What advice would you give to enlisted soldiers interested in entering the officer ranks?

I can't add much more than LCDR Joshua Gillespie has. But you need to realize why you are choosing to do this. Is it for the more money argument, more respect argument, more authority argument, more status and prestige argument, or something else. Because if it one of the aforementioned reasons then you have lost before you started. More money will be there, more respect, maybe but from few for a long time until you have truly proven yourself. As far as the rest, not likely. If you go into this with an open mind, whether you are prior enlisted or not, you will find it to be a bit easier. I remember a specialist in one of my units going to OCS and then returning to the very same unit and becoming my platoon leader. At his first meeting with the platoon and subsequent speech, he basically said: I was here before as a specialist and now a 2nd LT, I know a little bit, not all of it, so I am hoping to work with all of you and to learn from you as you learn from me. That's all He said and then walked off. He did turn out to be a bit goofy and off kilter at times, but he did learn from us and vise versa, even though those of us who knew him well gave him all sorts of shits all the time. Bottom line is go in with an open mind and not an, "I am the leader and you will follow my instructions" sort of shit. He always backed his troops, no matter what and for that he got the respect he deserved. Just think long and hard on what your reasons are before making that jump..

With rank comes responsibility I had a 2nd Lt, in Germany 501st Ord Co. He was the section OIC but really he did not have any leadership in him. College degree with no practical experience You endanger yourself and the men who rely on you,

Be prepared to be shut down. I've been in the ANG for over 16 years. I boarded 5 times for O. You can have all the check boxes marked, and still not get selected. ARNG is different in many respects.

If they have the patience and intelligence to know the differences between Tactics and Strategies,Why not? Responsibilities are highly detail oriented and inescapable once you lead. You're also raising peoples KIDS, so you are now a surrogate DAD, if you're worth a damn.
THAT IS unless you're an opportunist ..IT DOES work ...sometimes,'til you get caught and burned.

Don't lower your standards to become an officer. Especially if you are up in rank, E6-E9. If you made it that far, just stay enlisted.

Do it only because you know you can be better than the ones already in the officer ranks.

Check out the Regs on becoming an officer and read them very carefully. And remember that in the military u have to pay attn. to every word and were its placed. i had a degree when I went into the army and even turned down the chance to be offered West Point. A year into active duty I was offered OCS and I talked with an officer I knew. I was at one of what I feel is a very rare post that I could really do that at as an enlisted. And he told me that Any officer that knows u have been offered OCS is supposed to tell u to go for it. So I checked out the regs and read them and what he told me was word for word. So it means that even if an officer does not think u would be a good officer they are supposed to push u to do it.

And look at what u are doing it for and what ur college is. One of the statement in the regs when I read them was. They can take into consideration ur schooling. Does not mean they have to. And to me when they say schooling is it College or military? U may have college for one thing and military training for something completely diff.

Example. My 1st degree was in Forestry and my Primary MOS in the Army was 63B. Which would they use if any. My forestry degree meant that I knew how to read and use USGS maps, compass, I knew how to survey land, I could do flow rats in streams, knew how to ID several edible and none edible plants and knew several trees also by sight, by leaf, branch needles bark if it had any, common name and Latin name, could read Ariel photos and tell u types of trees, size of trees and or buildings and many other things. And I had gone to state comp in five sports at least once and nationals in one and qualified in two.

Personally I looked at the non military education and thought they would put me in Infantry and I did not want to be an Infantry officer

If u can get an officer to tell u if they think u would likely make a good officer and why and what they think ur strengths and weaknesses are that would be helpful.

Oh and remember that officer can be reactivated at any time.

To me this is a HUGE decision if ur doing it right. Look at ur goals and all of the above. Do not do it just for the pay. Make sure ur using it to set up either military goals or civilian goals.
If ur thinking on saying in and do not want to be the grunt work all of the time and want to move more in a management direction for a military career or civilian career then it could be good for u. And do not do it for a power trip cause someone can set u up for failure if u do.
And remember its a change in what u do and more paperwork.

Please finish your college degree before you apply for OCS. I've seen too many young officers RIF'd because they don't have a college degree. I remember a young decorated Vietnam vet Captain that really wanted to stay until retirement but was RIF'd. At the time he was not eligible to go back to the ranks. I knew officers that finished their 20 years as an SNCO. Please finish your college degree.

As someone who enlisted as an E-1, became an NCO and then retired as a senior officer I would tell you that if you do it for the money, then it becomes just a job as opposed to a profession or a calling. Leading soldiers will be the most rewarding thing you will ever do in your life. I spent 28 years in the Army and have no regrets at all. Good luck in your endeavors.

If I had stayed in the Reserves and continued serving with the unit I was in, I would have been E-6 by the end of 1984. Then in 1985 they were going to send me to OCS, because I was a respected leader. Being a Sgt. was good for me, but I was destined for more. The big thing in 1984, was that my In-Laws were moving, and Southern California was slowly eating me alive. So we moved to North Mississippi and thus ended my time in the Military. I was in a little over 11 years both Active Duty and Active Reserve. I left as a Sergeant E-5 and wish it could have continued. In 1984 the nearest Active Reserve Unit was in another state. MS only has National Guard. There was an Aviation Unit in Tupelo but they were scheduled to move. So I agree, that prior service is very important so that an Officer understands the enlisted ranks. I don't have the personal experience, but have known several prior service officers and respected every one of them because they respected me.