Did You Decide Not To Become An Officer Or Refuse a Battlefield Commission?

Well my story is a little different. I was a Petty Officer Electronics Technician. Served 6 years in the Navy Reserves and got out in the late 1990s after the DOD draw downs, base closures and budget cuts. The Navy got really weird without having the evil empire of the Soviets as an enemy anymore. Ships got mothballed and bases closed. So I hung it up and got out. My civilian career was taking off in Emergency Management anyway and after September 11th 2001 it really took off. However, 10 years after I got out in 2008 a Navy recruiter came to my home, knocked on my door and told me the Navy needed me back. He then offered me a path to a Direct Commission since during that period while was out I went to college and night, finished my degrees and had about 20 years of experience in my field. In March of 2009 I was boarded with 159 other candidates (some currently serving and other prior service and non prior service civilians), Out of the 159 candidates they picked 5 to offer a commission to. I was number 4. Today Sept. 30th makes 6 years since returning to Navy duty. In those 6 years I have been to Africa, Germany, Italy and Brussels supporting the Navy and its interests overseas. If I hesitated when the recruiter came to my front door believing I was too old or I wouldnt make a good candidate I would not be an officer now. Bottom line is you need to be open to the possible. Sometimes life offer second chances. The difference between wisdom and knowledge is having either made the mistake and learned from it or learned from other poeple's mistakes and make better decisions later in life. I love being an officer but I always remember i was a deck plate sailor before.

LT. John MacLean "Die Hard"

I joined with the intention of becoming an officer. Made my E5 before I went OCS and knew I could never not be an NCO. Zero regrets. 21 years later and winding up my 2nd tour as First Sergeant. Only good thing about being an officer would have been for the money. I did not join for the money.

Regrets I have had a few:
1. Not going to OCS .
2. Didn't save enough for retirement
3. Was an absentee father travelling too much with my job
4. Working for companies who rely on Government Contracts
5. Taking early retirement without a second career
6. Trading IPOs without doing more study and research
7. Not voting & no interest in politics
8. Smoking & drinking
9 Taking too many prescription drugs
10. Selling my 1962 Corvette in 1964

My hope is that if just one guy/gal here doesn't make these dumbs mistakes ..

Sgt Tom Cunnally
Do you regret taking that job? It sounds to me that at the time you made the best decision for yourself. That is whats most important, what is best for YOU.

I was never an Officer, but at the same time I too had a few opportunities to apply for various Officer programs but honestly never had the desire to. So at the end of the day, to each his own and do what's right for you.

Seems to me you answered your own questions; If your heart wasn't into it....

Each experience is subjective and if different in unforseealble ways. It is impossible to tell what life would have been like if you had chosen a different path. I know officers who have resigned their commission, and NCOs who have become officers.

There are pros and cons to both sides, though I think I generally respect NCOs more because I've seen how political the officer side gets, while NCOs often do most of the real work that that needs done. It makes me me question whether we really need the siloed career separation between enlisted and officers in an age where education is widespread and communication technology allows information to be distributed easily.

You have to do what feels right for you, your family and your career. I originally joined the Army National Guard to become an officer, but decide to stay enlisted to give the Guard a return on its investment. Then I turned down a Direct Commission in the USAR (which I had applied for) back when I was an E-5. It was during the post-Persian Gulf War drawdown and there weren't many openings in TPUs for AG Corps 2LTs, never mind funding for OBC and other training. I also turned down a Direct Commission as an Ensign, Supply Corps, USNR in 2010 to reamin an ANG E-8. Make the best decision you can based on the facts at hand and never look back - keep moving forward. Everything usually works out the way it is supposed to. I've had a great career as an NCO and wouldn't trade it for anything.

I was never "offered" that as such, however my whole attitude in joining at all, and seeking the "Guaranteed 0300 contract" (I was an 0351) was pretty much about "Hey someone's gotta do their time on the line, and I'm wiling to man up and do mine", so the idea of hiding from potential combat under the mask of the college environment and delaying my entry just didn't work for me. Don't get me wrong I don't "hate Officers" per se, but we all know there were those few who went to college to avoid some potentially dicey action that may have been going on when they finished HS.

Yes, I was offered to go to the Naval Academy because of high GT scores. I didn't want to sign the 10 year contract. Not too smart because I ended up serving way more than that. I should add that I applied to become a warrant officer two years and didn't get it. Affirmative action was strong in those days and people weren't promoted because of their skills or time in grade.