I've done both. Neither is better or worse than the other. They both have pros and cons. As an officer, especially a commander, you are responsible for everything your unit does or fails to do. That means if anything happens, you will be the first person they look at. You are an enabler: you ensure your Soldiers have the training and resources to accomplish their mission while ensuring a healthy climate is maintained. There is a ton of responsibility that goes with the job that most people don't think about. Look at the U.S. Code as it applies to commissioned officers to see some of the legal differences.

I will tell you this: do not pursue a commission if it is solely for increased pay or perceived authority. Do you see yourself as a hands on subject matter expert type? Enlisted work closely together, as an NCO you are expected to have consistent direct engagement with your Soldiers. After company command, officers rarely have that opportunity. Officers are usually working behind the scenes, they are planners and administrators. Many officers are generalists, we are not expected to be the SMEs on every piece on equipment in our inventory, but we are expected to know the capabilities and limitations of our equipment in order to properly employ it.

Your undergrad degree will have minimal impact on your Branch selection, but that may change in the future. In ROTC, your Branch choice and component will be determined by where you fall on the National Order of Merit list.

Edit: this is a very broad subject, so this is just my quick take on it. I have no regrets about pursuing a commission and being a commander twice over has been an honor; but there are days when I wish I could go back to being a Specialist only responsible for myself.

Good answers on here. My condensed reply; sphere of influence. As an officer, your roles and responsibilities cover more people/operational breath, and increase much more quickly than as an NCO. Your decisions and actions usually have more ramifications.

A question with many potential answers, and all equally valid or invalid based on your individual situation. In most cases, your degree may have little to nothing to do with your actual "job" as an officer. I had a degree in history...I flew in planes for a time, worked on ships awhile, and ultimately ended up running convoys in Afghanistan. It's generally up to the "needs of the service", your stated preferences, and your proven aptitudes for the variety of branches. That being said, there are specialized "professional" branches like those feeding medical and legal services- Business Administration isn't going to land you in either of these.

In general, officers are managers, not supervisors. What does that mean? It means you may be responsible for accounting for the activities of your platoon, company, etc... but the actual direct supervision is being conducted by the NCOs. As a junior officer, this relationship is also an opportunity for you the learn from the SNCOs' experience and advice. Wise JOs listen/learn... pigheaded ones try to go it alone (and fail). Prior enlisted officers often excel because they are more mature, have more experience, and "understand" the enlisted communities. However, they also sometimes find it difficult to adjust to being "part of the Mess"... and sometimes, just realizing they're not enlisted any longer.

Being an officer can be very rewarding... you get to see more of the "big picture"; it can also be very draining...because you get to see more of the "big picture". You will be expected to manage a very tight schedule, have command of a broad range of information, exemplify service culture and ethics, and do all of that before you really have much of an idea of what you're doing.

Bear in mind that things change as you progress. The responsibilities of a company commander are very different from those of a platoon commander, etc. etc. I honestly don't think there is any parallel with civilian positions of commensurate pay/authority due to the unique culture of the Military. That being said, much of what I learned as an officer has helped me a great deal in my civilian career.

Best wishes!