OT - here's an interesting military thought

[AMF]

Yeah...

The de facto role of officers is generally to manage, plan, and direct.

The de facto role of enlisted is generall to execute.

And, it is often said that the warrant officers are what keep military organizations running smoothly, acting as the requisite link between those two rank structures. Without them, the whole thing might fall apart.

Personally, having met a lot of USMC and USN officers who both came up through the ranks and those who didn't I can't come up with any overarching statement as to their quality or lack thereof.

The only thing I think I could honestly say is that, IMHO, those who with aptitudes better suited to officer skillsets (managerial, motivational, ambition) tend to gravitate towards officer commissions.

I've met many extremely competent enlisted and officers of all ranks. but in both rank structures, I think it is true that, largely, the better ones get promoted and the crappier ones don't. Havign said that, I've met some very incompetent USMC Colonels and Staff Sergeants, and some very ineffective or dysfunctional Navy Admirals. In these cases, it largely comes down to personality (or lack thereof) rather than skill.

Just my two cents. I'm shutting up now.

Alarik

Originally posted by tesco samoa:
From the ranks works great in wars for replacements.... But I think that the power of the rank is within the Corporals to Seargents. ANd all the classifications within those ranks. Not to mention specialation.

Since were talking army.

The lifers work with the command and make sure things run smooth.

Now for officers they also go through the ranks just that they start at a higher rank after they pass their training.

Then the issue of NCO vs CO comes into play.

And the question is rased. A soldier is good working with a team of 4 or 5 other soldiers. How does this make this person able to run a company?
It is very democratic in its structure.

Or are you talking about.... So and so's dad is this guy so lets make him a major.

In wars these people get weeded out due to the nature of the beast. In peaceful times it takes a little longer. But it happens.