C175

I've seen worse: two girls

Slice

Nice flame bait!

Slice

Don't know if you never served or maybe you've been out for a while...I've yet to see a seniority system in place in a military flying squadron. What I have seen is something that the seniority system eliminates, ass kissing and politics!

rickair7777

All wrong on the military system brother! You've been watching too many derogatory hollywierd movies! I understand how non-military types can make that mistake though...civilians have the impression that you just "do your time" and promotion happens.

In order to be promoted to each successive rank, a military member must spend a minimum time in his/her current rank in order to gain knowledge, experience, confidence, and credibility. This minimum time can be reduced for star performers, but not waived (except in extreme combat situations). You have to accomplish certain training requirements, anything from correspondence courses, to formal military schools, to bachelors/masters degree depending on the rank. You will be graded agianst your peers in a competetive evaluation process. Also you get screened for criminal/DUI activity, which will disqualify you from promtion in all cases.

Once you have met all of the requirements, then a formal board or point system determines who actually gets promoted. In some cases, some ranks and specialties can have very high advancement opportunities...this is usually in the case of lower enlisted ranks where the opportunity is driven by first-term members leaving the military for good. After that it get's tougher with every rank as more folks stay in and compete. My last promotion had about a 40% selection rate, and it was only that high because I'm getting to the point where folks are starting to retire, which creates some openings.

Also you can't just stay in for twenty...the military uses an "Up or Out" system...if you don't get promoted to a certain rank, they will kick you out prior to twenty years so they don't have to pay the retirement That prevents the service from being filled with slackers who just want to sit on their ass until they can retire

That rank has historically been E-6 (sometimes E-5) or O-4 (Major/Lt. Commander).

tomgoodman

You have? Worse than Gomer Pyle in the left seat and Chuck Yeager in the right seat? Ah, I have it! Must have been Hillary Clinton/Eileen Collins...or maybe Jane Fonda/Patty Wagstaff.

Spectre364

Exactly rickair7777, thanks for setting that straight!!!

SkyHigh

I have never been in the military but have been told that back in the 40's and 50' during the birth of the airlines they took the military system at the time and adopted it in the airlines. Sounds like the military was smart enough to back away from it.

What motivation do the new hires have to strive much above minimum efforts? It doesnt help them at all for advancement.

Skyhigh