Posted on Aug 31, 2018
Should there be an Extended pay scale for Enlisted Personnel who have completed College Degrees (Bachelors, Masters, Etc.)?
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I've had this discussion with some of my office mates and wanted to pose it to the community at large. There are a lot of Enlisted personnel who want to pursue higher education or already have a degree but don't want to commission. Some younger Service Members are very Reward Motivated so they look at it as why should they further their education if they don't plan on Commissioning or going Warrant if there aren't any incentives for them if they stay enlisted. When looking at the Pay Scales a newly minted 2LT will make what an E7 with 8 years experience makes (Exact numbers unknown at this time, will research later). On the other hand you have Enlisted who obtain Degrees to further their Civilian careers while in the Guard or for when they leave Active Duty service but still feel shorted by the Service for putting in the extra effort to earn a Degree.
What are your thoughts? If there were an extended pay scale would it motivate you to obtain a degree or do you think it would help overall morale and retention?
What are your thoughts? If there were an extended pay scale would it motivate you to obtain a degree or do you think it would help overall morale and retention?
Enlisted
Education
Military Pay
Retention
Bachelors Degree
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 49
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In most (All?) branches of the Service a degree contributes to promotion, which is ample "reward". A degree is not a defined requirement of the job, so an extended pay scale would be inappropriate. Additionally, how do you judge the value of the degree? Is a bachelors from a for-profit online diploma mill worth the same as an undergrad degree from MIT?
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SFC (Join to see)
SCPO Jason McLaughlin, I guess it comes down to one's belief in the value of education in terms of producing better leaders and even better military members of all ranks. I believe that the military sees this as a value based on the fact that all military officers are required to have a certain level of civilian education and none of that education can be tied to a specific "proficiency". If one does not believe that education improves an individual in many areas of life, then they may not believe that there any increased proficiency. I personally believe that it make you more proficient in every area of life, which usually makes you a better leader.
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SCPO Jason McLaughlin
SFC (Join to see) - How is it quantifiable/measurable? In your Language example, the Services have identified the languages required. Personnel are required to take a DLPT (test). Based on their proficiency level, they are given a score which coincides with a proficiency pay level. How would you quantify/measure the improvement in leadership?
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CAPT (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) - Actually, the Navy commissions Limited Duty Officers (LDOs) based on leadership and technical skills, no college degree required.
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SGT Andrew Ornelas
There is an O/E wall for a reason. Higher Education, while admirable and beneficial to the individual in the performance of their duties, is not generally a requirement to follow the orders of the officers (and NCOs) appointed to lead. This perhaps oversimplifies the issue somewhat, but that is the foundation of Military Discipline. Education is represented in Promotion, significantly, as it should be. Education to a large extent, is necessary to achieve the higher Enlisted ranks. It is up to the individual to achieve some level of further education, if they aspire to those pay grades/positions of leadership, and the extra pay for their educational achievements will be realized in those grades/positions. Thank you for listening...
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No. The second something like this happens, folks will go around looking for additional reasons to say what they got merits a pay bump, and when it doesn’t match what they think it’s worth, the Army as a whole would suffer. Senior leaders would be forced to choose what’s relevant and what’s not. It never ends well.
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SSgt W. Aaron Gregory
That is an interesting perspective. I agree. I see that happening as clear as day.
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