I don’t care that Buddy Guy didn’t do ROTC or an academy. They’re not nearly as relevant to the real work of the military as Smith implies. But WTF is this “driving or guarding a vehicle”? Neither of those are tasks for an officer.
Direct Commissions are usually reserved for Doctors, Lawyers and some select prior-servicet enlisted personnel.
Yeah, I’m not sure the reporter had his facts straight on that. In the day, officers were mostly from the Academy (a distinct minority) or from ROTC (the majority), but there was also a large segment who got their degree on their own and then went to OCS/OTS/acronym-of-choice. It was a ninety-day, round-the-clock, live-in school, just like basic training. And if my six weeks of basic (well, eight – had trouble folding underwear or something) is any clue, it was hardly a picnic. Then, of course, the new officers more than likely went to a specialty school of some type for many more weeks or months. Nobody would “drop their jaw” at an officer who came up that way.
Can an OCS officer be said to have a Direct Commission? Possibly it was meant in this context. But even a lawyer, doctor, or chaplain – and it doesn’t sound like Buttigieg was one of those – would have a couple of weeks in some sort of orientation school that taught them what they needed to know about the military to do their jobs. And to keep from being court martialed and shot. Nobody, to my knowledge, just signed papers and started giving orders.
I was offered a direct commission in 98 after Clinton over-riffed the officer corps. My prior service and ASVAB prompted it.
I never wanted to fight through up and out for chance to command a turd so I declined. I had to break the recruiters heart. He should have offered me a direct Warrant.
Yeah, I was 35 when I went into the Army. The oldest person in my Officer Basic Training platoon was 61. I came in as an O-4 and he came in as an O-6. When I was recruited, I was told I could be Army or Navy (the Air Force slot was filled) but could not be civilian for at least one tour of duty. After that, I could apply to become a civilian DoD employee (which I actually did at 8 years). The reason, I was told, was that they weren’t really all that concerned with making me a great warfighter. They were primarily interested in stripping me of my privacy and civil liberties and having greater control in what I say, where I went, and micromanaging what I did. They didn’t try to make me a fighter. It was about having more absolute control over my life. As a civilian, I could say no, and I could quit. Not as an officer. And everybody was quite open about it.
So you didn’t have to “drop” and give the Drill Instructor 50 pushups or climb down a 50 foot tower with a rope?
I knew an Air Force chaplain who had to do all of that, I think because the Air Force is concerned that the other services hold them in low regard regarding physical training?
Or did you have to endure at least some of that because even if they didn’t want to make you a great warfighter, the rules were that you had to be an OK warfighter?
I get a very Mr. Bean vibe from that picture.
Yes, Mr. Bean!
Apart from the fact that he is reflexively left wing, I kind of like him
I think he is rather cute. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
Now that he’s no longer mayor, he can run for governor of Indiana this year, starting next month, after he realizes no one wants him on their ticket running for Vice President. Otherwise, why is he wasting all his time on this?
I loathe Buttigeig, and his comments about John Kerry tell me all I really need to know, though there’s plenty more.
However… He was an intel officer in Afghanistan for 7 months. He’s NOT claiming to be a combat veteran, even though by many standards he could.
Kyle Smith, as a veteran, has every right to go after Buttigeig’s military record IMHO. However, I’d consider it in exceedingly poor taste if I’d done so (I’ve never served). I do therefor thank Buttigeig for his service. That in no way means I’d vote for him, though.
I don’t care that Buddy Guy didn’t do ROTC or an academy. They’re not nearly as relevant to the real work of the military as Smith implies. But WTF is this “driving or guarding a vehicle”? Neither of those are tasks for an officer.
Direct Commissions are usually reserved for Doctors, Lawyers and some select prior-servicet enlisted personnel.
Yeah, I’m not sure the reporter had his facts straight on that. In the day, officers were mostly from the Academy (a distinct minority) or from ROTC (the majority), but there was also a large segment who got their degree on their own and then went to OCS/OTS/acronym-of-choice. It was a ninety-day, round-the-clock, live-in school, just like basic training. And if my six weeks of basic (well, eight – had trouble folding underwear or something) is any clue, it was hardly a picnic. Then, of course, the new officers more than likely went to a specialty school of some type for many more weeks or months. Nobody would “drop their jaw” at an officer who came up that way.
Can an OCS officer be said to have a Direct Commission? Possibly it was meant in this context. But even a lawyer, doctor, or chaplain – and it doesn’t sound like Buttigieg was one of those – would have a couple of weeks in some sort of orientation school that taught them what they needed to know about the military to do their jobs. And to keep from being court martialed and shot. Nobody, to my knowledge, just signed papers and started giving orders.
I was offered a direct commission in 98 after Clinton over-riffed the officer corps. My prior service and ASVAB prompted it.
I never wanted to fight through up and out for chance to command a turd so I declined. I had to break the recruiters heart. He should have offered me a direct Warrant.
Yeah, I was 35 when I went into the Army. The oldest person in my Officer Basic Training platoon was 61. I came in as an O-4 and he came in as an O-6. When I was recruited, I was told I could be Army or Navy (the Air Force slot was filled) but could not be civilian for at least one tour of duty. After that, I could apply to become a civilian DoD employee (which I actually did at 8 years). The reason, I was told, was that they weren’t really all that concerned with making me a great warfighter. They were primarily interested in stripping me of my privacy and civil liberties and having greater control in what I say, where I went, and micromanaging what I did. They didn’t try to make me a fighter. It was about having more absolute control over my life. As a civilian, I could say no, and I could quit. Not as an officer. And everybody was quite open about it.
So you didn’t have to “drop” and give the Drill Instructor 50 pushups or climb down a 50 foot tower with a rope?
I knew an Air Force chaplain who had to do all of that, I think because the Air Force is concerned that the other services hold them in low regard regarding physical training?
Or did you have to endure at least some of that because even if they didn’t want to make you a great warfighter, the rules were that you had to be an OK warfighter?
I get a very Mr. Bean vibe from that picture.
Yes, Mr. Bean!
Apart from the fact that he is reflexively left wing, I kind of like him
I think he is rather cute. Not that there is anything wrong with that!
Now that he’s no longer mayor, he can run for governor of Indiana this year, starting next month, after he realizes no one wants him on their ticket running for Vice President. Otherwise, why is he wasting all his time on this?
I loathe Buttigeig, and his comments about John Kerry tell me all I really need to know, though there’s plenty more.
However… He was an intel officer in Afghanistan for 7 months. He’s NOT claiming to be a combat veteran, even though by many standards he could.
Kyle Smith, as a veteran, has every right to go after Buttigeig’s military record IMHO. However, I’d consider it in exceedingly poor taste if I’d done so (I’ve never served). I do therefor thank Buttigeig for his service. That in no way means I’d vote for him, though.