Quote Originally Posted by Stan View Post
I’ve pondered over this thread and your posts, and up to this point, I decided not to comment.

1. Am I correct (based on your 'tell us about you' post) that you were barely an E-5 when you decided to leave the service and get a better education? That was and is your choice, but I have serious reservations about your recent comments regarding the Army’s NCO Corps. I have a somewhat different spin on this latest comment to Jedburgh.

2. Overall, it appears you had a lot of bad experiences with discipline (from SNCOs).

3. Fact is you do sound high and mighty on your soapbox. What exactly do you purport to know about NCO work? You’re frustrated after an abysmal 4.4 years in service? Try 20 more and ring me when you’re done.
@1. I was an E-5 for about 2 years before getting out. If my comments regarding Army's NCOs came across as being overly critical, then I apologize. I seen many fine NCOs when I served. The NCOs I seen at the various army schools I attended seemed to the best. Please keep in mind that my critique here is aimed at the intellectual culture among the NCO corps.

@2. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "bad experiences with discipline?" I really had no discipline problems. Maybe you mean that I served under SNCO's with discipline problems?

@3. If I came across as "high and mighty" it wasn't my intent. I have all the respect in the world for people like you putting in 20+. My critique was directed at the lack of intellectual curiosity within the NCO corps. Overall I see education as being a good thing, but certainly not the only thing. Yes, I was frustrated after 4.4 years of service. Are you saying my 4.4 doesn't qualify me to make suggestions on how to better the Army? I'm at this forum because despite the frustration, the Army was a very important part of my life. It made me a better person and I cherish the experiences I had there. In fact, there were times in the Army that were the best times of my life. I care deeply for the Army, but most of all, for the people I served with and for those going back to Iraq 4 and 5 times. I do realize that my "abysmal" 4.4 is nothing compared to your 20 but I still wish to contribute to the discussion here, which I hope, can make the Army into a more efficient fighting force.