"An officer wouldn't understand"

I saw a post on one of the Army Times forums about some of the things enlisted soldiers say about commissioned officers. The originator asked why soldiers make dismissive comments that denigrate officers.

First is, "oh you are an officer you wouldn't understand." I think soldiers say this because officers get privileges that enlisted soldiers don't. Here in Korea, everyone E-7 and above (including fresh-off-the-boat 2LTs) can own cars, get better housing, and get food allowances rather than meal cards.

There's also the fact that ROTC cadets don't go to basic training --they go to something called CTLT, which is less strenuous. West Point graduates are seen as coddled -- the government has invested so much money into them that there's simply no opportunity for failure. There's a measure of resentment because of that.

Second is "oh you are an officer, let us handle this." I think NCOs say this because they're jealous of their profession. If you see a lieutenant taking out the garbage, there's the subtle message "Hey NCO, you aren't doing your job." NCOs don't like that implication. I think there's also a fear that a lieutenant might actually be good at something, despite their inexperience, that an NCO required time to develop.

Lastly, there's "taking care of Soldiers is NCO business not officers." There's some truth to this, but if a soldier is out of uniform, it's the NCO's job to correct that one soldier. Their lieutenant's job is to order an in-ranks inspection. The same issue gets addressed, but it's a matter of scope.

You may think, "What's the big deal?" but the Army has different roles for everyone. Anytime an officer crosses the lines into "an NCO's job," you can expect that NCO will get a little indignant about it.

As a company commander, I see the chain of command (looking downward) as a means for training. If I skip links in the chain, my people miss out on learning opportunities. I have to give my lieutenants and NCOs the opportunity to grow.

Yet when it comes to getting grass-roots information (toxic NCOs, checking communication, etc) I say it's OK to skip levels. Your NCOs might not like it, but that's kind of the point -- you need to get command climate information from whomever you want, unfiltered.

Taking care of soldiers is indeed everyone's business, but you have to understand the scope of your responsibilities as well as everyone else's.