Pretty embarrassing, burt...You really screwed the pooch on this post. Epic failure across the board (pun intended).

Give it a rest, Sydney.

Glad to have you back in action

In before board-wide "Big Blue" reference freak-out

Not sure what you mean by a flawed promotion system, but you are correct in saying that it does not favor Academy grads, per se. It favors those that perform in the top echelon in their job, regardless of commissioning source. On the contrary, the assignment system is a bit different for officers than it is for enlisted. Enlisted members are pretty much at the mercy of an assignment system, save a few very high-performing individuals in higher ranks (at least E-6's). That said, officers have a bit more say in their assignment, as there are many selectively-manned and/or high-profile assignments that require by-name reccomendations from superiors (i.e. commanders). These by-name reccomendations are made easier by having a "network" to interact with. Obviously, the academy network very much comes to the forefront as one of the primary means to make these reccomendations. These assignments can then bolster your officer resume, which, in-turn, then can place you above your peers when it comes to promotion time. So, you could say that it has the potential to affect your promotions and assignments, granted you're a hard worker and your commander sees that. You can't be dead weight and expect one of these assignments, obviously.

After graduation and commissioning, it's valid to say that Academy, ROTC, and OTS officers as 2Lts/Ensigns are all on an even playing field. Granted, the quality of education and work ethic differs vastly, as you're simply going to, more often than not, get a better product out of an academy grad due to the education received and the amount of work put in during their 4 years. Not necessarily everytime, as there are very high-performing individuals from civilian institutions (like the Citadel, which I have a profound respect for) that perform at extremely high levels, even perhaps placing them above their academy counterparts. I'm simply speaking in generalities. However, keep in mind that it's just not about the education. It's about the experiences and the leadership lessons learned from a 4-year "leadership laboratory" experience that ROTC programs simply cannot replicate. Academy cadets/midshipmen are immersed in it every day. There's something to be said about the kind of individual that gets into, survives, and graduates from a service academy. It is these things, ALONG with the network that benefits academy grads long after graduation, while in uniform and as a civilian. This isn't a knock on ROTC by any means. Please don't take it that way, but there's a reason for the selectivity that goes into the admissions process and there's something to be said about the attrition that occurs from entry to basic training to graduation day.

But in the end, I have to go with Roy Roundtree's TD catch with 2 seconds on the clock in the UTL game. I'll never forget that.

I did because I went to the Air Force Academy. Very, very few (I'm talking like 2 cadets out of a class of 1,000 or so) didn't get them. As a matter of fact, if you didn't get one, the Commandant of Cadets (a Brigadier General) would call you into his/her office and ask you why you are not getting one...so, yea...not the kind of attention you want from that particular individual. Additionally, there is an event at the end of your junior year called 'Ring Dance' where you invite a date to and get all fancy-shmancied up for to receive your class ring. It's a pretty big event...probably the second most important event of your Academy career next to graduation. It's a pretty good time.