<p>Well, this may be a little dated, but here goes on the aviation side…anybody with more recent experience, please correct me.</p>
<p>Usually after the O-3 squadron tour is a shore tour - everyone will say, “1st shore tour you can do anything you want,” but that isn’t necessarily true. Most folks on the “fast track” want to stay flying, and the best place to do that is the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) where you train the new pilots and NFO’s (if you fly in an aircraft where there are NFO’s) in your community.</p>
<p>Second best assignment is probably the training command in a flying/teaching billet. Some folks also opt for PG School in Monterey, NROTC teaching, USNA, or lots of other tours.</p>
<p>After that, you will probably wind up in a “disassociated” (non-flying/occasional flying tour) on a seagoing carrier group staff, or as ship’s company in a carrier (“in” not “on”). The desirability of staff versus ship’s company depends upon your community. That’s usually 2-2.5 years. You’ll probably promote to O-4 early to mid-point on that tour.</p>
<p>Sometimes there’s time to hit Naval War College, Air Command and Staff, or Army War College. Depends on timing. You get a Master’s degree out of it as well. Good deal. </p>
<p>Then, you will go back to a squadron as a department head. Most guys want the Operations or Maintenance Officer job. Those are the top assignments. That tour is 2’ish years, and you’ll probably select for O-5 on that tour, if you’re successful. I think command screen is around the same time - somebody else please verify.</p>
<p>After the DH tour, you wait to see if you get a squadron. That’s another opportunity for War College, etc., a staff tour, or some other assignment in DC.</p>
<p>If you pick up command, great. There are also CO billets for training squadrons for folks who don’t quite make it. If you get a CO billet, and do well, O-6 is a pretty likely occurrence. You can make O-6 without command, but it is far less likely.</p>
<p>If you don’t pick up command, there are a variety of assignments you can do, but most do not involve flying, or only occasional flying. Currently, Commanders (O-5) can serve for up to 28 years before retirement.</p>
<p>There are lots of other potential paths, twists and turns. That’s just an example of a typical aviator career path.</p>