Should there be a way to get laterally promotion system from NCO to Officer w/o a degree

The system as it is now works just fine. With the ease of access with which Soldiers can attain higher education, if someone wants to commission as an officer, it's just a matter of taking the appropriate action. The only real major hurdle to getting a degree and getting a commission is dedicating the time for the program you want to enroll in.

SGT(P) (Join to see)
Back several years ago, when I was assigned as an Army ROTC Instructor at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, I had the opportunity to talk to a great many active duty service members from the various military installations in the area. Many asked me why they should sign up for the Army ROTC program (typically two years for prior service personnel versus four years for most others), rather that go to OCS. I told them that, although they could get a commission much faster in OCS, they would not have a degree and would only be able to serve as an officer for a few short years, as a degree was a requirement for promotion to Captain. While not officially a requirement for promotion to Captain at that time, a 1LT without a degree would not be competitive for promotion.

I related to them that they would be getting their degree while pursuing their commission and, if they were commissioned prior to graduation, they could serve as an LT in the Guard or Reserve while going to school. (They could also serves in the Reserve Components before getting commissioned in the Simultaneous Membership Program, and be paid SGT/E-5 pay).

Bottom line is that, now, without a degree, having a commission would be a short-term proposition as, as related by MAJ Carl Ballinger in an earlier response, having a degree is a requirement for promotion to Captain.

The way it is now, good NCOs can go to OCS or if they are NG/Reserve can go to college participate in ROTC and be commissioned. I blieve battlefield commissions are a thing of the past as MAJ Carl Ballinger alludes to.