More moons back than I care to remember, (well 1967 actually), I came to the end of my first three year flying tour and was asked if I would like a second tour, "yes please", I replied, "but what about future promotion prospects?"
"If he wants further promotion he will have to go back and do another regimental tour first", came the answer from my parent corps.
At that time the Army had almost more aircraft than pilots but there was no way the AAC could promote me, the authority had to come from parent corps, who stuck to their guns.
Net result the Army lost one trained pilot with three years unit experience who wanted to stay in and fly! (at that time to transfer to the permanent cadre of the AAC one had to be a QHI).
Nothing seems to have changed that much!
