Officers of flag rank, no matter what branch of service, are political appointees. They owe their rank - and their pay, benefits and RETIREMENT packages - to The Won.
All they have to do it continue their public support for the Politburo and, just like their Soviet counterparts, they will have their dachas and their pensions in a few years.
Follow the money. When someone says it's not about the money, it's about the money.
Wrong. The services competitively promote through O-8 (two stars). Beyond that, they are political appointees and their rank reverts to O-8 upon their retirement unless the Senate allows them to keep the higher rank. Obama has simply made the process far worse. He is systematically destroying our military. He hates the military because it is everything he is not: dutiful, honorable, godly, brave, patriotic. This pitiful man knows deep down he's a cowardly, bullying putz.