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This is an older link, and please remove / combine if elsewhere on site (I couldn't find it when doing a quick search, however I personally am against the abolishment of the divide between the commissioned and enlisted communities. There are Officers for a reason, and there are NCOs and junior enlisted for a reason. We have very different roles, responsibilities, and expectations. To me, and I may be in the minority here, a salute does not only show a mutual respect and distant hierarchy, but rather displays and embodies the willingness I have to follow the commands of the Officer, understanding that those very commands may cost me my life. Their salute in return shows the understanding and respect they have for that commitment.
The enlisted community follows orders - they do not give orders. Officers must live with the grave burden of knowing that their commands may be the difference between life and death, and when their is death, questioning whether it could have been avoided and if they made the right call..
The enlisted community follows orders - they do not give orders. Officers must live with the grave burden of knowing that their commands may be the difference between life and death, and when their is death, questioning whether it could have been avoided and if they made the right call..
It’s Time To Abolish The Enlisted-Officer Divide
Posted from taskandpurpose.com
Officer
Enlisted
Rank
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 9
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Having retired from the military with 10.5 years enlisted and 10.5 years commissioned, I would say that the author missed an opportunity to dive in deeper with the subject and make a more convincing argument. There are some militaries that have a less clear distinction between enlisted and officer, and it works. I doubt that would scale well to a military the size of ours, but it is good to evaluate the situation from time to time.
Yes, I do agree that the line between officer and enlisted has been blurred due to the elimination of the compulsory draft and the increased availability of higher education, but we still need the delineation. Nowadays there are E-7s with higher degrees matching the O-3s, and E-3s with degrees matching the O-1s, which is great anecdotal support for the argument, but the fact is that there is more to being an officer than having a diploma hanging on the wall. I cannot begin to explain to the author that maybe made it to E-4 that the military is so big that it needs enlisted and officer ranks. Maybe in a hundred years when we fight wars solely with robots and computers we can eliminate the officer versus enlisted distinction, but as long as we fight wars with humans with a military the size of ours, we need a distinction between the two.
Yes, I do agree that the line between officer and enlisted has been blurred due to the elimination of the compulsory draft and the increased availability of higher education, but we still need the delineation. Nowadays there are E-7s with higher degrees matching the O-3s, and E-3s with degrees matching the O-1s, which is great anecdotal support for the argument, but the fact is that there is more to being an officer than having a diploma hanging on the wall. I cannot begin to explain to the author that maybe made it to E-4 that the military is so big that it needs enlisted and officer ranks. Maybe in a hundred years when we fight wars solely with robots and computers we can eliminate the officer versus enlisted distinction, but as long as we fight wars with humans with a military the size of ours, we need a distinction between the two.
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SGT (Join to see)
The officers that I most respected earned that respect not through anything that they learned in college, but from things they learned and did in the Army. I waited a really, really long time to finish a college degree and when I finally did, I was left thinking, "That? That's it? Are you kidding me? This is what employers wanted?" It's nice, but it's icing; the cake is ingrained-character and God-given intelligence.
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ENS (Join to see) I really couldn't read the whole article. Fact is, people have choices now a days; one can become an Officer while in if the right decisions are made to reach that goal. One can also come in to the service as an Officer. The idea that we base our current situation off of a prior Commisioning system sounds like ignorance and/or just stupidity.
Now the fact is that more than enough of our NCO ranks complete the jobs of Officers because of lack of man power or, because of Team structure. If you were to bring this thought in the article up to a Special Operations element, you would be smirked at and left alone; I won't go any further with that one.
As for saluting, I don't share the same opinion as you. I will have full confidence in my OIC, but as an NCO, if I have identified that there is eminent danger, and a decision has been made that would put troops in a more grave situation than need be, I will coordinate with the OIC expediently and accordingly, because as an NCO it's my job not only to FOLLOW an Officer through burden; but to also help in the risk mitigation process so as to possibly avoid immediate and or future burden. The role of the NCO has evolved some over time, but at its core, has always been centered on taking care of subordinates, and ensuring mission success.
It's my belief that Officers do not send troops into war with a "If he dies,he dies" mentality. In this case we would not call ourselves Enlisted; but definitely martyrs.
Now the fact is that more than enough of our NCO ranks complete the jobs of Officers because of lack of man power or, because of Team structure. If you were to bring this thought in the article up to a Special Operations element, you would be smirked at and left alone; I won't go any further with that one.
As for saluting, I don't share the same opinion as you. I will have full confidence in my OIC, but as an NCO, if I have identified that there is eminent danger, and a decision has been made that would put troops in a more grave situation than need be, I will coordinate with the OIC expediently and accordingly, because as an NCO it's my job not only to FOLLOW an Officer through burden; but to also help in the risk mitigation process so as to possibly avoid immediate and or future burden. The role of the NCO has evolved some over time, but at its core, has always been centered on taking care of subordinates, and ensuring mission success.
It's my belief that Officers do not send troops into war with a "If he dies,he dies" mentality. In this case we would not call ourselves Enlisted; but definitely martyrs.
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Isn't it great how people in this country who have not experienced something can write an article as if he/she is an expert on it?
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