It may have been unique to FA, but I could probably count on one hand the number of FA officers I met that were more prone to lift a book than open it. Most of my classmates at OBC were sharp, well read, and informed. In the firing battery, our commander gave us readings, and we talked about history, politics, stategy, tactics, music, movies, anything to generate debate and discussions (though our Top 5 Best Bass Players of the 1970s discussion probably helped us slightly less than debating gun truck formations). My roomate and I in Iraq had a hobby of raiding MWR libraries for good books, and we spent the year trading. My last BN CDR assigned readings to all unit officers and senior NCOs to get them thinking for a deployment. He and the XO read and discussed OIF/OEF/COIN books, and asked us (the staff) for opinions during PT. We were expected to be strong, smart, and effective.

From the junior officers I know, there is hope.