- Joined
- Sep 27, 2008
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- 20,553
Turning a serious analytical eye on this.. I think Mav would classify himself as an “operator,” with little interest in becoming a competent staff officer. You can be the greatest operator in the world on sea duty, but at some point, you have to learn to navigate and win policy/funding/priority battles in the Puzzle Palace and other major staffs, collecting your joint officer designation (imagine Mav on joint duty), Master’s degree (Mav thoughtfully writing his thesis), developing senior mentors, etc.
With a naval aviation warfare specialty, he would have had to have command as a captain (O-6) at sea to make flag. If he’s a captain at Top Gun, could be he’s just doing a shore tour before heading to his air wing command. He can’t be a carrier skipper unless he does the nuke pipeline for that. In that case, he’s still a player for flag. Or he could be terminal, on his last shore tour before retiring. He’s been on active duty, at least since 1986 and a few years before, so he may already be exceeding his DOPMA time in grade restrictions. Captains may stay to 30 years. Beyond that, they have to have some special skill set and receive special approval. That’s true for all officers who reach mandatory retirement time in grade - think of Admirals Grace Hopper and Hyman Rickover.
As a wise flag once told me, “Promotions are a vote for what you can do for the Navy in the future and what skills sets it’s going to need, not a reward for past performance, though that is key to being considered.” There have been thousands upon thousands of captains and colonels, superb leaders, impeccable records, wonderful people, brilliant minds, who do not squeeze through that tiny opening to FOGO rank, because the Service, that year, does not need another budget whiz, or strategic planner, or ops ace, as a senior leader. In the Navy, if you have had major command at the rank of captain, you are considered to have had a perfectly successful career.
Sadly, Mav may not be flag material...this year.
With a naval aviation warfare specialty, he would have had to have command as a captain (O-6) at sea to make flag. If he’s a captain at Top Gun, could be he’s just doing a shore tour before heading to his air wing command. He can’t be a carrier skipper unless he does the nuke pipeline for that. In that case, he’s still a player for flag. Or he could be terminal, on his last shore tour before retiring. He’s been on active duty, at least since 1986 and a few years before, so he may already be exceeding his DOPMA time in grade restrictions. Captains may stay to 30 years. Beyond that, they have to have some special skill set and receive special approval. That’s true for all officers who reach mandatory retirement time in grade - think of Admirals Grace Hopper and Hyman Rickover.
As a wise flag once told me, “Promotions are a vote for what you can do for the Navy in the future and what skills sets it’s going to need, not a reward for past performance, though that is key to being considered.” There have been thousands upon thousands of captains and colonels, superb leaders, impeccable records, wonderful people, brilliant minds, who do not squeeze through that tiny opening to FOGO rank, because the Service, that year, does not need another budget whiz, or strategic planner, or ops ace, as a senior leader. In the Navy, if you have had major command at the rank of captain, you are considered to have had a perfectly successful career.
Sadly, Mav may not be flag material...this year.
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