Concerning upgrades, there have been several highly qualified pilots get shot down over bogus reasons. One guy for not having "majesty" whatever the f that means. One guy forgot the security code for the doors to Dispatch in Okinawa. One guy cuz he was the quite type, yet a very good pilot. Another denied because he spoke up when the check airman tried to land during a microburst. One guy had 5 good observations yet it was his first command. So the promise of a quick upgrade isn't entirely accurate. It is predetermined whether you will pass before the evaluation process.