Posted on Apr 28, 2014
Should the Army pay for Engineer Officers to get Engineer Degrees?
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With several new ASIs being developed for Engineer officers in the Army should the Army pay for officers to go back to college to get engineering degrees? I mean outside of TA and GI Bill. If the slot is requiring construction officers two ASIs should the Army pay for the schooling like they would any other ASIs?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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As an EN officer with no Eng degree, I have to be upfront...I have a dog in the fight...
If new regulations require specific skill sets that weren't originally required when an officer was assigned to branch EN, then yes, the Army should pay to have those officers that lack those skill sets brought up to speed with the new regulations.
New officers, on the other hand, getting assigned to EN branch should have those skill sets already before getting assigned. I do think it's interesting that a branch might have more stringent criteria for assignment than others...and wonder how that would affect the branch. Unintended consequences have a very special way of showing up where they're not wanted!
If new regulations require specific skill sets that weren't originally required when an officer was assigned to branch EN, then yes, the Army should pay to have those officers that lack those skill sets brought up to speed with the new regulations.
New officers, on the other hand, getting assigned to EN branch should have those skill sets already before getting assigned. I do think it's interesting that a branch might have more stringent criteria for assignment than others...and wonder how that would affect the branch. Unintended consequences have a very special way of showing up where they're not wanted!
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Sir,
Good point.
It make so much sence....this is why it probably wouldn't happen
Good point.
It make so much sence....this is why it probably wouldn't happen
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I don't agree. If I were to become a S4 should the Army send me to logistics. I think the Army should have a way to certify you in house. They should develop their own educational school inside what they have already. But that does open up a can of worms. Any officer would benefit for having additional education. But that is why their are programs out there to pay for your education up to a masters.
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LTC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) Engineers are the only one that I know that requires you to have a college degree in their field for an ASI. Hence why the question is about Engineers and not logistics. The rest of the Army has in house school as does the Engineers for S4 (Sapper) but there are other ASIs W1-W7 that require courses not in house. Not being a degreed Engineer makes me not eligible for most of the ASIs with only two that I can try to get. One requires me to go get a PMP certificate which is hard to get if you do not work in the field or W6 which requires you to take a course offered by the Corps of Engineer if you can secure the funding to attend the course.
I agree that any additional education would benefit officers, but in reality does it? I would say that it only does so if the board members are instructed to do so. If you have a PhD in rocket science but are an Infantry officer should it be counted as if you are an Engineer officer who has a PhD and PE in engineering (in their field)? Or if you have law degree but are a medical officer? I have seen some officers who higher degrees, multiple deployments, and commands not get picked for BZ but someone who had a bachelors degree, no deployments, and no command time get picked for BZ that year. Why? Only the board members know.
I agree that any additional education would benefit officers, but in reality does it? I would say that it only does so if the board members are instructed to do so. If you have a PhD in rocket science but are an Infantry officer should it be counted as if you are an Engineer officer who has a PhD and PE in engineering (in their field)? Or if you have law degree but are a medical officer? I have seen some officers who higher degrees, multiple deployments, and commands not get picked for BZ but someone who had a bachelors degree, no deployments, and no command time get picked for BZ that year. Why? Only the board members know.
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Yes. But at each level of degree, an additional commitment to the army should be enforced. Same for those signal guys. We want to be te best, gotta make our guys the best.
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This is a great point, but it opens a can of worms. Should the Army send Signal Officers to get certifications for Networking and things of that nature too?
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LTC (Join to see)
I think if they are going to require you to have a certification absolutely. I know we sent a guy to get certification after he went to 25B before our deployment.
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Why would you restrict this to officers and not have the opportunities opened to senior NCOs? ALC/SLC would be a great way to build into a degree.
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