Steve,

Are you remaining in the IRR? I thought you were going to become a TPU soldier. I'm torn as to whether to stay in when I get back -- I'm probably going to get out.

David Bland (MAJ)

I had considered transferring to the NCNG to remain with the unit I was with in Iraq. I spent a few weeks trying, in fact, which was quite an ordeal since there is a lot of paperwork involved in such a move. In the end, I decided to abort the move for a couple of reasons. I didn't think it would be fair to my CO for me to hold a PL slot there when I was barely going to be there. I also didn't want to risk having a long-term commitment to a North Carolina unit since I'm in Ohio and have no plans to move. My thought originally had been to stay with my unit until my time was up, then resign. However, that was impossible, and getting back into the unit proved difficult and, in the end, not worth the effort to me.

Congratulations on your upcoming promotion!

As a commissioned officer, to be promoted your name must first be on a Senate-confirmed promotion list. For one's name to be on the promotion list means you also satisfied the military (and civilian) education requirements for the rank. I've been led to believe that even in this day and age of crying need for military personnel that it really helps to have a satisfactory performance record as documented in OERs and AERs. There may be some other procedural and statutory requirements for promotion eligibility and selection as well. So there's a little more to getting promoted than merely hanging around for a long enough time.

Again, congrats. You've clearly paid your dues for promotion.

Good point, Brian, thank you. I should have mentioned that that's assuming their other requirements are met and their packet went before the board and the officer was recommended for promotion (for me I mentioned that stuff in some earlier posts).

I spent 6 months in Iraq during the first farce. When I returned to the United States, I immediately put in my papers and got out.

You comments about being promoted to Captain and the associated backslapping remind me of how it was to be enlisted in the Army so many years ago.

I remember how proud I was to join the military as a young man and how ashamed I was made to feel by the officer corp. The cheap pay, the ill treatment, and the disrespect shown to you wherever you turn is testimony enough of the huge gap which exists between the officer corp and the enlisted grade.

I remember my LT. in Saudi Arabia told me that he graduated university with barely over a 2.1 GPA and there I was, an E4 with a 3.52 GPA and a BS in Logistics listening to his ridiculous banter about how great it was to be in the Army.

Even in this "day and age" and with the dire need for military personnel to die for Bush and his cronies, I would NOT recommend any young person offer his life for this floating oil burner called the US.

My MOS? Cavalry. And, yes, I DID attend a military academy and could have received a commission but resigned so I could go to the Gulf. After my return, I had an opportunity to return to the academy, but left the military instead after my experience as an enlisted man, playing the role of a subordinate to the arrogant few.

Regards

Michael P.

Sounds like you're rather bitter, Michael P. Yes, life is tough for enlisted soldiers - I know, I enlisted as a PFC before I decided to go to ROTC, and I think it's valuable for officers to have had previous experience on the enlisted side of the house. It sounds like you're just venting, so I don't want to try and draw you into a big debate, but I did want to at least respond. I know the enlisted soldiers and NCOs I work with are very happy when they're promoted, just as I'm a rather proud to have achieved this milestone. I don't think it's arrogant or anything to be ashamed of, as you seem to imply.

^_~,pretty good!csharpsseeoo

Captain Promotion (and IRR info)ooeess

Captain Promotion (and IRR info)ooeess

Captain Promotion (and IRR info)ooeess