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Home Front: Culture Wars
The Pentagon's controversial plan to hire military leaders off the street
2016-06-20
[MilitaryTimes] Defense Secretary Ash Carter wants to open the door for more "lateral entry" into the military's upper ranks, clearing the way for lifelong civilians with vital skills and strong resumes to enter the officer corps as high as the O-6 paygrade.
Never thought I'd see the day when the phrase "90-day Wonder" became obsolete.

More at link (if you can stand it.).
Posted by:Blossom Unains5562

#13  Allen Wests take on it: FUBAR: Look who the U.S. military wants to let in NOW - (I guess the headline sort of gives away his position.).
Posted by: Blossom Unains5562   2016-06-20 19:58  

#12  They don't have the 'qualified' people to supervise contractors. The script kiddies are not going to conform to militarism (that spit and shine NCO) vice military (mission) nor to duty details. No attraction what so ever. Contractors can herd them, but we lack technical people who can watch the contractor. None in uniform in sufficient numbers if any at all. This would be the contracting officer or Technical Representative to the Contracting Officer. O6 probably is right for a very large or major contract. Lessor rank for lesser contracts or programs.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-06-20 18:39  

#11  Been there. I was an RN in the AF 1993-1996. I was an LT. My charge nurse was an 03. The main nurse in charge was an O6, full bird col. This was at Travis AFB and the medical wing had about 500 employees. So you might need a specialist with an O6 pay grade to run the operation.
Posted by: texhooey   2016-06-20 14:51  

#10  The military used to have a brevet rank where junior officers could be promoted to high levels of command when needed, then reduced to the previous rank when the war or need was over.

A modern version of this may work for at need fields. They would hold a temporary brevet rank with decent pay to compensate for the loss of civilian pay, but the rank expires if not renewed and the person can go back to civilian life when not needed.
Posted by: DarthVader   2016-06-20 11:05  

#9  You would only bring in one or two O6 types to run the units of misfit cybernaughts. They would have 20 years experience and an MBA, and never be promoted. Most of these folk will be o1-o3 to lead a group of NCOs and Warrants through enemy cyber terrain. The O5-O6 would be there to manage a bunch of them, keep the lawyers out of their way, and make sure that the pizza is delivered to the terminals on time.
Posted by: rammer   2016-06-20 10:05  

#8  Btw, I'd love to see the sprockets on, say, Zuckerberg's uniform.
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy   2016-06-20 09:16  

#7  I can understand bringing in those qualified to an O-3 slot (like physicians, etc.), but O-6?! Really?
Posted by: Vast Right Wing Conspiracy   2016-06-20 09:14  

#6  "Defense Secretary Ash Carter wants to open the door for more "lateral entry" into the military's upper ranks, clearing the way for lifelong civilians with vital skills and strong resumes politically connected leftists to enter the officer corps as high as the O-6 paygrade."

Revised to reflect the suspected real intent of Carter's move...
Posted by: Dave D.   2016-06-20 08:59  

#5  Eight year pilot leadership program nearing successful conclusion.
Posted by: Besoeker   2016-06-20 03:12  

#4  Pick me.
Posted by: newc   2016-06-20 02:22  

#3  Yep, cyber warriors are much like doctors, lawyers, and nurses. They have skills that are needed, they are experts and need the authority to boss around a bunch of minions, and they are temporary, because not many would stay in a government job for a long time, but they could work for a few years and contribute a lot. And finally, no Service Academy educated General officer would appoint any of them to a non-technical command.

This is exactly what should happen and it is about time someone figured it out.
Posted by: rammer   2016-06-20 00:45  

#2  Going back to when I entered over 40 years ago, the pay charts always reflected senior officers with less than 2 years of service, see - 2016.

When Stilwell was 'relieved' of duty in WWII, they replaced him with a diplomat, but Chiang Kai Shek wanted a military officer, so the War Department made the man a 2 star IIRC. So the precedent is there. Same with the specialty branch of doctors, nurses, lawyers and padres. They hold their rank by their skill not by command authority.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-06-20 00:26  

#1  sounds like they are trying to get more "Cyber Warrior" and other related specialties. This will end well.
Posted by: Nguard   2016-06-20 00:23  

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