I just visited West Point. Are the best Army officers often from West Point?

In my experience as a Infantry NCO years ago the West Point Grads can at least read a map-by the way don't ever expect an Officer who can't read one to ask for assistance until you are really lost!!

I'm sure there may be a few, but the best officers, in my opinion, are those that started off in the enlisted ranks. Fresh grads from any of the military academies tend to let their shiny new bars go to their head.

My experience with west pointers typically is that they have the old mentality that the enlisted are the lowly doers, and the officers are the only people that matter, like 1770s type mentality. This is a different Army, and that kind of thinking doesnt belong. We need officers who listen to their NCOs. LTs typically have no experience, and some basic training in patrolling and paperwork. A good one listens to the NCOs to build themself into a great officer who leads and listens

I was a direct commission - at a time when women officers were not always respected as officers by other officers and enlisted who felt military service was not appropriate for women - other than as a nurse or in some other traditional female role. My impression was ring knockers - and even worse those who attended pre-academy high school,academies - were rather too sure of themselves and took risks that might set themselves up as career military leaders. They tended to be more cliquish - believe they were better than the rest - and felt other academy graduates would support them without regard for how badly they screwed up. That said - a few years out of school - the officers who were selected to be retained and advance tended to be those of proven character and leadership - maybe influenced somewhat by old school ties - but certainly chosen for their ability as officers not students. Warmest Regards, Sandy :)

On paper, sure, I suppose the USMA breeds the best training sand box training officers. Theyre taught very well about historical defeats and victories and tactics that have been proven to work more often than not. If being a military officer were just about op orders west pointers would be tops. However, much like the saying "no plan survives first contact" and thanks to things like Murphys Law, west pointers tend to be about as good as a typical officer. You can know all about Custer, and the Normandy invasion, and how to run a company level operation, but if you cant get troops to the fight and more importantly get them home you'll be phased out pretty quick. However saying that the worst LT I had was a green to gold guy and he made it about 7 months into our deployment before they swapped him out.

Typically the West Pointers think so. My interactions with them have been mixed at best. My roommate at BOLC II would tell anyone who would listen about how much better trained he was being a West Point graduate. He left the Army after 4 years as a 1LT. I will say West Point Officers tend to enjoy a level of "privilege" the rest of us do not.

However, as others have said all commissioning sources produce good officers. An individual's character has more to do with whether they're successful than where they earned their bars from.

The best Army officers come from the Naval Academy. Don't believe me? 100% of the Army officers who have ever walked on the moon graduated from Annapolis.

As a NCO. I have had the honor to work with some amazing Officers from the Academy and other schools. Its not the school that makes the leader.. Best advice I can give.. Think of all the Leaders and Mentors you have had the honor to work with. Now create your own style.

Perhaps, but one thing I've seen for sure in my military and civilian careers is that the worst leaders/managers have been West Point graduates. In defense of the Point, they produce some quality officers, but many not so fine ones slip through. Same with other service academies but WP seems to crank out more losers.

It is not possible to identify a single school or commissioning program that produces the highest quality officers. There are exceptional people from service academies, state schools, online colleges, and prior enlisted programs. There are also turds produced from every example above.

Generalizations make us stupid.