Even non-pilots can as well.
Careerism has always existed. It always will.
"Fair-haired," "golden boy," "early identified" types have always existed. Always will.
However, the deliberate destruction of the squadron has occurred since the 1990s.
The focus on everything but the mission has occurred since the 1990s.
Look at the number of GOs today with the size of our miniscule force compared with WWII, Korea, or even your Vietnam example.
Those on the spot, usually the best able and having the most SA on what the problem is and how to rectify it, now are neutered and must ask "Mother [insert your non-gender specific noun here] may I" before doing anything. And so on until at least a GO, if not a several button type is reached.
Yes, it, the Air Force has changed.
And people who wanted to be a part of the older version are voting with their feet.
The new CSAF is the first to publicly identify this.
So they've known for years if not decades, but no one would do anything about it because they would have been fired/retired.
Not exactly "service before self" behavior, IMHO.