Should Army officers be required to obtain Specialist before being allowed to commission?

I believe those that want to be Officers should have to make it to Sergeant before being commissioned. So they understand what it's like to be a Soldier first.

All officers need to serve in the ranks to truely understand how to lead them. The best officers I ever had were enlisted prior to switching over.

I enlisted as a PVT E1 and made it to E5 before going the ROTC route. BCT is to indoctrinate civilians into the noble service of arms. Teamwork, cohesion, discipline. Not teach leadership per se. But to teach development. When I got to ROTC Advance Camp there were loads of former AD/NG E3s and E4s. So they knew how to make a bunk and drive a buffet. That isn't leadership. OF COURSE there's the former E5s and toung Combat Arms soldiers who knew leadership 101. They were the EXCEPTION. IMO ROTC is sipposef to be teaching young men and women initiative and drive. And HOW TO LISTEN and assess. Sure, the culture says prior service officers are best. It gives you a leg up in the culture. Mandatory. No way.

I think that's a great idea.

Required, no. Should a soldier who wishes to be a good leader consider getting enlisted experience first. Yes. I am in Ocs now and feel my enlisted experience was worth the delay in becoming an officer. There is also a small pay incentive for enlisted service prior to commissioning, which I believe is appropriate considering the experience difference.

In my opinion. Cadets should enlist and drill with their nearest ARNG unit in order to get experience and formulate their leadership styles.
However, Basic Training may not be feasible for them to attend because they have a mandatory summer training at knox every summer that takes precedence and is a requirement for commissioning.

it would show they know how to properly take orders and follw instructions before giving such orders, furthermore it would give them the proper respect for their NCOs and what is like to be an EM

No, BUT they need to go through BCT to learn about being a soldier. I think the concept of the Munghadai (SP) that has Battalion / Brigade commands running their LTs through the wringer is also a great refresher.

Bravo! You just singlehandedly managed to cause countless pairs of panties into a bunch. Personally, I like the German Army's method. Officer Candidates in the Bundeswher must serve in every rank from Private up through Platoon Sergeant before they become an Officer. There "promotions" are accelerated but, they must work their way up, nonetheless.

Yes , all officers should have to finish at least 2years active enlisted. And no no BS national guard either. Just about every good officer I ever met or worked with was a mustang and had received their commission while enlisted. . I can only recall 3 "good" ones that were not (2 Academy, 1 ROTC). Saw a lot of garbage come out of ROTC/Reserve, and particularly guard . And the West Pointers, of the 4 I knew , 2 were acceptable, and the two were not (one, I was responsible for removing from command for dangerous actions. The Best were all Mustangs.

Now these were all line command officers, I can't comment much on the tech officers, the warrants, as that is not what is being asked, but I don't think enlisted service would be necessary for them or beneficial to the army to require.

Yea, 2 years active enlisted would get rid of a lot of the rejects that come through ROTC/Reserve that had/have no business being leaders. The army doesn't always remove these sorts in a timely manner, and I have seen some pretty bad duds make it to Lt.Colonel and even a couple to Generals (1 academy, 1 Guard)

I never met a "bad" Mustang officer.