Quote Originally Posted by Pete View Post

In spite of what the Marxists might want to say, I don't believe that during the last 300 years these class lines were as rigid within societies or military organizations as they'd have us believe. Incompetent officers fall by the wayside, talented NCOs move into the officer corps, good enlisted guys become NCOs, and so forth.


To get back to the topic of this thread, today the minimum for being an officer is having a college degree, to an extent having the "good family" thing and having strong letters of recommendation with your application. The system isn't rigid though, and guys of modest origins can and do get in and rise to high places.
I know only for the German armies, here the vertical mobility was high in the TYW, became very rigid- now we have separation of NCO and officer corps- between 1700 and 1918, and more flexible again after WW1.

The requirements for an officer candidate in the Prussian army around 1890 was, that he had the Primareife (finished his 11the grade with success) and he came from a good family, most important he was not workingclass.

The the regimental commander decided which applicants could join the regiment.

I do simply not understand as civilian with only 15 month military service as an enlisted man why this work well. Even after 40 years of peace the regimental commanders had a still clear vision what they wanted.

Or more relevant: Would today a brigade commander be able to select the right men from a pool of applicants?