We were fat on O-6s the last couple years but back to normal numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised if it continues down. We are back to letting people opt out of command, although leadership can disapprove it and make you compete. We are always a number in the system from the day we join and it doesn’t change when you are one of 4000 Colonels. Some generals worry more about individual desires than others, but the system at least tries to listen. The problem is the system tries to get the best overall answer, but if your the guy that got sent to the opposite side of the world from where you wanted in a job you asked not to have, you rightfully could give 2 shits about the fairness of the system and how much it cares about you.