America's Best Leaders: U.S. Junior Officers, Military

Great Confirmation of what many employers already know

Thanks for the article and comments. We help exactly these kind of leaders find rewarding careers after the military. We actually have as much, if not more, success helping NCOs and SNCOs. As a former Marine officer, I can tell you I counted on my NCOs/SNCOs as much if not more than my fellow officers - I think most officers would tell you the enlisted leadership is most important to operational success. Many employers know this and look to the enlisted ranks (and not just the officer ranks) for the future leaders of their companies.

I blogged about it here: http://blog.recruitmilitary.com/journal/

NCO's

NCO's form the backbone of any Military Unit. Give credit where credit is due!

As an Outsider ...

I'd have to say this bears a remarkable resemblance to the private sector. Everyone bitches about the higher up management and how they don't contribute nearly as much yet get all the credit. The same applies to accountability. A very real example are the banking and investment firms of late.

I think both of you who are feuding might want to think about that some more and maybe work on solutions rather than sniping. After all, you'll eventually be in a position to do something about it.

For instance, how is DS "misinformed"? I would think the military would be pretty public about recognizing NCO's and below at least internally. Can you cite organizations and activities that do this?

I personally haven't seen anyone below the rank of general getting publicity. What press releases can you point me to?

Article on junior officers

While I as a retired E-7 agree that junior and senior NCO's are important to any unit the article I read was about junior officers only. No disparaging remarks or ommissions were made about any NCO. Everyone needs to keep in mind that the article was specifically about commissioned officers. Maybe someone would like to do a piece specifically on NCO's.

US Military Junior Officers

As mentioned previously, Commissioned Officers and NCO have unique and vital roles in operation of a unit. For DS to state one party is taking undue credit is ludicrous and misinformed. Job of a leader, whether from Commissioned side or Noncommissioned side is to promote commeraderie within the unit and to get the job done. Your comments do neither.

"[T]he fact that NCO leadership is essential, does not in any way diminish the leadership of junior officers."

No, but the fact that junior commissioned officers provide useful management, does not in any way diminish the noncommissioned officers' leadership of the the soldiers and their mentorship of the junior commissioned officers. Given that, it is interesting that the junior commissioned officers are the ones who get all the credit, time, after time, after time, while the (at least) equally important noncommissioned officers are not even mentioned.

In Re: Dachtorstrange

Dachtor,

I certainly can acknowledge your comment regarding the adsence of the NCO in the article, certainly the men & women of the NCO Corps are also deserving of praise. However, your claim that that company level officers are not the "REAL" leaders is in a word...silly. Trying to create some schism between company-level leadership or to claim that a PLT LDR just follows along is at best ill-informed and at worse dishonest. Different roles and responsibilities... but the fact that NCO leadership is essential, does not in any way diminish the leadership of junior officers.

Junior Officers

I notice that the article makes no mentoion of the REAL leaders at the company and platoon level: The Noncommissioned Officers. The sergeants and even corporals are the ones who make this work, and the commissioned officers are the ones who get all the credit.

Junior Officers

As a retired Army colonel, and as an American, I consider this country extremely fortunate to have probably the best core of junior officers that I've seen in my professional life. They are part of the most thoroughly experienced and highest quality military in the world today, and we owe a large part of that fact to the dedication, imagination, leadership, and sheer "grit" that our young leaders demonstrate every day. And I'll say again, this is our good fortune; the society these young men and women serve has certainly not earned the kind of selfless, purposeful commitment they have shown. Where we tire easily of any prolonged conflict, even those that require no real sacrifices on our part, these young warriors can go into harm's way time and time again and not only stay motivated themselves, but serve as an example to their troops. Bless 'em all!

Junior Officers

Most incoming junior offices complete the rigors of a service academy or take ROTC along with their college requirements. They place service before self, aspire to excellence, and embrace values, sacrifice, discipline, and ethics. At a time of war, they relinquish the comforts of home and the prospects of career. While many of our institutions need to be redeemed, our military represents the best of our society. Keep them in your thoughts and hearts, and match their sacrifice with your support.