Enlisted or Commissioned?

[GI-John]

What career path did you take and why? Both have there pros and cons.

[DirtyD]

Enlisted... I like to work for my money! J/K I have been offered several oportunities to attend OCS, but I enjoy being a NCO, I feel that it allows me to have more contact with my troops, I cant really describe it...

[joe]

why not both?

I enlisted because I didn't know how to finance college; later a senior officer made sure I learned how to finance college, and a senior NCO talked me into the commission.... seems to have worked out.

[GI-John]

Im pondering OCS. However its like you said, an NCO spends alot more time with the Joes. A lot of my inspiration and motivation come from both my team leader and squad leader whom are NCOs. We shall see.

[Dcav]

Best Platoon leader we had was a private before a LT. Our Signal Officer was a SSG before going into OCS, another excellent officer.

[GI-John]

I would really rather stay enlisted. A couple of my good buddies are going OCS when we get back. But perhaps maybe it would be worth looking into. I would at least like to make my E-6 before going OCS.

[usmcpmi]

Why is it that wisdom takes so many years to achieve? Looking back over the many years gone by, I should have taken the offer of WO school when I had the chance. I would have been doing what I really loved. But as reality would have it, youth is wasted on those too young to know what they have..... MG

[Hawghauler]

I was enlisted and I have hired both for years. Officers make very poor managers of employees. NCOs are better prepared to manage personnel, time, money, and materials. Officers make great philosophers.

[usmcpmi]

I think it is all in how they are "trained" when they reach their first unit, along with their attitude toward the enlisted... we had a butter bar that showed up out of the blue (to us) was completely clueless.... asked us NCOs for a little help fitting in with the unit. What a great way to make us feel like we mattered! We showed him all we knew adn the little tricks of the trade we had learned the hard way. He was always professional, and still treated us as enlisted.... after all, he WAS an officer. Ended up he picked up 1st Lt. and thanked us for giving him the knowledge to pass the knowledge portion. He always treated us well. MG

[Army 1911]

I was enlisted for four years. Then went through ROTC at the request of my General. Did my reserve time. The best officers I served with were mustangs like me. They respected the enlisted and the NCOs. I always made a point of telling my NCOs that they ran the unit and I ran interference for them.

I enjoyed my time as an NCO because there I was leading and could see progress and was responsible for the mission on my shift. (Note I was an sigint and elint intell guy---you know the guys that play we bet your life.)

I respected my NCOs and they respected me because I had been there done that. My enlisted also respected me because I respected them and the work they did.

That said, being an officer does have advantages.