Rank Hath its Privilege – Or Not

There was once a time when rank in the military meant something. When the idea that you have worked your way through the ranks and achieved the status of a non-commissioned officer or commissioned officer meant that you had worked and studied hard, been evaluated and were valued by not only your peers but by the NCOs and the officers that you worked for.

In today’s “egalitarian” military, this is no longer true. While you are granted rank from private to private second, to private first and usually specialist (E1 to E2 to E3 and usually E4) as a matter of course, making it through BASIC and AIT, people seem to think that you should be handed E5 just as easily. And it’s just the thing that is happening. The Army especially is becoming heavy with NCOs who are not really qualified to be NCOs. It is also becoming top heavy with officers who are not qualified to be in the positions that they are in.

 Because no one is willing to write truthful evaluations. Sure, they are taking all the “right courses” and “doing all the right” things. But are they really ready to lead? Statics show that they are not.

As little as fifteen years ago, an Army Major was expected to entertain in his home. He would bring home work. He would counsel the soldiers and civilians under his command and treat his “employees” with respect. It was his job and his wife’s job to help maintain good order and discipline within the ranks of his unit by encouraging get togethers with the unit families and other group activities, outside the mission. He was expected to be the military equivalent of “upper middle management”.  

Today’s military makes this impossible. Officers are forced into positions where if they invite junior officers to their homes, it is seen as favoritism. Field grade officers are treated as if there are second lieutenants or privates on the job and yet are expected to shoulder the responsibilities of field grade officers. All in the name of fairness.

What may come to a shock to people is that the military is not built on what is fair. The military, with its proud and rich traditions was not built on fairness. It was built on a sense of pride, duty and honor. Too many of the young soldiers today come for a sense of entitlement, a sense of “if it’s good enough for the NCOs and officers, then it’s good enough for me!” without thinking that perhaps the NCOs and the officers have earned the privileges, that they are now being denied.

A story comes to mind about Army nurse, a Major, stationed at Walter Reed. The official title for her position was “Assistant Head” of the department that she was in, a position that did not exist. Her schedule was that of a second lieutenant. Her job duties were that of a Major, as she was also the department’s education coordinator. Where is the privilege of rank?