11-16-2011, 03:19 PM
Sounds like things haven't changed much since my active duty days --
Our classic officer-enlisted model derives from the days when few people could read or write, let alone do more than basic addition and subtraction.
The all-volunteer service seems to have drawn a huge number or highly intelligent and ultimately well-educated folks into the ranks.
Unfortunately the promotion system will thwart even requiring that an individual have prior enlisted service as a first sergeant for entry into either the military academy or OCS. REASON: We seem to have difficulty moving away from numerical rating systems. (Don't blame the computer, its our fascination with numbers!) A numerical system invites box-checkers to do their thing.
Further, it seems that the model perpetuates a class system that victimizes the participants by almost arbitrarily saying that Dick is "better than" Harry or that Janice "knows more" than Jane.
Time for a change...
Speaking of change, it seems that we should at some level be thankful for the current system, because it gives lots of room for debating why the Grendel should or should not be one of our mainstream military cartridges!
Our classic officer-enlisted model derives from the days when few people could read or write, let alone do more than basic addition and subtraction.
The all-volunteer service seems to have drawn a huge number or highly intelligent and ultimately well-educated folks into the ranks.
Unfortunately the promotion system will thwart even requiring that an individual have prior enlisted service as a first sergeant for entry into either the military academy or OCS. REASON: We seem to have difficulty moving away from numerical rating systems. (Don't blame the computer, its our fascination with numbers!) A numerical system invites box-checkers to do their thing.
Further, it seems that the model perpetuates a class system that victimizes the participants by almost arbitrarily saying that Dick is "better than" Harry or that Janice "knows more" than Jane.
Time for a change...
Speaking of change, it seems that we should at some level be thankful for the current system, because it gives lots of room for debating why the Grendel should or should not be one of our mainstream military cartridges!