[ryanmarsh]

I've heard in the military officers that served in the enlisted ranks before commissioning are more effective and supported by their troops than those that come straight out of OCS; but this is just anecdotal.

This is a solid truth. Officers who were enlisted are more well liked by their subordinates. This is not just because they've been in enlisted shoes before. Officers who were prior enlisted are often older and much more mature than fresh faced LT's straight out of college.