Jimmy Stewart, Private to Colonel in Just 4 Years

Great article but Elvis Presley didn't make the list.

Refusing special treatment, Elvis turned them down, and after getting a deferment so he could finish filming King Creole, he entered the Army as a regular GI at Ft. Chaffee on March 24, 1958. As his famously tousled hair was shaved down to regulation length, he cracked, "Hair today, gone tomorrow." His induction was a major event, with hundreds of overlookers and media there to witness it.

Famous Army Veterans
Army Live
BY TRACEYLYLES
DECEMBER 3, 2014
POSTED IN: U.S. ARMY

What would the world be like without Hollywood? More importantly, where would we be without our heroic Veterans? Hollywood and the branches of the military go hand in hand. Taking into consideration that Hollywood has produced many award winning movies centered on our military; we thought you may enjoy a partial listing of citizens of note who have proudly served their country and have earned the right to be honored as Veterans.

Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997) Actor In 1940, Jimmy Stewart was drafted into the United States Army, but ended up being rejected due to being five pounds under the required weight, given his height (at the time he weighed 143 pounds). Once he had gained a little weight, he enlisted with the Army Air Corps in March of 1941 and was eventually accepted, once he convinced the enlisting officer to re-run the tests. By July of 1944, Stewart was promoted chief of staff of the 2nd Combat Bombardment wing of the Eighth Air Force. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to the rank of colonel, becoming one of only a handful of American soldiers to ever rise from private to colonel within a four year span.

It should be noted that Jimmy Stewart rose to the rank of colonel in the Army Air Corps.
read more here