teresa, with respect, your numbers are WAY off. If we utilise your figures, a former cadet in 1970 wasn't a Captain until 2000. Given that Pete B checked out as our youngest jet captain ever at aged 27 in 1992 (or was it '91) then you can see how wrong your figures are. Most of the guys you are talking about may have been S/Os for quite some time but by and large they were Captains in the 14-17 year mark. I don't think any one of them would have taken more than 20 years unless it was by choice.