Career in a Jagdgeschwader

[rob van den nieuwendijk]

Hello all,

I figure that the standard career of a Jagdflieger is like this: Rottenflieger, Rottenführer, Schwarmmeister, Staffelführer (stellvert Staffelkapitän), Staffelkapitän, Gruppenkommandeur, Kommodore - all based upon experience and achievements (victories). For simplicity I leave out the staff positions.

1) Who decides when a Jagdflieger is ready for the next career step? For Rottenflieger to Rottenführer I gather it are the fellow Staffelmembers and the Staffelkapitän and perhaps the Gruppenkommandeur. But getting higher who decides for the next level?

2) If a Staffelkapitän did not return a new Staffelkapitän is always appointed very fast afterwards. By whom is the new Staffelkapitän appointed?

3) And when a Gruppenkommandeur did not return, who appointed the new Gruppenkommandeur? Any role from Luftwaffe Personalamt (LP) in Berlin and/or Inspekteur der Jagdflieger?

4) For various reasons Jagdflieger were transferred to other JG's. Like Wolf Ettel of 4./JG 3 was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of IV./JG 27 - who had a role in this? How did they match Ettel for this position? Was there some kind of overall "supply and demand", coordinated by?

Looking forward to any reaction.

Best regards,
Rob