[tom_]

Regarding #2 - is that really true? My understanding has always been that while NCOs might well steadily work their way up from grunt to rank N, COs start immediately at N-1 (or N-2, whatever), minimal non-managerial/leadership training required, with indeed no expectation that they would ever fulfil any lesser role.

Then they work their way up from there, the NCO's maximum conceivable career goal being for them just some minor stepping stone on the way to whatever - or they get stuck/give up on the way, and go off and do something else. Up-or-out is not uncommon in non-military lines of work either.

[rawgabbit]

Apples and oranges. Officers start as O1 as second lieutenant or equivalent. Enlisted men including NCOs start as E1. An O1 always outrank any enlisted man. They go to completely different schools. Officers hope to go to eg Army War College and learn about commanding great units, tens of thousands. Enlisted schools are more tactical.

[BJBBB]

No. And not to the parent comment. Senior enlisted schools are tactical and strategic and philosophical, with a heavy emphasis on ethics. Even technical schools have both tactical and strategic subject matter to provide the basis for reasons and rationale for systems specs and design.

For example, before they ever see a fleet unit, junior Marine officers have had 10 weeks of OCS (not for academy grads), 26 weeks of TBS, then they are sent to the school house for their specialties, which can be for a few months to over a year. OCS and TBS are essentially run by senior enlisted personnel.

And I sat in two schools where officers and enlisted go the the same school, and where NCOs were coveted by the officers' after-school study groups.

Guess again, Batman.

[rawgabbit]

OCS is Officer Candidate School. Graduates become O1. Not sure what your point is.

[rawgabbit]

Here is a link to the Army War College if you want to see what they teach.

https://ssl.armywarcollege.edu/dmspo/index.cfm