Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!bellcore!att!cbnews!military
From: dee@linus.mitre.org (David E. Emery)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: re: prior service
Message-ID: <10230@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 14 Oct 89 01:56:16 GMT
Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM
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Approved: military@att.att.com
Full-Name: David E. Emery



From: dee@linus.mitre.org (David E. Emery)
It's very interesting to hear J.D. Baldwin say that 
"In five years of commissioned service, I have seen little to bolster
 the idea that prior enlisted service makes one a "better" officer."

For a good argument for such service, see Wilson's new book
_Mud_Soldiers_ (the same guy who wrote _Supercarrier_).  

I spent 3 (of 4) years in a military school (Norwich), and found it to
be a big help once I got on active duty (Army).  I learned several
things, including some of the tricks used in Basic Training for
motivating people, how to survive in the system (e.g. the value of
"backchannels" for getting things done), and I also had to face the
problem of less-than-motivated troops (not everyone at Norwich was
gung-ho.)  

The one year I spent away from Norwich (junior year at Bucknell U, why
is another story...) demonstrated just how ill-prepared the average
ROTC cadet is in many respects for active duty.  Credibility is very
important, particularly as a platoon leader, and most ROTC graduates
have to learn what EM's are all about.  This is also true of West
Point officers, in my experience.  

West Pointers understand better how the mechanics of the military
work, but I think were less capable with dealing with the collection
of small personnel problems that take up so much of a junior officer's
time.  ROTC officers were, in general, better at handling these
problems, but were unsure of themselves as leaders. 

If I were king of the world, I think that maybe I'd require both ROTC
and West Pointers to serve as squad leaders for a basic training/AIT
unit.  This agrees with Wilson's recommendation.  The advantage would
be for the cadets to gain practical leadership experience and also
get a chance to work with troops.  If the cadet doesn't work out
well as a squad leader, then we can determine this before spending a
heluva lot of money on his Officer Basic course education.

				dave emery
				emery@aries.mitre.org

p.s.  any other Norwich grads out there on the net?