How long to make 1st Sergeant?

I received a photo of a of a B-24 pilot from one of his relatives who thought the photo "was of his commissioning". However, the photo shows the individual wearing the Arrowhead/T of the 36th ID and 1st Sergeant stripes. I looked up his enlistment record at NARA and he enlisted 25 November 1940 at Waco, TX into the National Guard. That fits with the 36th ID patch.
The pilot and crew arrived in Italy on 20 March 1944 and the pilot was KIA 2 July 1944. It should have taken 18 - 24 months to go through pilot training, crew training and get to Italy, which puts him as a cadet sometime March to November '42. That seems fast to make 1st Sergeant. Am I missing something?

 

This might help..for promotions came fast during the war...between the wars you were lucky to get one.

Army NCO History (Part 6): World War II

 

I presume you used the Electronic Enlistment files. The enlistment dates are not necessarily the initial enlistment date, so take that into account. It's possible the Nov 1940 date was a re-enlistment date. When the NG units were activated in 1942, there may have been some accelerated promotions to fill open slots. Just a few possibilities.

 

.....I was just saying in another thread:
--I turned 21 in Boot Camp early 80s ...I was one of the older ones.....I had ''natural''/''genetic'' discipline--I got promoted meritoriously to PFC in BCamp--then meritoriously to Lcpl out of School of Infantry a few months later.....this is very fast ...made Cpl soon--but then got into trouble at the EClub......
....I'm guessing if you were good, they would see it and could promote them?
..as 42 stated, promotions came fast in the war