Some background info on Walz's military rank

[haele]

58. Didn't need to be. He's a non-commissioned Officer.

And as a senior NCO, the officers with oak leaves, birds, and stars on their collars will listen to him before they listen to any of the lower three levels of officers, and sometimes the lower 5.
Being a commissioned officer is a political job; you're appointed by Congress if they need you, and your ability to rise through the ranks to make a senior position is also constrained by Congress.
If you want to get things done, rise through the ranks pretty much on merit, and don't mind how much less you're getting paid to do the same work as an O4 or O5 because you don't need the political and paper-pushing hassle, you stay enlisted.

Retired Navy Chief (E-7) here. If I went started the process to become a commissioned officer when I first made Chief I'd probably only retire at O-3; I don't think I could handle the 7 years of paper pushing, budgeting and politics, even if I did end up in Engineering.
If you're used to doing work, you stay enlisted.

Haele