If there is already a non-aircrew type out there who has had experience in command as a flt cdr, sqn cdr, det cdr, CAOC or JFAC cdr, and has high level staff experience in either JHQ or CAS’s outer office then let him or her compete with aircrew to be the next CAS. Somehow I think you will struggle to find someone suitably ‘qualified’. An ABM may get close but the branch is so small that it will only throw up one candidate in every blue moon. The engineer branch is too specialised with its own challenges. It is almost impossible for an engineer to develop the all important operational and war-fighting levels of ‘experience’ without diluting his own specialist skills.