Why would anyone be in the military for 20+ years, & stay enlisted?

Aim High

I for one would rather have an NCO covering my back while deployed, then an Officer. Not to speak bad of Officers, but many get there solely be academic credentials and not experience. I understand that they deserve respect and I do respect all Officers (they also are experts in what they do), but at the end of the day, it is the NCO's that earn that respect and it is the NCO's who really know have the majority of experience. All in all, they are all to be respected. Did you know that many Officers have NCO's who they go to for advice? Did you know that it's the NCO's that are called "the backbone" of the military. Give credit where credit is due. It is no small feat to get to the rank of E-8 or E-9, and as such they deserve as much respect as any Officer.

Sometimes, it isn't just for the money. Some people make better NCOs than officers and vice versa. I know senior NCOs who have bachelor's degrees but didn't want to be officers. To each his own.

Bear

I loved working on aircraft ( F-15c-e and A10a) and testing Security Forces for a living you just can't do that as a zero. I'm sorry, Officer.

I have my degree I could have become a zero, so what somethings are not about the money. I enjoyed the sense of satisfaction of a job well done. Seeing something I put back together fly is just amazing.

When I retired I had 60 men under my direct control/influence day to day the Squadron commander contacted 5 to 10 men day to day under their control. Unless your a Four Star you do not set policy you relay it from top down. It is the Non-Commissioned Officers E-4 thru E-9 they control, interpret, set goals and win the hearts of the younger troops and make them the next Leaders.

DOOM

Really? Officers get more respect? Is that why I respect my CSM more than any officer I've ever met?

FerFer

well, in the military you have different roles as an officer over being enlisted. like, enlisted me if theyre like an e-8 or e-9 as you suggested, get more of a command role and actually get in there and lead, they get in it with the men and get to have a hands on approach of leadership, which some find more appealing. however, with officers they do set the policys, but most of the time dont get to see it acted out.
but, in most cases, the snco have more respect than many officers.
Semper Fi

WisDevilDog

some people like working for a living lol

jhill724

I don't know if Officers actually get more respect. They may get saluted and get called sir but if they are a "Soup Sandwich" then the rank is getting the respect and not the person. The only good thing about being an officer is the pay. They are usually more miserable doing their job, because they have to be more PC and they usually pull more hours. Don't get me wrong, Enlisted aren't lazy they just dont have to do as much Admin crap. But then again the enlisted usually have more camaraderie and are listened to more then an Officer. I can guarantee you that an E-8 gets just as much respect as an 0-4.

dsap12

they would want to rank up, and maybe they like it in the military. E8 and E9s are well respected in the military. in many cases they are more respected than the mid ranking officers.

Do you know what officers do? They're mostly administrators (aka pencil-pushers or desk jockeys)

Some people would rather be doing a job, then acting as a manager. Some aren't fit to be leaders.

Besides, you can raise to a NCO as an enlisted man.

Karl

Alot of enlisted chose that path out of high school and after the first four years, liked it and reenlisted, they just stuck to the path the chose and successfully completed one event after another and it just came out that way over time. Some chose not to ever be an officer based on their own opinions. Each man or woman considers themselves professional and successful in their own way of interpreting it. Also, newly appointed "Butterbars" ( I mean 2nd lt's) have a senior enlisted man assigned to them for their experience, leadership, and motivation, to keep them from jeopardizing their careers or their men. I wished I was allowed to stay in for 20 years and have a pension with benefits but Bill clinton was stuffing his cigars up Monika Lewinsky when he signed the paperwork authorizing a draw-down in military forces during the 1990's. I am proud of the enlisted service I gave to my country and met many a fine man, woman, officer, and enlisted!

As a side note historical battles were won, and many very important persons through out history made humanity better because of their enlisted tours. Many military traditions were forged and lives saved in combat because of an enlisted mans actions and decisions!

Chuck J

Some stay EM's because they like the hands on, day to day interaction of the job. As an officer you are removed from this. It is also mush more difficult to get promoted as an officer. Known a few officers who were passed over and their careers were dead ended. As an EM you have a bit more say in where you are going and what job you are going to do. Plenty of senior NCO's have degrees but love what they do and do not want to serve in a staff job of which officers spend the majority of their career. Many would consider the warrant program but this si not an option for most combat arms soldiers, at least on the army side. Many USN E6,E7,E8 do choose to become CWO's or LDO's and have fine careers.

deepeaceful

I believe you really have to enjoy the work that you are doing to be able to conitnue your services in any organization, even after you retire....I believe they just simply enjoy the work that they are doing for their country.....It is not always about the RANKS or the MONEY...IT is simply doing something that brings you enjoyment and fulfillment....

Dave M

Let me tell you something - I was in the Army Infantry - I'm not a big Military booster - but looking back some of the most capable, upright and dedicated people I have ever met were those Infantry platoon Sargent's I was always amazed at how well the Army chose them any one of those Sargent's could of been a forman, general forman or even managers on any civilian job - any time.

Rayvin

Getting a commision or going Warrant isn't as simple as "Hey, I've been a squared away soldier." Going from E-6 to E-7 involves a board. If the board doesn't select you, you don't get promoted. Not getting selected is not directly related to your performance. Outside factors such as the number of slots available for E-7 or Warrant play a role. Most commissions have age restrictions and require a degree. Additionally, even if you have a degree, you're still putting in a package that is going to a board that will way that package against every other soldier that is applying / vying. On the other hand, E-4 through E-6 is based solely on test scores. It is respectable to retire as a Petty Officer 1st Class, a Staff Sargent, or a Tech Sargent.

THEAmericanPatriot

Even some senior enlisted have responsibilities and respect that some senior officers never earn.
Officers have to kiss a lot more azz and it's more political as an officer.
A friend of mine was the Command Master Chief (E-9) of the USS Caloosahatchee AO-98 and as such he was more respected than the CO. This is not an unusual situation.
As far as 'some soldiers aren't smart enough', it takes a lot of intelligence to be in today's U.S. armed forces. Shows that you know SQUAT about the U.S. armed forces.
Thanks for the laugh at your expense.

Reformed

Not always more money--some rates/mos have 50K re-enlistment bonuses. Plus when you figure in all the crap officers are expected to pay for out of pocket, it ain't such a big deal.

Policy trickles down from the top, IF you get far enough along then you'll be almost retired by the time you get to set policy.

Damn sure don't get any respect these days.

They don't GET more respect, its just that more respect is falsely shown to them by order of congress.

I've met only a handful of officers that had earned anything near respect. As for "not being smart enough" to be officers, I've passed courses in the military that had a 95% washout rate by enlisted people and a lesser course for the same type job has a 99% washout rate by commissioned officers.

I don't know what you will do for a living when you grow up, but I suppose that you will find that anything but an executive desk job will be beneath your social status. What you should do is go work for another snob.. maybe John Kerry or his wife. On second thought,,, maybe Michelle Obama.

george zip

first of all, just because one is an officer doesnt make them smart. also, just because you are enlisted doesnt make you an idiot. i know people who are enlisted who have masters degrees, law degrees and premed degrees. they just dont want to be an officer, does that make them dumb? no.

Jim D

sometimes u just don't get the promotion. there are many cases in history where an enlisted man would do the duties of an officer, but not get the rank, look at the Red Baron. and maybe they just don't want to.

cerealkillerchicky

Being in the higher ranking E rates a soldier has more power than an officer in that he's the one in the field with the troops and he makes the final decisions for his troops. Also, he may have had a courtmartial or article 15 hold him back a year or two.
As for staying in longer than 20 years, maybe they got out and found civilian life stunk.

jeeper_peeper321

You must somehow think that everyone wants to be an officer.

1. You cannot be commissioned after 10 years of enlisted service.
2. Warrant Officer slots are few and far inbetween and are not available for all mos's.

3. Before online college class's were available, it was very hard to get a degree while serving on active duty.

4. If you have been enlisted for 4 to 6 years, basicly your gonna be a staff officer, you will never be on the command track.

And who wants to be a staff wennie ?

Majors never get more respect than Sgt Majors do.

Heck most of the time, a Brigade commander will side with a Battalion CSM over the Battalion commander.

Your speaking from ignorance.

Generals set policy, prior enlisted rarely will ever even have a chance to be a colonel, much less a general.

desertviking_00

I spent 13 years as an enlisted man before gaining a commission. So, one of the folks who answered already is wrong. Your viewpoint is a bit skewed. You don't get more respect. You earn respect by commanding it. Not by demanding it. And you do so by remembering to take care of your people so your people can take care of you. In my 25 years in the Navy I met my share of martinets and sundowners who thought the sun rose and set on their stern sheets. None of the white hats I knew respected them. As for the retired pay, don't look on it like a King's ransom in its amount. I retired with a wife and four children as a Lieutenant Commander (equivalent to Major). Three weeks after my retirement I was notified by my State's Veterans Affairs Office that I qualified for food stamps!
Even my two sons gave me a bit of a lesson in humility one day. They came into my wood-paneled, thickly-carpeted office and said to me, "Wow, Dad! You must be important.". I asked them what gave them that idea. "They gave you an office next to the Chief!", was their reply.
By accepting that commission and retiring as an officer, I also narrowed my post-retirement career possibilities. I could have become Chief of Medical Administration at any VA hospital in the country. But, thanks to President Carter's getting a law passed I would have had to forfeit 55% of my military pension to accept the position. That law has since been repealed. But, much too late to have been of help to me.

ssg/emt

I would guess that you've never been in the military and that what you know of it is from TV shows like NCIS and movies.

I've been in 27 years between the active Army and National Guard. I am a motor SGT and love my job. I get respect for my technical knowledge and for taking good care of my people.

By the time someone becomes a senior NCO, they are making as much or more than many of the officers.

As far as respect, if you are a senior NCO, you get respect, even from the lieutenants.

As to education, I know NCOs who are working on masters degrees. The current NCO corps is better educated than most of the officers in WW2 or Vietnam.

Motivation? Do you think a platoon sergeant in a Ranger company is an unmotivated individual? I would bet they'd dispute that.

Look at civilian life, many people leave high paying careers to pursue jobs that don't pay as well but are more fulfilling.

Learn more about the military, why not join yourself? If you have an advanced degree you could join as an officer,

Lu W

Because it's not about money. And if you think a butterbar gets more respect than a E-9 then you are obviously a dumb, misinformed civilian.

kevin c

to comensate for a small appendage or there a masakest or just simply a leagal psycopath who likes killing things

Some Specialist from around the way

To be honest, most enlisted soldiers lack the mental capacity to go to college. Most wouldn't make it in a real university... so they go online. Most people that stay in the Army are low quality people that can't do anything else in the outside world. The Army times even had an article about how hard it is for the Army to retain high quality soldiers. What's left when the intelligent people leave, idiots that were picked on in high school and can't do anything else. They are not patriots so much as they are unable to do anything else. I've been in the Military, still serving, still asking myself the real question: Why did I ever join this low class organization?

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