Huey, I know you're right. the RLOs of the Navy are threatened by this action and will do all they can. But in the early days we both know some got to field grade with damned few leadership qualities other than the ability to fly a damned aircraft. it is a shame that we have squadrons of highly trained pilots who were promoted out of the cockpit at the peak of their combat capability and in to field grade positions. It is wasteful in both expertise and money. the army had a lot of restrictions on us in the beginning and now CWo'S CAN COMMAND COMPANIES. The purpose of combat aviation is to fight, not be a damned aero club. We built a new air corps with WO blood.We did it because the USAF placed so many restrictions on Army aviation by limiting the number of commissioned pilots and types of aircraft we could fly due to the key West agreement. And worse yet,The Army branches either penalized the commissioned officers for "too much flying and put them out because they could not remain "fully branch qualified" or mandated they serve 2 years in branch for every flight tour, thus assuring the'd be rusty and out of touch with the latest developments. The only branch to not do this was the transportation corps. We took TC Generals and Aviation WOs and built a new tactical air corps.The proudest day of my Army life was when The Aviation Branch of the army was created thus assuring that the entire upper echelon of aviation was trained from the beginning as combat aviators. No more majors just out of flight school leading companies into Rat Fu*ks using the school solution. If you remember many of our Wo's were made LT then promptly kicked out when the need was reduced. Now the navy sees the threat and I am sure they will make sure the CWO program will fail. I'm not sure if you remember but we also had punishment if we "Attrited". A one way ticket to Vietnam in the infantry.
The purpose of the Military is to fight And losing the expertise to civilian life or a desk at the height of capability is stupid and wasteful. The Israelis say the Americans waste the best years of a fighter pilots life by requiring degrees and such. they take them in young, train them and then send them to finish degrees. By two years of college the bright ones have learned all they need for initial combat training. Anyway, my rant. Back in the day, when offed a commission to captain by General Olin Smith I told him I wanted to fly and that was the end of it.
Now to the navy folks, Why not take men who want a career as a pilot, Identify them and let them have at it. The ambitious ones who want to command carriers can take RLO positions and move up. Meanwhile your combat positions at the unit level are filled with warriors who want to be there, doing what they do. Fly a combat aircraft.
Salute
BT