Do you feel there were or are enough officers in the military?

Question

For those who have served did you feel that you had enough officers to accomplish the mission or do you prefer less brass and more NCO leadership?

Would more junior grade officers lead to more micro management?

And I am speaking about units that perform outdoor missions and not office jobs.

Answer 1

Regardless if they are in an office or not, sometimes there are too many. Unless they are a pilot, officers usually get in the way, so having too many, means too many to make stupid decisions. Seasoned NCO's are what is needed, not some 20-something Lt that is making stupid decisions and getting his or her people killed.

For my job, the officer engineers the link and how the data is going to flow. Other than that, once I set my stuff up and it all works, officers don't come around me, so I am on my own as an NCO.  

Answer 2

currently the us military is very strained and desperate for officers as the officers are the educated troops and they know whats going on with the military and they dont like it

Answer 3

When I was in the army we had to many officers, things always ran smoother when the officers left and the NCO's were in charge. I was a combat engineer.

Answer 4

I think there were enough officers in the Marine units I served with as a Navy man. But, there was an overabundance of staff officers at division level and higher. And that led to a lot of "busy work". Especially with reports. I can still recall my checking in as S-3 with the Third Medical Battalion to find that my little section had to prepare fifty reports each month to higher echelons. So, I took the list, called each recipient headquarters and asked that officer what he did with the data I sent him each month. When I couldn't get a reply which jibed with reality, I told that officer he wasn't going to get it anymore. I cut the reports volume by one-third and no ever complained from on high.  

Answer 5

Enough officers to do what-give orders.

The officers I worked with were nurses and doctors--so they were slaves like the rest of us.  

Answer 6

I too was a combat engineer, and most of what we did an officer would simply be in the way, of, that being said at present, the Army is below operating full strength, at every level officers, and men, it is increasingly seeking overseas candidates, including recruiting from the west indies just a few weeks ago !....  

Answer 7

nope my platoon sergeant commanded his tank, acted as platoon leader, had to always go to those officer meetings, go to the toc, quite often, i know it ran him down, but he made first sergeant and we didnt mind not having a officer. you get a butterbar and 2 weeks later their gone anyhow.

Answer 8

dude,chill,if it ain't broken do not fk with it !.I am sure the military has been doing this longer than you have been alive...