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HDH
Lv 7
HDH asked in Politics & GovernmentMilitary · 1 decade ago

Changing the officer system?

This question is more directed at those in the military or very familiar with the military.

What do you think about eliminating the system we have where people with no military experience can enter the service as officers?

I know that starting out as Lieutenant or Ensign gives you a chance to learn, but the fact is, some people have an aptitude for the job, and some don't. You can learn leadership, but I think it might be better if everyone came in as enlisted. Those with potential could be given a shot at OCS or even a shortened version of the service academies (I can't foresee eliminating those academies!) Israel has a system like this.

I have a degree. I enlisted, because I had college loans paid back. I also doubted I had the aptitude to be an Army officer. I think I could do it, but I don't think I'd be very good at it. I can manage tasks, and I get along very well with people in leadership positions. But I have trouble managing people. Some of it is a confidence problem, and some of it is an honest competence problem. I could be better at it than some of the officers I've served with... but that's not saying a lot, in the end.

I know. It would be next to impossible to dismantle the system as it is. Tradition rules in the military. (Else I probably wouldn't have joined - it's family tradition.)

Update:

I know you have to have a degree first. Plenty of people come into the enlisted ranks with a degree, at least in the Army.

I don't think most civilians can evaluate whether they have what it takes to be an officer. Or really any kind of a leader. A few years enlisted, and an honest evaluation, should tell you whether or not you are qualified to go to the next level. But how many of us ever honestly assess ourselves?? How could you even enforce that?

Mrs JVB, I hear what you are saying. Prior enlisted experience does no good if you don't cross over in you mind to officer.

6 Answers

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  • kendrick j
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I think that's a really good idea. I've met plenty of officers, usually LTs, that are just horrible at dealing with people. It's really frustrating to have to take orders from people that are just not cut out to be an officer.

    I disagree that people can learn to be a leader. I think you can learn to be a manager, but not a leader. Being a leader is something people are born with.

  • Jeremy
    1 decade ago

    Well most officers are made either by OCS or ROTC and both of them get people ready to be officers. But sometimes they do get doctors and similar high demand professions to join the military as officers because they have a need for them. The reason some new officers are bad is either because either A. they are poor leaders to begin with or B. the NCO chain isn't giving them the help they need. I'm in ROTC now and was enlisted before I joined ROTC and all we do is train to become officers and how to lead.

  • DontTreadOnMe Vol. 2
    1 decade ago

    The point of having a degree is to make sure officer candidates have a good education... But also to make sure they are mature enough to be commissioned. OCS is there to weed out those unfit to wear the bars.

    There are also more enlisted commissioning programs now than ever before.

    So no, I think the system is fine.

    Source(s): MA3/USN
  • Mrsjvb
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    prior enlisted service does NOT a better officer make. In fact some of the WORST were prior enlisted because they never got past the camaraderie stage and tried to be their subordinates best bud instead of establishing a clear chain of command.

    by the same token some fo the BEST officers had zero prior enlisted experience.

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  • Kca404
    1 decade ago

    I've always agreed that getting a commission should require at least some enlisted time. Always drives me crazy dealing with all these little lost in the sauce LT's running around.

  • ziggurat4u
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    some of the best officers i've worked with used to be NCO's with combat experience....

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