Anti-Intellectualism In The Army

[Ski]

And the Army now goes down to 37 months from commissioning to Captain.

Gotta keep the conveyor belt moving. Fill those space with faces.

[Ken White]

Had a Company Commander in 1969 who was a CPT with 29 months of service, none of it outside CONUS. In WW II, my old man went from Ensign to LtCdr in about 33 months.

The bad news is that during the Korean war, there were guys who went from Pvt to SFC in a year.

This too will pass...

[Ski]

Generalissimo White (that does have a nice ring about it, I have to say)

I don't care so much about it passing as I do the present. The contraction has to stop somewhere - we are pushing inexperience upwards, which leaves us with a disaster waiting to happen, especially on the individual level.

It's not officer attrition is wicked high.

[jkm_101_fso]

Yeah, I just found out that my BZ board for MAJ is now in January. Wow.

Not that I've got a snowball's chance (nor should I), but seriously.

I haven't been a CPT THAT long. I'm not even 30.

It's pretty crazy now; 3 years to CPT, 8-9 years to MAJ. Unbelievable.

[Old Eagle]

Frankly, I'm impressed that the Army has maintained as much discipline in the system as it has. As John T and Ken can attest, we went through some periods when that was not the case. During VN, TOS to CPT was 2 years. Benning was churning out OCS grads to beat the band. There was a program whereby company commanders could frock E-3s and above to buck sergeant - "acting jack", and there was an "instant NCO" program at the Infantry School (and perhaps other places) - shake & bake.

Additionally, years of combat have an impact on the maturity level and real world experience of the officers involved.

No things have definitely been worse.

[Ken White]

Generalissimo White (that does have a nice ring about it, I have to say)

Eye of the beholder, I guess. Never aspired to be one of those so it rings hollow to me, YMMV.

I don't care so much about it passing as I do the present. The contraction has to stop somewhere - we are pushing inexperience upwards, which leaves us with a disaster waiting to happen, especially on the individual level.

It's not officer attrition is wicked high.

As you should -- care about the present, that is. What I was trying to to do was provide some solace and mostly reassurance that 'this,too, will pass.' Know that doesn't make it any easier when the alligators are about but things do get better.

Just trying to point out was what Old eagle says below:

It's been worse...