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

I enlisted and went to ROTC prior to commisioning. Made it to E-5. Point above is that there are good officers and bad. Prior enlisted may help but is not the silver bullet and roles & responsibilities are elevated as well as leadership

I've always felt that leaders should at least understand the people they are leading. At the very least, officers should spend SOME time in the trenches with their subordinates. That's what makes the Navy so unique - officers and enlisted serve side by side.

The last thing we need is a bunch of cupcake college preppies being given commissions straight out of college absolutely clueless to military realities .

I've served with several very good jr. Officers from rotc and 90 day wonders.. the best rotc were from Texas A&M and SW tx state. The very best young officers were those who went from enlisted to officer. The more time as en!isted (sp4 or Sgt) the better.

No, because that wouldn't produce nearly enough officers, besides the officers produced would be 4-5 years older at minimum and would be eligible to retire at the 15-16 years of commissioned service. Many would be too physically worn down to reach the highest ranks. This would have many unintended consequences that would be ultimately self defeating. It sounds like the officers that prompted this question are more jerks than anything else. It doesn't require being enlisted to look out for the interests of enlisted soldiers

Yes best officers I ever served under were Broncos. One the won a series of Army wide boards and went to West Point.

Absolutely.

Before going into basic training ,while in High school and during the height of the war in Vietnam. I attended military testing thru a Recruiter to avoid being drafted which then (1968) was an automatic 2 year hitch active duty assignment into 11 bravo (infantry ie: grunt,ground pounder jungle/bush bunny hence most likely to be the first boy on your block to come home in a box/bag). OR you can run into the fire and volunteer rather than ending up being volun... told . Which offers some choices . Choices , those mainly which offer training in fields which can lead to a military career or upon separation a position in the civilian sector possibly with credit for military "time served" for retirement . I chose the later. I realized my high school education would not be enough and that I was already attending several local Junior colleges simultaneously on my own dime San DIEGO city/community, Southwestern and Mesa. Knowing my dime won't go very far at this rate. So college would have to wait in the back seat for now. Also , the military (U.S. Army) offered what they called "GI Bill" a program which by enlisting for 3 yrs active duty you will receive training in the field of your choice...providing you first qualify both physically and by test score. "what have I got to loose? I asked myself . My first hurdle ,tests so while in high I chose a fiel with my recruiters guidance . not much was offered to simple high school grads . I wantede more . but there was one program that caught my attention : Warrant Officers Helicopter flight training WOC . but there seemed to be many obstacles to clear first . I cast my bet I took the bait ..deal me in . miraculously, I passed all the written barrage and there were many . High school was winding down the war was ratcheting up . With each passing day combat seems a looming growing specter before me . Little did I know the hardest part was having to "break the news" to my parents especially my dad a 31 year retired U.S. Navy WWII (sailor) vet who just happened to be a control type personality with a penchant to alcohol . Needless to say it didn't settle well when he used his usual line for the last time : "NOT while your under my roof" It did not end well . instead of maybe for once just once , I would receive praise and support ...instead I experienced combat before even on the battlefield and with the most unlikely foe . Beaten battered and bloody I left out the front door victorious as the sound of my mothers laments and my dads last words on the matter: "get my gun, I'll kill the SOB " some send off huh? For me there was no turning back . It seems during basic was an endless ordeal of training and testing . testing and training One test struck me as unusual . Everyone one that fails have to leave the room and stand outside in formation. those that pass remain seated and faced another test. Three days later I was still going strong ? Knowing my new found brothers in arms were standing outside with nothing to do but stand ,smoke or go to the latrine. I purpodely failed to put an end to this . Finally I survived the hell known as "basic training". While in basic there were NFL superstars such as Art Shell then of Green Bay. was doing his "time" as a Nat'l Guard ( just months) others were rotcees as they were called by the cadre of Drill instructors. Yet others were CO's ... Conscience Objectors , we even had young men facing prison sentences for any number of crimes given the choice serve over that of prison ? also some were immigrants who opted to serve their new adopted country thus pledging their allegiance. Very much unlike those overpaid NFL or sports gods who get paid millions for "taking a knee" during our National Anthem . We ALL raised our right hand , we ALL ,signed that "blank check" not knowing what that future might hold . It was not until my very last day in Vietnam . My last new company commander noticed what they should have known and told me all along . that I have been fully qualified for OCS ..after being lied to and pushed around and never being promoted for three years enough is enough . I told the full bird CC sitting across from me exactly what they can do with this final last ditch offer to permanently tie the noose around this poor enlisted mans neck.We dispensed with our final formalities (salutes) I did an about face walked out his door...never to look back ,although I sometimes regret that decision, but not much . Now I believe as my dad always said :"shake hands with the man pushing the broom on your way up the ladder , for you may very well have to hold the dust pan on the way down . Only exception to this was a person I met later in life was a roommate who was given...Given a commission right out of high school a Gary Clapper, whose field of expertise was so unique and his being a prodigy who had books I couldn't even pronounce the title of. But I believe every person in uniform should be required to shoot,march salute even KP duty. before wearing the bars or stars. for the military life is a family in and of itself. No one should lead if they can't follow. ,no exceptions, no exemptions . The best soldiers make the best officers

Active duty time/guard time plus 4 year degree equals 30 year old 2LTs? Let them learn from their NCOs.

Well, they kind of already are. For those that go OCS at least. They enter as SPCs and go through Basic Training before OCS. And ROTC is 4 years of training if you're not prior service, not to mention the couple of weeks at LDAC. I'd say that's just as competent as anyone whose been to BCT.