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

No. Absolutely Not. Never.

I am a former NCO, and a current college student at Penn State University. Literally, there has not ever been a single moment since I have been in college that I thought "I wish I knew this when I was in the Army." I never once had to use Calculus, Rhetoric and Composition (Military Writing is completely different then college writing), Chemistry, Latino Studies etc.... in my time in the military.

Don't get me wrong. I understand the importance of a college education, and how it could be helpful .... but the advantage a college graduate has over a non college graduate in the enlisted military ... is incredibly little. Its like saying a guy who worked at McDonalds before enlisting as a 92G (Cook), is somehow 10x better then a kid fresh from high school.

MSG Q,  This is a very interesting topic you have posted.  I have read through most of the comments and find them all interesting.  Most responses seemed to be filled with legitimate pros and cons.  I served nearly 28 years and I have been out for nearly 5 years.  My last 9 years of service was as an E9 of one capacity or another.

During my period of service I consider myself a lifer.  I did understand the importance of furthering my education and I tried to do so over the 28 years.  However, do to the optempo of military service, my serving in various leadership positions of increasing responsibility, and my family time; I retired with less than an Associate Degree.

During my military career I was mission focused and very successful.  I received many awards and recognitions for my achievements.  When I left the Service I knew that I might be at a disadvantage because I had no degree.  But because of all my success in the Service I was very confident in my ability to be just as successful in the civilian sector.  Wrong!

Since leaving the Service I have realized just how important a Degree really is, with the current economy and job market being the way it is makes it even more important.  I currently work in a position where I help Veterans with Barriers to Employment and Education is a Huge one.  The Bachelor degree is essentially the new High School Diploma.  It is not uncommon to see civilian jobs paying below $30K annually that require a Bachelor Degree.  Often the degree is non-specific, but a degree is required.

In the current economy it is an Employer Market.  Do to the amount and quality of people that are unemployed, the employer is able to pick the cream of the crop at much lesser wages.  So for Transiting Service Members to try and compete in a market that they have little to no experience in and with no degree, their chances of getting hired are slim to none.

So to answer the question, “should a 4-year degree be a requirement for selection to E-9”, I believe that upon the completion of the Sergeant’s Major Academy that one should have achieved a Bachelor Degree as part of the SGM Academy process.  Further, I believe that each level of NCOES should be a stepping stone toward different degree levels.  The military does a great job of ensuring that our Service Members are professionally trained on their jobs and at each level of rank, but they do little to nothing to ensure they are professionally trained for when they leave the service.

I understand mission focused and I understand commitment to duty, but for most, the military is not a lifelong occupation.  Often times we are not in service as long as we had planned for various reasons, so the military should have a combined or dual track training program for the military professional and the civilian professional. 

Thanks, Clarence