So then EVERY helo pilot CO has been lesser the quality than EVERY person selected for CAG for the last 20+ years?
That is nowhere near a logical as the Navy leadership deciding that Helo guys are not eligible for CAG.
Since I know of a bunch of HS bubbas that went on to wear a star and there are a bunch of CAGs that didn't get a star, I find it difficult that swallow that every helo pilot was not competative for CAG yet some were still selected for flag.
I got my info that "Navy Leadership" decided that helo pilots did not need to select CAG to remain competitive for Flag from sitting in on a phone call between my old RAG skipper and a Wing Commodore.
The two officers were involved with the discussions with CNAP, so I will trust what they said as the truth.
This is just back of the napkin math, but...
Assuming there are anywhere from 10-13 CVW FITREP cycles a year for CO's in the airwings:
Even if you assume that #1 tickets for CO's are evenly distributed among the 4 VFA, 1 E-2, 1 Prowler/Growler, and 2 Helo CO's, there are still more than twice as many true "Strike" guys with #1 tickets compared to helo guys in the pool for the Major Command Screen Board, plus the occasional break out E-2 guy. Considering they only need 2-4 CAG selects a year, it is easy for them to hit that mark with VFA guys only, let alone the E/A and E-2 types.
Factor in that I seriously doubt that #1 tickets are evenly distributed, and the large amounts of anecdotal evidence such as above that the leadership in Naval Aviation isn't that interested in it anyways, and it is easy to see how a helo CAG would not happen.