To be fair Oakape, if DEC's had to have as detailed a knowledge of the OMA, that our F/O's have to have, to pass their pre command course interview, I am sure no DEC would have a hope off getting through a command course here.
I personally have no problems with the concept of DEC but believe the same yardstick to measure competence for the position should be used.
Some of the in flight incidents and ASR's raised from a small minority of our DEC's would raise the hair on the back of your neck! I do believe that several were fired as a result of these incidents. I believe that this has been the big reason for the company's reluctance, so far, to proceed down the DEC avenue again. That and the belief they'd screw themselves for recruiting the F/Os that they'd still need.
They aren't stupid, they'll do what they have to, to ensure they have drivers for the airframes they have arriving.