Posted on Oct 4, 2019
Why does having a degree as an NCO automatically equate officership?
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This question is for my senior NCOs and officers.
Background:
I graduated in May with my Bachelors. My unit mobilized and we are now deployed. I figured that I didn’t want to put off my graduate education for 9 months, so I continued my studies. As of 22 August, I am a grad school student! When people find out that I have a degree let alone starting my second one, I get wide-eyed stares. In fact, most of my encounters end with advice such as “why aren’t you an officer” or “what are you doing enlisted?” It eludes to the idea that 1) NCOs are not educated; 2) heaven forbid if you are, why waste your skill set on being an NCO. As a newly promoted sergeant, it’s a kick in the face to the corps as a whole.
Question: Why are we pushing our NCOs to become officers because they have an education? We are stripping our units of outstanding individuals instead of retaining them and bolstering our corps. (Not trying to dismiss officers, just a proud NCO.)
*Note: I understand that college isn’t for everyone and not having a degree doesn’t make you less or better than your counterparts. It does make a difference in the long run.*
Background:
I graduated in May with my Bachelors. My unit mobilized and we are now deployed. I figured that I didn’t want to put off my graduate education for 9 months, so I continued my studies. As of 22 August, I am a grad school student! When people find out that I have a degree let alone starting my second one, I get wide-eyed stares. In fact, most of my encounters end with advice such as “why aren’t you an officer” or “what are you doing enlisted?” It eludes to the idea that 1) NCOs are not educated; 2) heaven forbid if you are, why waste your skill set on being an NCO. As a newly promoted sergeant, it’s a kick in the face to the corps as a whole.
Question: Why are we pushing our NCOs to become officers because they have an education? We are stripping our units of outstanding individuals instead of retaining them and bolstering our corps. (Not trying to dismiss officers, just a proud NCO.)
*Note: I understand that college isn’t for everyone and not having a degree doesn’t make you less or better than your counterparts. It does make a difference in the long run.*
NCOPD
OCS
College
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 36
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It's because you're a young Sergeant. Once you have a bit of rank, having a degree is the norm. I had to to complete my AA just to have enough points to be competitive for SSG in my old MOS. In my current MOS you aren't really competitive for SFC without a bachelor degree, and that's pretty common. Statistically, military Enlisted and especially NCOs have a superior rate of higher education compared to the civilian sector
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SGT Dave Tracy
You're right about that SFC (Join to see). Just about every E7, 8... out there--certainly the ones I knew anyway--have a bachelors.
When it comes to the military education level as a whole (which you touched on), there was a study which I believe was conducted by the Rand Corporation that showed the military as a population is better educated than the greater population of this country. And it stands to reason; nearly very Officer, WO, and upper Enlisted have degrees. Besides, plenty of lower enlisted, such as myself when I joined up, have bachelors; hell, I met a E4 Mafia with a PHD once!
When it comes to the military education level as a whole (which you touched on), there was a study which I believe was conducted by the Rand Corporation that showed the military as a population is better educated than the greater population of this country. And it stands to reason; nearly very Officer, WO, and upper Enlisted have degrees. Besides, plenty of lower enlisted, such as myself when I joined up, have bachelors; hell, I met a E4 Mafia with a PHD once!
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SFC (Join to see)
SGT Dave Tracy I haven't met an E4 with a PhD yet but I've met quite a few with master's degrees. I've also met quite a few sergeant major with doctorates, 1 Medical School dropout E3, 1 medical doctor from Africa who was an E4 and one SF SSG who earned his JD and passed the bar in his spare time while on active duty
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PO3 Brad Barnes
I served with a Filipino that had his MD from the PI. Working as an E3 Mess Specialist. (MS) I'd fathom a guess he was better qualified to perform sick call than our onboard E5 Corpsman. I also served with an E6 Electronics Technician (ET) that had his Masters and was working on his PhD. There is no shortage of highly educated, driven and intelligent enlisted people in service.
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I haven’t really seen any of what you are describing. Plenty of enlisted have college degrees, including myself when I was enlisted. My first sergeant when I was an E4 had a masters. My current section sergeant major has a masters. It’s not uncommon. However, what I have seen is select individuals identified by officers / NCOs with college degrees that they feel would be good officers. Perhaps they see that in you. Having been enlisted for 7 years and now commissioned for 10, I can say that there are talent gaps on the officer side and when I see people on the enlisted side that could fill those gaps, I do try and sit down with them and have a conversation with them about what they want with their future.
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SGT (Join to see)
Sir, perhaps you may be right. Maybe it’s about the potential in the soldier than anything else.
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There are many enlisted, both junior and senior who have college degrees. Gaining a commission offers those individuals the opportunity to affect more people of all ranks with their advice and leadership. In no way am I demeaning the critical impact of a good NCO, but a CO can affect an entire unit directly while an NCOs direct impact is often limited to his section or division. A commission also offers the benefit of more money, an appropriate recognition of an individual's accomplishments and qualifications.
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