Talk about blowing it. With an outstanding record, an E-4 or E-5 can join WHCA and (if they keep their noses clean), spend the rest of their careers at the agency, with advancement to E-9 virtually assured, and the ability to transition to a GS-12/13 job after retiring from active duty.
Best friend from my Air Force days spent almost four years at WHCA. Requested reassignment when Clinton was elected. As a man of great character, he told his superiors he could not serve under a POTUS with no morals or character. The Air Force “rewarded” his honesty with an 15-month assignment to Turkey. He still made CMSgt, and kept his honor and integrity intact.
I had just finished with two projects at EPG that were real failures on ineligibility only to learn after giving them failing results, they bought them before we even started.
Blew it, not really. I am happy the way things turned out. I got to see the belly of the beast when working with NESSEC.
I use to be a member of WHCA and over the last few years my job has entailed some contact with them. You can no longer “homestead” within WHCA. When I asked why, the word was the officers thought is was bad for your promotion prospects.
And my thoughts were if you are good at your job, then your officers will ensure your NCOERs reflect that and you will be promoted. I think they said 5 years with maybe a 2 year extension is all they will allow now. But as with all things, changes or exemptions will happen.
My last last NCOIC there went from E-4 to E-9, never left for any school, then retired and got a job as Deputy Director of the White House Situation Room.