Officer vs. Enlisted

[LoneSailor]

I remember the CMC at Corry Station (circa' 03) was like a 12 year Master Chief. He was a Quartermaster. I always admired leaders who were great at motivating troops through speech. He was very talented in that area. He retired that same year at NAS Pensacola, and man I have never seen such a huge gathering of Master Chiefs at one time.

 

[Mitch]

I'm not prior enlisted but here's my take. There will be pissing contests anywhere you go, but I certainly wouldn't categorize them as common, especially among the Lieutenants. There may be a blue falcon but the LPA generally looks out for themselves rather than trying to one-up each other. Regarding higher, you'll get your due respect as a prior enlisted Marine and you'll likely be a step ahead of the boot Lts in many ways that seem like common sense to you, however in many other ways you're still the new guy too. Accordingly you'll have to eat a sh!t sandwich or two (weekend/holiday duty, collateral duties that take as much time as leading your Marines, etc). Sometimes your Marines will have to also. That said, you'll have plenty of opportunities to deflect BS. And occassionally your Marines will see it and they'll appreciate it just as they did when their squad leader or platoon sergeant did it.

Your responsibilities as an officer will be very similar to those you had as an NCO or SNCO and then some: lead your Marines and ensure that they're taken care of. Without going on and on, my platoon sergant once told me (paraphrasing), "Sir, it's your job to make sure we get things done, it's my job to make sure you don't step on your crank in the process." Yes, that's cliche, but the point is we both knew our respective roles and we got along great. There were things he did, and there were things that I did, but the key thing is keeping each other in the loop (that mommy/daddy thing). You'll figure it out.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

 

[Purdue]

Son, ... is that you?

Yup, those were my father's exact comments. I quoted him at the family dinner we had to celebrate my commissioning, and as I recited his words... it was the first time I'd seen the man cry. :icon_wink

 

[1rotorhead]

SNCO's are supposed to be on the look out for troop welfare. What exactly is the officers responsibilities toward his/her troops?

This may be a little off what you're talking about, but if you have to ask about officer responsibilities, perhaps your officers aren't doing a very good job.

 

[Schnugg]

Recently however, my perception of officers has vastly deteriorated due to acts which all of the junior ranks in our office have witnessed.

What acts? You said it, not me.

 

[pilotpete24]

"I will be so proud to have a son in the Navy, but if you Enlist instead of going to school first and getting a Commission... I will kick your teeth down your throat."

Funny, my father told me almost the same thing...

 

[HercDriver]

-Enlisted time counts towards retirement, but you have to do at least 8 years as an officer mandated by Congress (not sure what Navy requires, USAF requires 10 years as an officer to retire as an officer)

It is 10 years of commissioned services for all of the services (for a Regular, voluntary retirement...not for 2X passed over, etc.):

Title 14 Part I, Ch. 11.d.291. Voluntary retirement after twenty years’ service
Any regular commissioned officer who has completed twenty years’ active service in the Coast Guard, Navy, Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or the Reserve components thereof, including active duty for training, at least ten years of which shall have been active commissioned service, may, upon his own application, in the discretion of the President, be retired from active service.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode14/usc_sec_14_00000291----000-.html

Title 10c Part II, Ch. 571 (1) An officer of the Navy or the Marine Corps who applies for retirement after completing more than 20 years of active service, of which at least 10 years was service as a commissioned officer, may, in the discretion of the President, be retired on the first day of any month designated by the President.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode10/usc_sec_10_00006323----000-.htmlhttp://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode14/usc_sec_14_00000291----000-.html