Senior NCOs, how do you feel about quality NCOs leaving the backbone to become a commissioned officer?

I don't see any issue with it. NCO, Commissioned Officer, and Warrant are all different paths with different challenges and rewards. Being good at one doesn't mean you'll be successful or happy in another. I know plenty of LTs who wished they could resign their commission for a simple life and plenty of Enlisted who think officers have an easy life.

Why not. Back in my day an E8 with 18 years got paid about the same as a 2LT. How in the hell is that even close to being fair? If an NCO can further his career and get the money he should, why the hell not. The NCO Corp will always land on its feet. There are enough good NCOs just waiting for the opportunity.

Sometimes it is harmful to both groups- you lose a good NCO, and sometimes the Mustang just can't stop trying to NCO things.

If he/she were a quality NCO then then should make a quality officer. The rank should not change the fundamentals of the person.

I commissioned through OCS. Later, when counseling NCOs who were thinking about it, I posed them a question: “Is it easier to see yourself as a retiring SGM or LTC?” We all have different personalities. It’s easy to think about staying an NCO for the next stripe or going for a butter bar. I thought that they should think about their own personality and try to imagine much further down the road. I was VERY happy enlisted, but I just couldn’t see myself as an E-7, 8, or 9. I didn’t have the right personality to be one of the senior NCOs that I admired. Likewise, I met many officers who didn’t have that personality and would have been happier and more successful as NCOs.

I had mixed feelings about transitioning, but this was my career path, I just took a while longer to get there. Way I saw it, if I prepared my junior NCOs enough and got them to prepare quality candidates for advancement, there would be someone capable of handling the job when I left. I like to think that my enlisted time gives me depth to understanding those I'm responsible for; I've been "Joe." I would also hope that the direct leadership opportunities I've had could sharpen my interpersonal skill as an Officer, and allow me to better plan by exception. I think it comes down to personal career aspirations.

The two officers who stand brightest from my Army times were both prior enlisted and I think it made a huge difference in their ability to help a young junior enlisted still trying to get his head together.

However, I think there is a price to having a commission. Enlisted people do things as a team and enjoy the comradery of being in it all together. Officers, especially those in command paths, are typically isolated from the people they lead and tend to be in competition with their peers. And the higher up you get the more this is the case. For some personalities that's just fine. But from my experience of similar roles in civilian life, that situation can be tough and even rob you of some of your humanity.

At some point those NCO's would either move up to the SNCO ranks and no longer be in the "backbone," as you call it. The other alternative is that they remain stagnant in their careers, perhaps due to not checking the right boxes off for future SNCO roles. It looks like it could go either way. If one were to realize they would be stagnant in the NCO grades, perhaps the alternative for future growth is to go after a commission.

Now one needs to understand, if they think getting a commission is a path to an easier life, I can say that is sorely mistaken. As an officer you do get more responsibility but at a price. You are held to a different standard. In some respects it is a higher standard. Certain things that you can do as a junior NCO to stand out, will be things you are simply just expected to do as an officer. Its not's saying one is better than the other, its just that the expectations that come with the position do become greater. If you can't muster it as an officer you risk basically having a short career as one. I had a lot of young enlisted aircrew back in the day in my jet talk about how easy they thought the pilot's lives were. What they did not know was the stuff that was going on behind closed doors.

I personally think that all officers should be enlisted for at least two years before obtaining a commission, with the exception of West Point , The Citadel etc.. Any officer I ever had that was either enlisted first or West Pointer where the best officers I ever served under, VS your basic butter ball who's seen all of one fire fight and know no everything about a melee!
First and foremost LT when I hear rounds ripping by my Richard Noggin I'm eating dirt first and foremost!

1. When you say "how do you feel about quality NCO's leaving the backbone to become a commissioned officer? " What do you mean 'quality NCO's? Aren't all NCO's supposed to be of quality, if they are not you and others should be working to make them better or get them the h___ out of my Army. 2. Are second guessing a Senior NCO who may have a goal of being more than what he is?; why shouldn't he try to improve himself and bring some NCO experience to the Officer Ranks. 3. You seem to be bothered by the fact that another NCO will have to step up to the vacant position. Well La De Da isn't that what happens when someone leaves or becomes a casualty.?
My advice to you is quit worrying about the small s___ and worry about yourself, your unit and your men.