LB, I know 2 met men from near us both. One had been the resident SMetO for ever. The other used to hop about a bit, Ascension, Antarctica etc and once even promoted and posted. His pay dropped so he came back and resumed his shift pay. He too had been basically at the same unit for ever. One of the assistants there, also did ASI, but again was resident for ever.
Your mobility was presumaably by choice and not by dictat.