Lets not deceive ourselves on this - the reason why the Fort Rucker exchange has gone to a WO1 and why the Aussie Blackhawk exchange is the same is for the simple reason that the Corps does not have enough Captains to send on these exchange tours and fulfill the numerous Adjutant, Ops Officer and other Staff jobs.
Complete false economy that the Air Corps hierarchy has never really grasped in that these Captains and Majors all leave because they want a balanced flying career and ultimately some credability when/if they command a Squadron. The young officers in the Corps seeing these 'fun' and different tours going to the WO/SNCOs just makes the situation worse as all they see is desk job after desk job.
This is by no means a dig at the SNCOs and WOs that ultimately become HQ DAAvn's flexible manpower (which other threads have highlighted he can do pretty much what he likes with their Terms and Conditions) but what I continue to be amazed at when I see good quality AAC officers transfer to the other Services or go abroad is that why doesn't DAAvn actually retain these Captains and Majors by giving them a flying career (we are not talking PAS but behind a desk - we are talking in cockpit on Squadrons). Just think of all those gapped positions on a Squadron (that we supposedly do not have) that could be filled, just think of the increase in experience levels to have third, fourth and fifth tourists. Just think of the balance that an experienced SNCO/WO/LE and DE Regiment would have compared to the current situation where young officers are synomonous with the term 'newbie' or 'fresh out the box'.
The crux of this thread is that the Corps has always had exchange appointments, AH (3 years isn't really long enough)and the drawdown of Germany, NI and 9 Regt have meant that exchange locations have been up in the air.