Do prior enlisted service members make better officers?

Well said.

"Dirtbag-iness" can sometimes be concealed under the radar. I consider Blue Falcons to be under the dirtbag category.....

CPT Schwager, the LTC. is right. I've been a TAC at OCS and have seen quite a few dirtbags get through despite our best efforts.

Most of our dirtbags got weeded out at OCS. No kidding, I had a "bunkmate" that I had to help get dressed every morning, then I'd help him make his rack and when it came time for him to help me tighten mine up, he still had to finish getting ready. That got old. I was tired of being one of the last up to the line every morning but the other Candidates knew why. When it came time for sPeer Evals, I simply wrote, "In time of combat, Candidate XYZ will be the first casualty inflicted by his troops." and marked him last out of the people I was evaluating. That's ALL I wrote and turned it in. LOL. I thought for sure they were going to call me in the office for doing it, but I never heard a word back from the staff. Suffice it to say, they canned him a week before graduation.

If by some unforeseen chance a dirtbag manages to get through OCS, they have another 6 months of training at TBS... and if they can't do the job of a LT, they're gone. Generally by the time Marine LT's hit the fleet they have an idea of what they're doing and enough leadership to get the job done, but they lack experience in the FMF and that they must develop with the help of their SNCO's.

Capt Jeff S. - I agree, a smart scumbag can disguise bad traits and complete OCS. It's the 6 months of TBS and the student command positions that weed out the dirtbags. Did you notice that the solid Marines who were squared away never got any of the high level positions in the student command chain? The TBS staff knew how to test those who thought they could fool the Corps, and pollute our beloved Officer Ranks with their worthless bodies. We lost about 12 guys for various degrees of scum.

CSM Mark should run for Congress. Nice double edge sword and diplomacy tact; the system needs reform?  

The only thing that would make me say that prior enlisted would make better officers is that most butter bars come in knowing as much or less than a brand new private just out of basic. I was fortunate to have a very good Platoon Leader that was very informed but when he was not sure of something he would ask your opinion and not just bark out orders that he knew very little about.

SGT Scott, asking questions is the best to participate in the conversation instead of being the conversation. Prior service Lt's have the benefit of how the army or military system works for real versus coming right out of fantasy island. 

I have to disagree with the sentiment that most LTs come in with less/same knowledge as a brand new private straight from basic.

Those officers coming from West Point have been immersed in a strict military culture for four years; those from ROTC have studied military history and doctrine and have completed numerous military leadership activities under senior NCO and officer instruction; those coming from OCS have prior service experience (most coming from NCO ranks).

In addition, before any unit sees these new officers, they attend an in-depth six-month training in their branch. Their OBC far outweighs what knowledge (military or otherwise) is gained through Basic, or even AIT. While a new enlisted Soldier may have very specific skills as related to his/her MOS, an officer has to be prepared to take authority and responsibility of almost any kind of unit.

I'll be the first to admit that some perform much better than others, but the same can be said of any rank.

I tend to think of new LTs as similar to new E5s (in the Army at least). It's always fun to watch them deal with all the new authority and responsibility they didn't have the day before.

Yup. As I've stated before, prior service may give an individual an initial leg-up at first, but the differences go away pretty quickly as the new officer gains experience.... and in some ways being prior service can hurt an officer.

Hah. Thanks for the smile Goose!! :)

I agree. I have met some lousy Officers that I was shocked to learn were prior enlisted. Met some amazingly great Officers both prior enlisted and from the Academy, ROTC, OCS, etc. More about the person than the path I think!!

Mustangs, tend be very good up the Battalion level in the Army. In order breach the higher a fair degree of nuanced thinking and a sense of overall mission goals, the mustang requires more formal education to excel. Officers typically are brighter than enlisted but many bright men prefer to remain ranks and their are some very bright ones' their. I have known one or two in my time.

Spot on Capt.