Originally Posted by
Moose
I know this has been mentioned time and time again, but AD needs to develop a senior leadership track for those that desire and have shown promise of command. Develop them young and send them to appropriate schools instead of for-profit factory schools to check boxes. As for the rest, develop their combat effectiveness. These officers can run the squadron/group departments without PCS...kind of like ARTs and stay at the top of their game. They can deploy and do certain staff tours requiring expertise. Cap them at LtCol. The point is, we are in the business of logistics, breaking things and killing people. Combat effectiveness is not served by a graduate degree from some crap college or tour as wing exec pushing paper. Leave that for the guys who are selected for command and teach them to be good commanders. We are so broke right now with the system in place. The staff officers are running the show and not the warriors. Except for Gen Welch.
I like this idea. The Navy is not big into leading from the cockpit much anymore. When I entered 19 years ago and into my first tour, the CO/XO's had 4-5000+ hours flying. Now get CO's with 2000 hours maybe, had one with 1800 total flying time not so long ago. He was not a good stick but I but could do some fantastic power points. Now to each their own, if you want to be a careerist, fine but I do like the idea above, let the pilots lead and the staff officers do what they do best. IMO, the Navy's ability to select quality leaders is lacking, just from my experience.
I've been lucky, only one non flying tour in my career but I dodged and weaved and it cost me rank...but that was my choice. I didn't make O-5 because of my decisions and that's fine as I've done what I wanted to do.