My boy made O-3 when he was 25, and a lot of people such as myself felt that he would go Career. He opted out though just because of issues related to the Field Grade Officers moving up as you mentioned. The last straw for him was his CO putting himself in for a Bronze Star when he never even was involved in combat operations in Iraq. He was very dissatisfied by the time he got into his 4th year. It seems likely that he will not encourage his own boy to go in, thus likely ending a 5 generation tradition of Army Service.
Incidentaly, I did my 3 years in K-Town, 77-80, easy duty. I went to a lot of Bases and Kasernes though. You were likely in Wildflecken, Hohenfels, Grafenwoer, or Vilsek, though there are multiple other possibilities.
I set the unofficial record from K-Town to Spangdahlem, before the autobahn was completed to the Eifel. 90 miles in 55 minutes, 110 MPH on the autobahn, up to 80 MPH on the back roads to the front gate at Spangdahlem.