Initial Officer Selection

[JMA]

@JMA

Another concept would be the one found in the Roman army. You have centuriones which cover the ranks of sergeant - Lt. Col and came usually from the ranks, this means you merge the NCO corps with parts of the officer corps.

Genenerals (legates) had a different carier path.

My contention is that the insertion of direct entry officers half way up the rank structure can only be justified if there is a clear assessment that these people have the potential to reach and perform well as senior officers (battalion commanders and above). The initial pre-course selection must (IMHO) focus upon this end. Where such tighter selection criteria are used and results in shortages of company grade officers these should be made up through the promotion from the ranks (which should be done with due care to prevent the senior NCO ranks from being denuded of their brightest and their best and thereby reducing and demeaning the expected quality of company senior NCOs which has historically been the strength and backbone of the infantry).