Have to disagree with OnMarkBob's remark regarding the seniority as a system beloved of ex-military guys. Seniority disadvantages ex-mil guys since they may have spent up to 20 years in the military before leaving only to find themselves sitting in the rhs beside some wet-behind-the-ears capt 10 years their junior. If you look at a Big Airline, very few of the guys with long-haul commands are ex-mil. Now it it is true that many ex-mil pilots choose management posts but that option is also open to the purely civil avaiation guys.
ps happy to continue discussion in pub at end of village ;-)