I know several that have been fast-tracked (sometimes within 12 months of commissioning) to Flt Lt in order to take a command…
That’s been the case for years and remember cases in the 80s and 90s.
How many of these are around now? IIRC only one who resigned their commission after 3 years to get out of the job, ‘re-mustered’ as a CI and by his own admission started to enjoy the Corps again and recommissioned some years later, but has been a sqn officer second time around. There are others who have been around that long, but they took commands after 5/6 years as Officers, not within 2.
I personally feel, and I know others will disagree, there should be an ‘apprenticeship’ as CI for all staff of at least one ‘tour’, the only exception would be ex-regulars, but I would still suggest at least 2 years as a CI to get into the ‘ACO way’. This would allow people to find their feet and get some qualifications before even starting down the road to a uniform. If the fear is the longer the period before going into uniform, the chances are they won’t do it, then something needs to change about the perception of a uniformed role. This isn’t about TORs and other such nonsense, this is about quality of life for want of a phrase as a uniformed member of staff.
In the current comic Gp Capt Reminger says when he joined the Corps in 2001 it was a much simpler existence (although by his own admission not for long) than it has become in the ACO of 2015 and onwards. I’m not one usually to agree with the SLT, but to come from someone like him who is doing it as their day job, the changes when applied to the modern day ATC squadron commander are exponential, given that the demanding volunteer ATC role is juggled with family life, outside the Corps interests and ever more demanding day jobs. Maybe the ACMB need to reflect urgently on his thoughts and think about the pressure on sqn cdrs. We can’t be the only Wing where people have had in recent years to be coerced into sqn cdr roles or have it explained as it’s you or no one.
When you look at our Wing 80% of the Sqn Cdrs are over 45, 60% over 50 and around 40% been doing it on one or more sqns for 20 years or more. There have been a few young guns over the years but they have done 4/5 years (after telegraphing unhappiness for a couple of years) and just binned it as they couldn’t see any sort of succession and forced Wing’s hand to replace them. Ironically some of these have ended up on Wing staff in backwater roles as a way of keeping them in, as they have been mates with Wing Staff.
interesting your wing has “mates rates” 
it may well be the same wing as me… if your not in favour or in the club then your normally out the door mostly by saying enough is enough which of course will only ever hit the management chain as “for personal reasons”…
Speaking with a few different people over the years it’s endemic across the Corps, you can say who’s going to Wing when they need someone without pausing for breath.
when i was a cadet and then CI, my Wing had 3 wing commanders from the same Sqn, one after the other.
this one sqn also provided the WWO…
oh yes, it was very easy to tell who was, and who was not part of the in-crowd.
Are you talking about my name?
Stenhouse
There is a lot of fantastic points raised that I agree with and I feel I can’t add to the ones I agree with, but what I shall say is that the ATC having a CI option is the very reason I returned. If the ACF offered a CI post similar to the ATC, I wouldn’t give you lot a second glance.