Rank and education

[Hunter]

It's my understanding that a volunteer in the Union Army must have earned a Bachaelor's Degree or higher in order to be eligible for promotion to officer, or to be commissioned as an officer. Is this true?

[St. George]

No...

Men were often voted into position because of popularity.

Oftentimes, it worked - especially in the Volunteer units where that individual was often someone of 'stature' within the community the unit was raised from.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Captain Lee Bishop]

The college requirement is something relatively new for the Army. Remember, Chuck Yaeger (much later time period, I'll grant you) didn't have a degree even when he was pretty high up the ladder!

[Pony Racer]

Technically you can still get into Officer Candidate school without a Bachelors degree.

However, your package would have to be weighted with something else pretty significant to fight off all the other candidates that do.

Many recruiters will shy away from candidates with only associates level degrees but is still possible.

PR

[St. George]

There's a caveat.

There must be two years of college prior to OCS - and in order to keep the Commission the degree must be completed in two years following Commissioning date.

That means that the young Officer not only has to complete his civilian college, but also his Basic Course and any other school deemed needed during that time frame.

Many can't do it and fall by the wayside.

The Army started requiring degrees in the late '60's - prior to that, having one was a smart move, but not a required one, and the various military professional/leadership schools were concentrated on, like Airborne School, Ranger School, the 'Q' Course, Mortar School and so on and so forth.

Things changed, the Army adapted and various programs were developed - like the 'Bootstrap Program' that put an officer in college to complete a degree as his assigned duty before returning to active service that was so popular in the waning days of the Vietnam War.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Mustang Gregg]

Warrant officers---no.

[Guns Garrett]

A little bit OT, but what the heck...

A piece of advice given to me by an old salty Master Sergeant right after I made Corporal:  When checking into a new unit, or meeting a new OIC, check out his ribbons.  If he has a Good Conduct Medal, he is prior enlisted, and will usually be an outstanding officer to work for.  This is not to say that many of the officers I have served with who were ROTC or "Canoe U" grads were anything less than excellent officers; but the Mustangs I worked with "knew where you were coming from" and we just seemed to work together better.  My whole carrer was in Aviation, so we didn't get many officers straight out of school.  Nearly all of our "new" officers were already 1st Lt.'s, having gone to Flight School and RAG after commissioning. 

One of the finest officers I worked for was in fact a graduate of VMI, and had served previously as a Marine ANGLICO Company (Air/Naval Gunfire Liasion) Platoon Commander .  He decided that being in the air was much more appealing than being on the ground.  He was "Hard Corps" all the way, but always someone who was fair, reasonable, and approachable.  I felt I became a better Marine for having worked with him.  His degree, of all things, from VMI was in "Physical Training and Kinesiology" (sp?).  Off duty, he coached my son in PeeWee and Pop Warner football.

On reflection, there WAS one former enlisted officer who was a complete "a-hole" (remember 'Major Powers' in "Heartbreak Ridge"?).  He was newly-commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer (LDO) who had been a Staff Sergeant.  In talking to others who had known him before, he was an "walking clusterf##k" when he was enlisted, too.  He didn't seen to get along with anybody, and didn't last long in our outfit (he probably would've gotten "fragged" in 'Nam).  I think he got RIF'ed in '91.

[Hunter]

Were Associate degrees even around during this time period?

[St. George]

Not at all...

Associate degrees are a modern concept.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!