Career managers/drafters/desk officers don't manage your career, they put bums on seats. You manage your career and no one else. If an Airship thinks you are good they may manage your career for you, whilst you perform. If you subsequently become crap at your job the same Airship will manage it for you in another direction. How do I know, a tour in CinC's office, a tour in a 2*s office and a tour working for ACOS A1 and seeing the posting plot on the way to the CinC's office. I'm sure it ain't changed.
Civvies couldn't do a worse job as a career manager, at least they'd get the time in post to learn how to do a good job and would learn to know the pitfalls of employment law, unlike Sqn Ldr Bloggs or Sgt Scrott who are looking out for a Cmd/IDO(delete as appropriate) tour. Plus they'll be cheaper and you won't have to give the aircrew career manager flying pay. Trouble is do that and you won't need a military AMP, COS Pers, ACOS Manning, ACOS A1, ACOS this, ACOS that and ACOS the other.
Ohh and on ranks, we've probably more COS (insert description) than we have FJ squadrons!