FO, TFO, SFO, and SM

[SARDOC]

Every SM 21 or not starts as Flight Officer...from day one to six months....they are not SMWOG, or Officer Candidate, or SM....they are Flight officers.
Level I plus six months gets them TFO....TFO, Tech rateing plus 1 year gets them SFO...SFO 1 year and age 21 gets you 2d Lt.

Pros.....it makes the FO ranks part of the officer progression.  It eliminates the "FO's are just old cadets" syndrom.  It eliminats the wordy SMWOR designation and places them within a specif place in the chain of command.  It will low the number of high ranking officers.  1st Lt becomes the old Capt, Capt is major and major is LT Col.  We can make Lt Col a much harder rank to get (like actually get your Level V).....thus reducing a lot of the top heavy units.

Cons....change for change sake.  Changing all the regulations and training material to get it on line.
Develping all the uniform rule and items that have been over looked for so long because there are only a handful of FO's.

This actually would be the same justification to help bring in an "enlisted" style rank structure.  Making Lieutenant Colonel the organization crowning achievement that it really should be.  It Provides recognition to people who have no desire into going into group/wing staff or into the traditional leadership structure.  We still would not have quotas...we promote as many as we want just like we do now...just challenges members to do more.

[arajca]

I mean I cannot see one logical argument that would qualify a 21 year old more than an 18 year old for cap officer ranks in our program.  None.

There is only one arguement for it - the Air Force has so decreed. Not saying it's logical, but it is there.