[kaki3152]

Looking through "The Final Hours" by Steinhoff, I come accross a description of a fighter pilot flying missions while on "Probation"

The pilot was Hptm Erich Woitke who was killed on December 24,1944 flying as the Gruppe Kommandeur of III/JG-1.
If a pilot was flying missions while on probation, could he serve as a Gruppe Kommandeur? Was this due to lack of anyone else with the experience?

I know he was courtmartialed for being drunk during a Russian attack on II/JG-52 in 1941. Afterwards he flew with JG-77,JG-27<JG-1 and the STurmstaffel, before becoming the Gruppe Kommandeur of III/JG-1.
Was he on probation during all this service?