The #2 URL guy selected is a SWO and is CNO’s speechwriter. No early command I believe but I can imagine his stellar DH record and current job might have added some weight...
Just did some LinkedIn stalking and the #2 guy on the CDR board is a JSOC EOD officer, Oxford Grad, and White House Fellow. #1 looks like a Joint Staff/TOPGUN/Harvard guy. Looks like the system works. Been talking about this at work recently (merit ranking) -- pretty sure it takes more than a "fleet EP" to make that top 15% cut.
@SlickAg WRT posts about the guy that scored the Su-22 kill. I think that specific communities values don't matter so much in the admin boards. To wit, every single 1130 on the board likely has many more kills than the aviator in question.
White House Fellow, Harvard, Oxford, Joint Staff, JSOC... these are bullets that are very well understood and valued by all URL board members.