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American military is very advanced, and I'm sure they have reasons for the way things run. They're all way smarter at war than I am.
But, what if instead of a college degree being the main requirement to be a military officer, it was some sort of leadership experience? Like four years of leadership experience (maybe in construction or running a business, or coaching a sports team). (Not saying enlisted is bad or anything, just different role. In fact I heard some enlisted can make 100k in civilian world after their enlisted time is up)
A lot of smart people skip college for better opportunities. Makes me chuckle sometimes thinking if Bill Gates got drafted, he would be enlisted instead of an officer. Even though he's led one of the most profitable companies in America (microsoft).
I often read war stories and in it, a common theme is the incompetent officer.
Grinding out GPA is different from leading. Can grind out a good GPA, be a bad leader. Can be a great leader, but not motivated enough (or no need to) to finish college.
I think the military looks for leadership experience and a college degree.
It makes me think, though, that the college degree requirement would leave out a lot of otherwise qualified people, or create errors in the selection process.
Maybe I just hated my time in college too much.
Hopefully I didn't **** off too many people with this post...
The requirement for college educated "officers" comes out of the Prussian military caste system. A better criteria for a military leader would be prior military leadership success and experience (lol, at coaching a sports team) you know, using people already in the military.
So instead of more schmo's off the street in leadership positions, you have the cream of the crop NCO's (at about the E5/E6 level) decide if they want to become officer leaders, those that don't can and still will be great enlisted leaders. And the ones that want more can then go to OCS and more follow on training on how to lead from a officer level/perspective.
The requirement for college educated "officers" comes out of the Prussian military caste system. A better criteria for a military leader would be prior military leadership success and experience (lol, at coaching a sports team) you know, using people already in the military.
So instead of more schmo's off the street in leadership positions, you have the cream of the crop NCO's (at about the E5/E6 level) decide if they want to become officer leaders, those that don't can and still will be great enlisted leaders. And the ones that want more can then go to OCS and more follow on training on how to lead from a officer level/perspective.
The U.S. military has a three tract process for entering the officers corps. NCO's who are promoted into the officer corps, college graduates who still have to enter officer officer candidate school, and graduates of the military academies. It has worked pretty well for a lot of years.
PS - commissioned officers are "an officer and gentleman by an act of Congress."
My fathers uncle was a grunt in WW1 retired as a Lt.Col. said only reason he never made General was his lack of a proper education or a military school degree...
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