Pentagon plan seeks increase in special forces: As someone who has actually tried out for Special Forces, my opinion varies on this issue. On the one side, I am all for the increase of special operations troops, as it would make it easier for people like me to get in (i.e. those who are physically and mentally fit, but can't navigate their way out of a local Wal Mart). The other side is that Special Forces are just that; Special. They are that way because of a certain standard, and if that standard changes, it alters the dynamic of the unit itself.
Is there a way to increase the number of Special Forces without changing the standard? Sure, but it would, in my opinion, involve a complete restructuring of the Army's pay scale. Granted, I think this is something that should be done anyway. After all, why should a first lieutenant who drives a supply desk make more than a Staff Sergeant who is Special Forces qualified, gathering intelligence at the most dangerous levels all while running a company of Iraqi dissidents in combat operations? Seems silly, doesn't it? Yet, that's the way it works. If the Army wants more of these guys, pay them what they are worth. And then give them motorcycles that shoot rockets. Yeah.
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Just when I doubt you... ie- Marlon Brando.... you dazzle me with insight. Then again, I am drunk at 9 in the morning.
You bring up an interesting point in regards to the pay differences between a young LT and a senior NCO. I guess the wight of responsibility should be well compensated, but are we giving it to the right guys? Does 4 years of college and a few months of military training turn a 23 year old kid into a combat leader?
I think that the Officer Corps needs to be radically restructured. It worked for countries built by the Aristocracy (ie. Britain), but America is an entirely different culture. Perhaps the officers should be those NCOs who have seen battle, gotten an education, and have a lot of time in the military. The officers that I've respected the most have been those that were previously enlisted.
Good point, but the problem is, if those were the only guys allowed to be officers, there would only be about 16 of them in the entire Army. I think it depends on the unit and the units mission as far as what it should take to be a leader.
My original point was just that it's a slap in the face to guys who have done serious time in SOCOM units to take a smaller paycheck home than some Captain who basically drives a desk. I think that could be remedied without that much trouble. Give "SF" pay, just like there is "Jump pay" already. Just make it a bigger bonus.
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