PL is a neophyte job intended to lead to CC (company commander) and BC (battalion commander). PL is a dime a dozen job. Most PL's are morons with college degrees and low GPA's. You are better off as a SNCO or CWO.
Times have changed. OCS has a really strict GPA requirement and is opening more doors to enlisted personnel with good evaluations. My officers have been outstanding most of the time. OCS couldn't be more competitive which is a very good thing.
Not to mention (I said this earlier in the thread) my GPA was the reason I didn't get selected last time. I have a 3.35 which many consider to be really good. I got grilled in my review about it.
But you missed my point. My point is that a platoon leader aspiration is foolishness. You need a better goal. Try infantry company commander. Then you can retire as a mustang. Good luck.
If anybody wants to know what the safest job in war is, the safest job is arty. Arty stays even further back behind the lines than supply does !!
If anybody wants to know the most dangerous job in war, it is tanks. Tanks make tons of noise and are easy to kill with surface launches missiles, by attack helo's, by camo'ed field guns, and also by other tanks. A sole infantryman with a LAAW can kill a tank. Reminds me of this song:
Battalion level is hard for anyone to reach except a West Point grad. And for West Point grads while battalion is easy, that is where most of them wash out. I have a friend from high school who went to West Point and made it to battalion C/O (Lt. Col.) and was washed out into retirement at that point after 20 years. It takes 20 years to make Lt. Col. 10 years to make Major. Do you have 10 or 20 years left in your career before 60? Everyone retires at NLT 60 except some generals. That's why I recommend mustang company commander and retirement at Captain as a goal. Most mustangs retire as captains (O-3).
I'll make Major if there's a slot open. I'm not going to retire a Captain if I can help it (slot or unit dependent). You spend the most time at Captain. I'm not even 30 yet. All 3 of my cousins that are officers are 03 Promotable and they are ages 30-32. The middle one is getting his 04 upon a contract to teach at VMI.
Just texting with that cousin. He said that 01-03 is a cakewalk and I'd really have to F up to not make 03. 04 MOST officers make. 05 Some officers make (40-50%) EDIT: depending on if there's an 04 (or whatever) slot available so they can renew their initial contract
O1 training has a failure rate. OCS failure rates are high. Could be as much as 25% to 50%. AIT failure rates are low -- only 1% or so. Cheating or alcoholism for example. Ergo I would not agree that O1 is a given. For some candidates and officers it is not. O2 is automatic, I agree. It takes a military felony not to make it to O2. This could be DUI with a manslaughter however. So even O2 is NOT completely a given but mostly it is. O3 is definitely not automatic unless you do a good job. I know lieutenants that washed out at the O2 level. Low I/Q infantry officers often suffer this. O3 and O4 are normally the max for mustang (prior enlisted) officers. Many many retire as O3's. A few make it to O4. Based on my own experiences (I quit at O2 and they sent me O3 in the mail anyway) and those of my friends (three O6's, two O5's, and several O4's and O3's). One of my mustang friends retired as O3 and became Los Angeles Assistant Federal Prosecutor. He was infantry enlisted, Arty commissioned, JAG career, and then retired at 20 years. 20 years is an early retirement. At 20 years he was 38 years old.
We used to refer to new O1's as goldfish (well, and butter bars). We'd always get like 10 of them and in a month or so only one was left.
If you want to see some Marines hilariously lose their ****, grab some Air Force guys and walk them in front of them. I'd say march, but, well, you know.
I appreciate your experiences. I'm sure they were accurate way back when. Time has changed. My family (all current officers) have much different experiences. My cousin's 04 promotable in August and has a midslot route. He was lower 50 in his OML.
They're pushing field grade and above officers out at 28 years now, unless you have a skill set that is hard to replace, at least they were a few years ago. Any Medical Branch specialty will probably make it past the 28 active commissioned years cut off, but not by much. 'Engineering, Science, and Technical' seems to have the most slots available and the greater retention chances. https://www.thebalance.com/military-commissioned-officer-promotions-4055887 Throw in the social promotions and quotas and the chances are much slimmer for the majority of career officers. My brother barely made 0-6, and still had to retire at his 28, 4 years ago, with an excellent performance record; his last 6 years were as an MCJ investigator, not a 'sexy' assignment for resume padding. 04's and above don't have much fun anyway.
@Questerr I know you worked for a living but you may be able to help me with this officer question. I was told by my CoC that I'm not going to "Standard Boards" for my OCS board interviews. I'm going to "IL boards". I said "yes sir" but have no ****ing clue what "IL boards" stands for and have googled it a million times. I even asked my cousin who is an O4 and he has no idea either.
The only thing I can come up with would be the Illinois (IL) National Guard OCS officers boards. Otherwise I can't find jack **** of an "IL" military acronym. -> http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/dod_dictionary/
From what I heard, the ANG is going to have a new phase of boards. Will give an update when I have one
You airborne, ranger, air assault, EIB, & CIB? Got a letter from your congressman/senator/former west point graduate? are you an NCO?
Some, but not most. Well, I guess if you are in a dirtbag unit it could be most. I was 1/9 Cav and all our PL's were Airborne Ranger qualified and most were West Pointers. My PL in OIF II is one of my best friends to this day. He is now a Major.
