Army NCO Shortage

[tomahawk6]

This article deals with two issues a looming NCO shortage in the Army and PTSD.By linking the two issues they authors seem to think that the shortage is due to PTSD, which I am in doubt about. The Army has decided to pay NCO's with combat experience more than NCO's who havent. The pay is similar to sea pay or aviation pay. Max pay would be $720 a month. I like this proposal as it targets the group we need to keep the army in the field.

The PTSD issue is interesting in that there seems to be a threshold of 100-200 days in combat. While we dont see long periods of sustained combat the threat of IED's and suicide bombers may provide a very high stress level which is sustained.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htatrit/articles/20070310.aspx

Army combat fatigue study.
http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/combatphsych/section2_2.htm

 

[CougarKing]

NCO Shortage? You mean as in shortage in the US Army with anyone from ranks E-4 to E-9? (Yes, I consider Corporals/Specialists as NCOs)

Well I'll read the whole article first...hmm...

 

[Bobby Rico]

Spec-4s aren't considered NCOs.  I think the remidy is pretty easy- start promoting more PFCs and Spec-4s to Corporal, rather than simply leapfrog the rank as seems to be habitual in the US Army...they've got like entire platoons full of Specialists, it's crazy.  The corporal rank seems to have little to no significance in the US army anymore, beyond that fact that it is still technically a rank, but is rarely achieved (since most Spec-4s jump directly to Sergeant upon promotion).

US military could probably do with a few less ranks.  They could probably easily unify the Spec-4 and Corporal rank- that would solve the NCO issue I think.  While they're at it the could even unify the Staff Sergeant and Sergeant First Class ranks since they can basically do the same job, and leave squad or section-leading to the buck sergeants (make Sergeant a senior NCO position) and fire team leads to the corporals. 

US army has way too many damn sergeant ranks, the word practically has no meaning on its own without another word or words attached to it, like Staff or First.

(edit- grammar)

 

[Garett]

Wrong thread.