Analysis of Unrestricted Line Promotions

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:19:41 -0400

CAPT Robert Tortora, up in DC, wrote an interesting paper that shows how problems in the Unrestricted Line (URL) community spread from designator to designator. In his analysis, he shows how the unique circumstances and needs of the Aviation community have an adverse impact on advancement in the SWO and Sub communities.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/238224936/Unrestricted-Line-Officer-Promotions-Best-and-Fully-Qualified

The question, then, is what can be done about it. I can think of two possible answers.

1) First, I note that we provide Aviation Career Incentive Pay, peaking at $840 a month at 14 years. If we have too many aviation-rated officers at middle-and-high ranks, it might be time to adjust our incentive.

2) The recently-closed Flying Warrant Officer program seemed to be the ideal response to this situation. If you've too many aviation-rated JOs for a good selection rate, how can you lose by making some of them CWOs? The one modifier I would add is that we reinstate WO-1 and maintain all flyers there until they hit their 12-year point (since they're still priors, this would not mean 12 years in one pay grade) to maintain the prestige of the Warrant program.

What say y'all?

Unrestricted Line Officer Promotions: Best and Fully Qualified?

An analysis of a recommendation proposed in "Keep a Weather Eye on the Horizon", namely to separate statutory selection boards by community rather than consider all at one setting.