[Career progression after being passed over?]

Assuming no breaks in service, is there any way an O-4 reservist isn’t allowed to retire after being passed over twice for O-5?

Would being a Cat-E reservist have any effect?

This is the only reg I could find:

5.11.3. A major, twice deferred for promotion to lieutenant colonel and not in a continued status, will be removed from the RASL on the first day of the month after the month the officer completes 20 years of commissioned service.

I take that to mean, they will let you get to retirement, but your services are no longer required. 

[Commanders are dropping like flies this year]

I realize they canned the OG, but I didn’t realize the two O6s at Columbus had a total of 0 Air Medals between them. 

That make sense for the two highest ranking pilots in charge of training military pilots.

I guess that’s the Air Force in a nutshell. Combat experience is only one line on an OPR. Brian Regan has a bit about the wrong emphasis on the wrong syllable.