Posted on Feb 9, 2021
Should the Military reconsider the tradition of requiring a 4-year degree to act in an official capacity as a commissioned officer?
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The tradition of requiring a 4-year degree started in a time when a college education meant a lot more than it does now.
Do you think it would help change the divide between Enlisted and Officers if the requirement we're changed to a 6 or 8-year degree? This would also achieve a higher average age for 2LT's which may earn more respect in its own right.
Do you think it would help change the divide between Enlisted and Officers if the requirement we're changed to a 6 or 8-year degree? This would also achieve a higher average age for 2LT's which may earn more respect in its own right.
Enlisted
Junior Officers
Army Regulations
Commission
Education
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 94
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In personal opinion, four year degree should remain the standard, but with more consideration of which college/university it comes from. For OCS board or direct commission, there should be a way to screen out applicants who have degree from for-profit school or diploma mill.
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LCDR Glenn Adwell
PO2 Brian Hoadley - Really? As an Ensign i had been promoted once from E-3 to E-4, had my sub dolphins, and completed two cruises and another assignment to a destroyer tender. I had more sea time than some E-5s.
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SSG Hank Ortega
Far too much Liberal Indoctrination in College as it is. How anybody comes out with an intact moral compass is amazing.
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SSG Gregg Mourizen
Not sure what difference you think with For-Profit vs Non-Profit, for weedingofficers. I have been to both kinds. The For-Profit seemed to care a whole lot more about my progress, vs a range of indifference from the non-profits. The coursework was the same difficulty. One think I have to say, the For-Profit, never put me in a class of over 30. Non-profits often put me in classes of 50-100.
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LtCol (Join to see)
I'm a Marine lieutenant colonel commissioned in 2001. My personal opinion is that an Associate of Science in Military Studies should be the standard for commissioning. Perhaps requiring a B.A./B.S. along with Command & Staff for promotion to field grade officers and a M.A./M.S. along with War College for general officers.
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I agree it could be changed, but not to increase the number of years of post graduate education. I think rules allowing substitution of experience or certifications for some or all post secondary education would allow the Services more flexibility. As late as the mid-20th Century it was possible to be an officer without a degree. Requiring additional education will only enrich universities and enlarge student debt. We don’t need to do either.
If the problem is the quality of the officers coming from commissioning sources today, the answer is to change their military training. Changing their academic education probably won’t help.
If the problem is the quality of the officers coming from commissioning sources today, the answer is to change their military training. Changing their academic education probably won’t help.
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Suspended Profile
I was commissioned in 97 without a degree and eventually finished it in 2003. I was an NCO at the time and the Marines needed officers. That said I did have to meet certain test scores and have at least 60 college units. My performance evaluations certainly helped as well. This program that I used changed in 2000 and made a degree a requirement to commission.
CWO3 (Join to see)
Congrats Major, that's a long haul. Degree Completion attracted a 1310 CWO I knew. He'd been DI and Gunny, minefield maintenance at Gitmo. Another went NROTC as SSgt. Some went MECEP or ECP. I would have stayed in but WOMA did away with 1310 LDOs and although next in line for CWO4 there was a bottleneck, so no look, and I punched out. OIC LtCol at TBS wanted me at USNA as Sgt. Would have been a rubber stamp with CO TBS and then MCDEC endorsements in 80, but I passed on it. Not Academy material and I knew it. No complaints. Glad for all opportunities.
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This should remain the standard. If a potential leader doesn't have the education to sound educated and the ability to accomplish something long term, then they should not be an officer in the Army. A Bachelor degree is a very low bar to overcome for anyone with some ambition, time management skills, and a bit of critical thinking, especially since it's free in the Army.
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SFC (Join to see)
PFC Kimberly Staiti tuition assistance will provide a free bachelor degree to enlisted in the Army.
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PFC Kimberly Staiti
SFC (Join to see) Thank you for answering my question. I'm better able to find the context now
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