Interrupting Your Life Plan to Serve

[MikeChan]

Ranger Saltbitch,

Thanks much for your reply. While I have to admit coming from the kind of college-boy background you describe, I share your views that a degree alone won't make a man a true leader. Indeed, I see a bigger problem with the staff corps direct commissions than ROTC, where in the latter they at least get some real military training. I've met dental officers who don't know how to render a salute nor whom to render it to and that's very sad.

Changing the enlisted/officer divide in a radical manner seems far-fetched, but I hope that the work I'm doing and that of others will at least better the officer training programs out there and provide some real field experience to people who are supposed to lead. Part of the problem is that our society now seems to believe everyone needs a college degree: Well, you don't need one to be a pilot, what you need is lots of flight training and flight time. You don't need one for a lot of other jobs where they offer degrees, either. We need to realize that the military is unique as a culture and that there are good reasons for this. However, we also need to respect the worth of college education when it's done right.

I don't have all the answers, but I'm looking for 'em. :D