Should a 4-year degree be a requirement for selection to E-9?

And to everyone that keeps saying you almost get a bachelors through your regular duty and training... You obviously didn't spend time in the Marine Corps infantry

And to everyone that keeps saying you almost get a bachelors through your regular duty and training... You obviously didn't spend time in the Marine Corps infantry

Therin lies the problem; the focus I know CSM and Colonels without Master Degrees.....So Although your highly educated and I appreciate your service to volunteer as a military member.  Are we as a military community more focused on education if so then everyone regardless of rank shoudl go to college without regard to basic military standards.  If not then lets meet the ground running and create or develop a system that makes sense.  You have your degree I have served five combat tours yes 59 months overseas and now i am just beginning my education to earn my associates and bachelors of my interest.  Your an E-4 on his way to a Masters degree there is nothing wrong from a civilian perspective ; however as a military servant I see lots of problems with this.  How well do you do your assigned job?  Can you lead those and motivate those who are unleadable...degrees dont teach that hard knox does.  To be well-rounded you have to have all aspects of eduction on and off the playing field; in and out of a classroom.  You will do good things for the military while your in it seems.  However your sole priority is to support your Branch not just your education.  The education is a kicker/bonus for doing the right thing and we as a military lost focus of that a while ago.  Our first priority is protecting the rights and citizens of our country and of those out of country who cannot defend themselves.   EDUCATON; is not the number one priority for the Armed Forces and Senior leaders are goign to have to cope with the fact we sent a message that education is more important than basics skills and defense of our citizens.

I didn't have any senior enlisted leaders who had degrees, but I did have far too many practicing what you call "reflective belt leadership." 

Sorry but i have to totally disagree with you on this, good NCO's find the time and initive to be good at their job and to get an education for themselves at the same time.  I have worked hard to get my education by taking online and late night classes.  I don't believe that it should be a requirement to make CSM but it should certainly weight heavily for that promotion.  Achieving a degree while in the military shows a level of commitment to better yourself.  As leaders we should be encouraging our Soldiers to take advantage of the education benefits that are provided and if we are not doing that we are failing our Soldiers.  BLUF you can not effectively promote schooling if you have not done any yourself.

SFC, I believe you hit the nail on the head with that one. Well said.

We should never stop learning! 

Example of what? To go get a degree? Nah, I need Soldiers to learn their job, I need NCOs to learn the art of leadership and become experts in the Profession of Arms.

SFC Richards - why use the word "claim", that just makes it sound like you want your comments to be inflammatory by attacking my integrity of what I've posted on my profile. The "down vote" is for this specifically.

I had a four-degree before I enlisted.  I was rewarded by starting out as SPC, rather than a lower rank.  That reward was plenty.  I agree with SCM Maynard.

First, I think there's a world of difference between encouraging a degree (or some other form of education--I think college gets an undeservedly privileged esteem) and requiring one.

A college degree, unless it is for a field that requires some form of certification (medicine, law, education, counseling...) only has any meaning to anyone outside the educated to the extent that it is a clear indication that the individual has the capacity to make a plan, deal with changing circumstances, and accomplish a goal.  The same should be able to be said for anyone who works to get themselves considered for that step to Sergeant Major.  if that's not commonly understood in the popular mind, or even in the military one, I think it evinces a form of prejudice and/or a lack of appreciation for the path that had to be followed.

I'd be just as happy to do away with the college requirement for officers. My grandfather left the Army following WWII as a Captain.  It would be more then 10 years later that he'd finally complete a GED--he'd left school to help support his family during his 6th grade year.  He was also one of the most broadly read men I've ever met, and his life experience was a whole other kind of education.

For my own experience, having a degree has mostly meant that until attaining the age of 41 and past waiverability, I had to continually work against the expectation that I should be, or should want to be, a commissioned officer.  I had such desires until I really learned the differences in the roles.  In some cases, my refusal to pursue a commission and later to accept direct commissioning, I think has hurt me.  All for a piece of paper that I simply do not value as much as society and the Army thinks I should.

There are other as meaningful, or more meaningful indicators of the same thing that a degree represents.  That should be what we look for.  The degree is simply easy to spot and understand.  In some ways such a requirement is simple laziness and a symptom of the HR tyranny that exists in corporate life--if the boxes aren't checked, the application or resume is never seen by a decision maker.  Let those who really know the job and the requirements, make their own decisions rather than place an artificial obstacle in the way.  As well, make them get to know the candidates for those jobs, to make the informed decision.