Is today's Army an officer's Army?

I would say it is an officer's Army in the fact that we have more officers than are needed. There are nearly as many general officers today as there were during WWII, many of whom are simply in charge of shell commands or are at a level several echelons above the actual elements under them.

I honestly think that NCOs starting from the rank of E-8 should have higher authority than O-1s and tie with O-3s. It is hard to respect the paper pusher, who only joins you at beginnings of mission briefings and at many times only stays at staging point, without joining you on the lines.

A bit off-topic, but a little funny that the photo chosen for the discussion is one of (former BG, demoted to LTC) Sinclair, whose indiscretions and alleged forcible assault and crimes have done a substantial amount to discredit the appropriate and honorable behaviors an officer should embody.

Depends on your Chain of Command if they follow through. I told a soldier he wasn't breaking the plain during a PT test. He looked at me and quit. Other soldiers said he did more than I was counting. He failed twice already. I've never failed a PT Test. I even make sure I'm in good shape for AT. I had to stand my ground. He took it again and finally passed. If you sign the contract then you are obligated to mind the rules. Otherwise go back home to your pity party. I'm obligated to make sure you are physically fit for your next task in the Army. Nobody is just give everything to you. You've heard the term "Or Die Trying" Al Qheda must have the same theory. You can't ask Al Queda to let you pass. Please!!.

I don’t think so. I joined as an officer candidate and can tell you the scrutiny they put me thru the 3 times I tried gave me respect for the bar. That being said I am more educated now than I was when I joined. I thought wow, cool I get to be this high ranking officer and I get to be the golden goose to all these soldiers. “Ain’t gonna happen!” Now as an NCO and a better soldier I realize that is the main go to for these troops, I get to be momma, daddy, teacher and student all in one roll. On my deployment the officers were so disconnected from the front line (other than the 1st LT that was prior enlisted and kept wanting to get his hand dirty and had to be reminded he is no longer a Joe). As an officer there is a spotlight gleaming on you and I’ve seen more than a few Cpt. Bumped back to SPC because they couldn’t cut the hash in a war zone or didn’t have the compassion for the enlisted soldiers that makes for a good leader. Now that I’m faster and I know more about the ends and outs of the military and have gone on a deployment sometimes I contemplate going back to OCS. Then I remember I am the lifeline for my troops, I’m there to notice when they are acting a little off, I’m there to talk them thru their family issues and motivate them on a daily basis. That’s my motivation. I have 2 kids that I gave birth to and an endless number that the Army sends to me. That is my pleasure in life. You can find a million things to moan and complain about but in the end it’s your job that is the most important one in the Army and in anything else you do. I’ve never had an issue with a soldier and I’ve never had a soldier not respect my authority because I smile, enjoy what I do and never ask anyone to do something I won’t do. The officers can have the air-conditioning and the paperwork, I as an NCO, am the golden goose to my soldiers.

Just to be clear the United States Army has been and always will be the SOLDIER's army. We are ALL soldiers, its about the soldier, and all the other things flow from that. i don't give a shit fuck what your rank is, your a soldier..... ACT LIKE ONE. As leaders we forget this simple fact, getting caught up in who has the power? Officers have legal authorities by virtue of their "commissioning" by an act of congress and enlisted leaders are NON-Commisioned and therefore have no legal authority.

All this aside, if as an officer you think you are leading soldiers day-to-day you are FOS! NOC's are the backbone of the army and lead with command authority by pure virtue of our expertise and leadership traits. A soldier follow an NCO because they want to, they follow an Officer because the have to. End Of Story Nard

I don't think the original question was asking who has power and who does not. It is not debatable that final decisions are always up to the OIC of anything (except of course if the decision is illegal, immoral, or unsafe). Reading some of the comments (way too many to read all of them), a number of them would be great board answers. Many of them state how things should be as opposed to how things actually are. Being from a unit where the original question was a constant debate, I believe that some units are more officer oriented than others. What I mean by that, and what I think the original question was asking, is that the NCO's opinion didn't count for much. It had nothing to do with an NCO in the unit doing his/her job the right way or standing up for what's right or anything of that nature. In my particular unit, the NCO argued (the true definition of, not yelling and screaming) a point but was shot down by an officer. Problems and/or concerns were brought to commanding officer's attention by an NCO but the final decision was, more often than not, in favor of an officer. I think it is safe to say that in some units, officers control everything and in others duties and responsibilities of the NCO and Officer stay in their perspective lanes.

It's become the bureaucrats' Army. No one has the power to make a decision any more without 100 signatures from every staff officer, commander, support guy, and white tennis shoe wearing civilian signing off on it. And it no longer matters if their expertise of authority has anything to do with the mission or not.

It definitely is but with the addition of ADPs/ADRPs, it'so giving NCOs more insight into the "officer world." I think it's very beneficial for us to get in the new regulations to understand more.

Well of course it is!