During my Navy career it was my observation that half of COs were great people and great leaders, and the other half were useless “admiral’s boys” who got there via connections. It is also my observation about flag officers, many of whom I served with on their way up.
I graduated from high school with a guy who went on to graduate from the Naval Academy. He was a Top Gun pilot and flew the F-14. He retired with the rank of captain. I asked him why he did not become an admiral. His answer was “I did not want to kiss ass.”
You got that exactly right...
30years of service and knew a lot of these guys. ..could even name names....including Mullin...