I personally agree. I enjoyed it but didn't get to do it enough to really feel competent. As for a career, I don't think it really matters one way or the other. I have seen a few guys get pigeon holed into deployments because they "desired" guys to be airdrop qualified, but that didn't seem to be the norm. There are plenty of fast track routes that pretty much have nothing to do with your crew qual to make sure you can make rank.

Quite frankly, I'm happy just doing my ALZ, NVG ops, AR, and Low levels that it keeps me busy enough.

As for ops, I can't say too much since I'm at LTS and not on the coast. When I left CHS, there seemed to be a good mix. For as little as we actually use it, I happen to think that there is an optimum number (below 100%) but can't say what that number is. For as few training lines as the coasts are getting now, keeping the entire crew force AD current is simply impossible.

I was part of a 20 ship C-17 formation and we accomplished that without having the entire crew force airdrop qualed. There were even some airdrop folks that couldn't participate who were on trips, leave, etc. I think that 100% AD qual is simply to costly to maintain.