That hurts
I don't know what the screen rate is for DH or O-4 in the COD community though I dare to say, it's probably higher than others. We have to take E-2 O-4's for DH tours being there aren't enough COD types to go around. I think as long as one moves from left to right on his FITREPS, getting making the DH screen shouldn't be to hard in the COD community. For anyone who wants COD skipper, become the DET-5 OIC. Of course now days, still have to roll into a joint job after the fact but the front office will make all sorts of excuses for ya if your det does bad (has mishaps, fails inspections, etc). They have in the past and will in the future. Probably one of the easiest routes to CO in the Navy. Only one DET 5 OIC hasn't made Skipper since as long as I've been associated or known about the COD community and it wasn't due to poor performance. He was prior enlisted for 12 years, has 24+ years in and rolled into a flying job down here at P-cola. That last one is probably what did it more than anything. He made O-5 but is retiring this year before he pins it on.
Making O-5 will be tougher than it used to be for our community. I don't know if joint is key for O-5 but it won't hurt. I left my DH tour with a 9 month #2 EP (the DET 5 OIC finished with me and guess who wins that one?), all my FITREPS go from left to right (competitve EP's in my first sea tour with the soft sell), etc but I don't know if it's enough. I've been asked by a few O-5's down here as to why I would roll into a P-cola flying job, bad for the career. My best and only answer is because I wanted to. If I don't make O-5, awesome, I stay here and fly to retirement. If I do, I get to fly for almost 3 years before I have to go do one more sea tour then retire. Works out IMO. I wouldn't recommend it for those who really want O-5 or who really want command though. Not the way it's done anymore (that's if you get the number 1 EP like the DET 5 OIC did and came down here).
Obvisously, screen rates are better in some communities than others. For the moment, better to be VFA and VAQ than VP. Of course, all of that could be OBE by the time the OP is in that position.
Lets face it, being a squadron CO is an important job, but it's not like being in charge of a carrier or CENTCOM. In other words, it's not rocket science. If they're going to give it to someone on that basis (Det 5), why not you?