Honor the NCO Corps by overhauling the rank structure

[Myyar]

I understand that the Army has announced 2009 as a year of the NCOs and has plans to provide more education opportunities and train NCOs to become even better leaders. Well it’s a start and a move towards a right direction but it’s not enough.

I hope the President, the Congress and the DOD will honor our NCOs by making the long overdue change in our military ranking system. I know it will be the toughest, most complex, and controversial change, if made.

I am unable to go in detail because of room constraint in this comment box. Let the big wigs or big brains at the Pentagon plan all the little details.

In short I hope they will make the Senior NCOs equal to Junior Officers in Education opportunities, Military authorities and Leadership opportunities at Company level.

Make the:

• E-8 higher than O-1 and equal to O-2.
In the absence of O-3 the O-2 will take charge while E-8 will still work as a 1SG. In the absence of O-2 the E-8 will take charge as a commander and the O-1 will work under him.

• E-9 higher than O-2 and equal to O-3.
The E-9 will only work under O-4 or higher grade officers.

These changes will boost the NCOs pride and confidence in the corps. NCOs roles and functions still stay the same but responsibilities and authorities grow under these changes.

These changes will also boost the morale and the motivation in the junior soldiers and junior NCOs by knowing that the 22 year old O-1 with less than a year in the service does not outrank the E-8 with over 22 years of experience in the service.

Let’s honor the NCO corps of the U.S Military by making the long overdue change.

[SuperPog0151]

Bro, as awesome as that plan is, they're NEVER going to put us in charge of officers. After all, we're just lowly enlisted troops...

[forcedj]

What officer do you think will buy off on that plan?

What if the O1, O2, or O3 is an LDO (i.e. prior enlisted SCPO or MCPO)? Do they suddenly rate less responsibility because they're now a J.O.?

Where do CWOs fit in???

Dan

[SeaChicken]

Frankly I think this is a stupid idea.

"These changes will boost the NCOs pride and confidence in the corps."
- None of the Chiefs I ever worked with needed HR gimmicks to feel pride and confidence in themselves and their fellow Chiefs.

"NCOs roles and functions still stay the same but responsibilities and authorities grow under these changes."
- If their responsibilities and authorities change, to include command, how exactly do their roles and functions stay the same? How convaluted is it when a CPO works for the ENS until he makes SCPO, now all of a sudden he works for the MCPO?!?! I work for the billet, not the device on the collar of the person occupying it.

"the 22 year old O-1 with less than a year in the service does not outrank the E-8 with over 22 years of experience in the service."
- The SCPO may not outrank the ENS, but he/she sure has a greater impact on the E6 and below that they are BOTH TOGETHER charged with leading.

[YomanDenver]

I honestly don't see a reason for this. I mean yes, an O-1 who's all of 21 years old has rank over me. If they direct me to do something that doesn't make sense I will mention the normal procedures and ask them if they would still like me to carry it out their way or the way that's been established. Just because they're young and inexperienced doesn't mean that they don't have new ideas.

If anything could be changed, I would say change the process for E-3's that are brand new in the Navy taking the E-4 exam 3 months after checking into their first command. Granted, they may have the knowledge in their rating to perform tasks, but with the crow comes increased responsibility, and in some cases, a leadership role. I can't follow someone who doesn't know s#!T from Shinola.

Overall, the way things are now aren't terribly bad, nothing that requires the re-work you want to do. If everyone acted like adults, there would be no need for this re-structuring.

[Combat correspondent]

What are you talking about? The pride of NCOs stems from our ability to lead from within. Are you suggesting that the following will be the rank structure (in this order)?: O10, O9, O8, O7, O6, O5, O4, E9, O3, E8, O2, O1, E7, E6, E5, E4, E3, E2 and E1? What sort of nonsense is that? Where did you come up with these shenanigans?

[MERC8401]

Sounds pretty confusing to me...besides this is how it's always been done since the dawn of the military. If the system is broken its not due to how the rank structure is set up. Oh and by the way...posting this over and over on mutiple rooms in this forum is very bad forum manners.

[Myyar]

Originally Posted by MERC8401

Sounds pretty confusing to me...besides this is how it's always been done since the dawn of the military. If the system is broken its not due to how the rank structure is set up. Oh and by the way...posting this over and over on mutiple rooms in this forum is very bad forum manners.

Thanks for correcting me on posting this over and over on multiple rooms. I am sorry and it won't happen again.

[BRUWIN]

Originally Posted by Combat correspondent

Yep. This guy is off his rocker.

I think we need to get Smarg's view on this before we just arbitrarily blow the guy off. Smarg, roll in anytime. So what kind of support do you think we can give this guy? Keep in mind...his proposal will have me out ranking you despite not having a Bachelors degree. Can we count on your approval?

[BTDTNM]

Or we could have Warrant Officers who are sort of the same thing. Makes no sense.