Should the Army open up more broadening assignments for Enlisted Soldiers?

2014-02-24T11:19:22-05:00

As you read in the recent MILPER messages, Officers are given the ability to compete for a wide variety of broadening assignments that allow them to attend post graduate schools, work for the White House Communication Agency, etc.. Why isn't there more opportuinities for Enlisted Soldiers? Many of us have or are working for degrees and would love the ability to compete for those types of assignments. I have seen that a few broadening assignments are open for NCO's but again, this is one or two. Why not make it so that if you have a degree, you can use your experience to compete with some of these officers for those jobs? If you don't know what I am talking about, look at the HRC Webpage and look at the MILPER Messages for concerning broadening assignments. What are your thoughts?

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 11:35 AM

2014-02-24T11:35:20-05:00

Sounds like a pretty damn good idea to me, 1SG.

Response by SPC Christopher Smith made Feb 24 at 2014 12:04 PM

2014-02-24T12:04:02-05:00

1SG,

The reason is, Dog and Pony show. Being able to say you have highly competent Officers in various positions is great. Around the world a good military Officer corp is very wide spread in the Government. Although in our Enlisted ranks we have very capable people, it wouldn't look right to have an Enlisted person being out all the Officers for a job. I do whole heartedly agree that we should be using the full potential of our Enlisted SMs but maybe we should also be pushing harder to enage more talented and qualified Enlisted SMs into the Officer Corps. Less recruiting from the school houses, and more recruiting out of our own ranks. This could help in a number of ways. Reducing the amount of money spent on recruiting (gas, vehicle maitance, ect.), higher levels of organizational understanding to help increase effiency and reduce errors, a better bridge of communication and understanding between the ranks. This is just a vague and broad opinion.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 12:19 PM

2014-02-24T12:19:53-05:00

1SG,

I am following your line of thinking. These opportunities are out there, so long as you are looking for them. Most of them do have a strict qualification process that many Soldiers find unattainable. You are right, however that there are opportunities that us enlisted aren't privy to. I also wish we had a bit more say in our assignments.

Response by MAJ Samuel Weber made Feb 24 at 2014 3:23 PM

2014-02-24T15:23:42-05:00

1SG,

My understanding is that Train with Industry and Graduate programs as well as broadening opportunities are designed to develop an officers knowledge of business practices outside the military structure, just like education. It develops an officers liberal education and opens their minds to other ways to conduct business and improve processes. Now why is this important for field grade and senior officers? Because they make policy and oversee programs in the Military. How would it benefit the large machine that is the DoD to have an enlisted advisor broaden their understanding of organization change and development when then don't institute change, but do manage the policies. I would equate it to sending an officer to an NCOES school to earn a special skill they would never use. Why aren't there Drill Officers? Or Officer Recruiters (only AMEDD uses them) to recruit enlisted? Or officers teaching AIT? While I don't deny that there are NCOs and Junior Enlisted Soldiers out there who could easily participate in this programs, what would be the DoDs Return on Investment?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 5:20 PM

2014-02-24T17:20:47-05:00

1SG,

There still are opportunities out there for enlisted Soldiers to broaden their horizons, be it additional assignments or schooling opportunities. As SFC Gates pointed out, there are opportunities for Defense Attache, Joint assignments with foreign services, as well as some limited schooling.

While it is unfortunate that the enlisted do not have some of the same opportunities as the officers, such as their degree completion program, there are still other avenues out there. One that comes to mind is a recent MILPER reference HQDA Strategic Broadening Seminars, which is available to SFC and above, as well as GS and some officers as well.

Not as many options, but as they come we as enlisted have to jump on what we can, when we can find it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2014 4:46 PM

2014-03-01T16:46:25-05:00

I would like to add that there are quite a few opportunities available to the proactive enlisted soldier. Training With Industry (TWI) is available to many enlisted specialities, Graduate degree completion programs such as the Information Assurance Scholarship Program allow enlisted to earn a graduate degree at service schools such as the Naval Postgraduate School, the congressional and presidential fellowships allow senior enlisted and above, military intelligence has several undergraduate degree programs for enlisted, there are many nominative positions in agencies such as the DIA/DTRA/DTIC/DLA/NGA/NRO/NSA/DISA and so on and so forth... As mentioned above there are opportunities with the Defense Attache program, Defense Couriers, various Special Missions, and Special Operations. I would love to see more opportunities similar to a Foreign Area Officer but there are routes such as OCS, Green to Gold, and commisioning as a Warrant Officer if those kinds of opportunities desired.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Mar 1 at 2014 5:18 PM

2014-03-01T17:18:56-05:00

The Army HAS opened up plenty of broadening assignment opportunities for NCO over the years...just gotta stay proactive.

We have NCOs working in the White House, as senior enlisted advisors to members of senate and most recently as members of the HQDA Strategic Broadening Seminar.

Officer and enlisted opportunities will never be equal...it's been that was from the beginning of time; BUT, we have gained SO MUCH traction over the past two centuries ('Thank you', Friedrich von Steuben!)

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2014 11:14 AM

2014-03-02T11:14:14-05:00

1SG

Here's my two cents. If you have the required degree and wish to compete for broadening assignments available to officers, why not take the first step in broadening your career by attending OCS or Green To Gold? The flip side to this coin is should the enlisted Soldier compete for promotion based on the same rules applied to our officers. Specifically, i'm addressing two time non-selects. An enlisted Soldier, unless selected under QSP/QMP, may continue to service even after being a 3/4/5/6 time non-select. This may change in the future, but currently, we are not affected the same way. If we wish to compete for officer assignments, then become an officer first.

Response by 1LT Michael Fahnestock made Mar 2 at 2014 12:49 PM

2014-03-02T12:49:42-05:00

As an Officer, I am very aware that the NCO's working under my command, were invaluable. I truly see the validity, of the experience I'd have gained and taken serving as an NCO, and it could be a wise move for all Officers to experience the NCO, but the argument could be said for an NCO experiencing the Officers view, having to satisfy a chain of command and put the fault for a mistake in the unit on some logical reason which may be an NCO. I know how invaluable all my NCO's were to me, but like myself, they made errors which reflected on the unit I was responsible to command. I thank every NCO and I feel Officers would benefit from that experience, but I never was an NCO, and feel my appreciation of the NCO will make or break my success. I can only hope other Officers gain that appreciation.