geeweezer- Why would the AF even bother spending a
lot of time/effort/$ to transition someone that senior to a hot two-seater?
Didn't they have anyone already in the F-4 "community" (don't know if they
use this term) that would be qualified for command? BRBR

I doubt anybody knows how wing commanders are actually chosen in the USAF.
Seemed pretty arbitrary to me. No boards or 'tanks, like the USN.

No rewuirement to have a wing to be a general officer as well. AFAIK, my
CO(61st TFS), Mike Ryan, had that command only, then onto the staff world on
his way to CoS. great CO, BTW.

geeweezer- Was exchange duty with the AF considered a prize or a booby prize
for USN
pilots? How about the other way around? BRBR

It was a one for one trade, some USAF guy to the USN. Difference was I went to
a RTU, training squadron, flew in the trunk mostly where my USAF counterpart
was in a F-4 squadron, fleet type.
It allowed me to stay in the F-4 tho, instead of going to the training command
flying TA-4s.

P. C. Chisholm
CDR, USN(ret.)
Old Phart Phormer Phantom, Turkey, Viper, Scooter and Combat Buckeye Phlyer