want to lose that person. Others are promoted in rank, but kept at the tasks of the lower rank - which is frustrating to such a person. Thus, becoming particularly capable and diversely rated is a double edged sword. It might earn promotions or might slow them down. Some probably are better at negotiating or dealing with officers or the military than others too.
From what I gather, for the AF the problem is not having equipment, aircraft etc - it is having the personnel and parts to keep them functional. For some aircraft, every hour of flight requires 10 hours or more maintenance and upgrading. When the AF trains personnel capable of such tasks, the private sector outbids them so many do not re-enlist - pushing those remaining hard. Possibly this could account for a rare 20 year E3? I don't personally know, only stories I am told. The circumstance may be different in other branches of service, other bases and other duty areas. I'm just repeating what I heard - best I understand it.