I second the comments about the posts by
JanO and
BbB ... a neat reminder of the facts within all the rhetoric.
@
rethymnon ...
but I remain of the view that this is a job where only a cadre can expect to stay and progress. for the rest it needs to be a short service option.
Indeed, why should being CC be a lifetime career? The Armed Forces offer short-service commissions to officers [up to 8 years?] who may choose to compete for a 'Permanent Commission" later on. Regular soldiers are engaged for a maximum of 22 years [depending on progress through the ranks]. In
all the Services,
retention is based on rank/promotion ... not on simply serving time.
I remember vividly the tension when applying for a "Permanent Commission", and so does the OH. If we hadn't both achieved that, we'd have been out of a job at 38.