Well when JPME and Joint tours are required to make rank, you have to make up jobs for people to go to. Not important jobs but jobs all the same. I always hoped that the next "top 6 roll down" that the Navy would have would actually start at the top. Think about it, how many Flag and even 0-6 officers could be replaced? I say take everything down a paygrade at the officer rank and stop gutting the enlisted ranks.

Bring back the 0-2 and 0-3 selection boards, let the LTs actually compete not just get the EP because it is their turn before they walk out the door, let Super JO tours turn into Dept Head tours, senior 0-4s to XO and fleet up as a junior 0-5 CO. Get rid of End of Tour awards, if you haven't done squat at a squadron to get an award before you are leaving then maybe you don't deserve one. Bring back the competitive nature and let people fight to lead not get to lead because they haven't gotten in trouble. When I was coming up I had a department head that use to say, "the Navy is easy, don't get caught with a live boy or a dead girl and anyone can be a CO if they just wait their turn". Sad but true words in todays military.