CSA 105 said:
Looks like the lobotomy was successful, nearly a verbatim quote from the "degreed officer corps and reasons for thereof" literature.
Who needs a lobotomy? If I've simply been brainwashed, what could I partake to be your opinion/idea of the purpose of obtaining a degree as part of an Officers training program?
CSA 105 said:
it's funny that (from a limited perspective) it seems...
Key Word:
Limited
CSA 105 said:
that most new RMC-ite 2Lts that arrive at combat arms units are amongst the least "critical and creative" in their thinking and often have to be pried out of their RMC cliques and made to understand there is a real army with real soldiers and real responsibilities...
Does a green private, fresh off BMQ, arrive ready to perform as an infanteer? tech? clerk? To lead a section? Some officers aren't even close to finishing their trade's training when they are finished university. They are still trying to discover the ropes of being an officer, of being part of a unit, of being part of the military (while RMC accomplishes some of this, civi Us don't do it at all). It's hard to be critical and creative when your the new guy who doesn't know what hes doing yet. The university degree prepares them to be critical thinking and creative minded, but we need to finish our trade's training to have the confidence to know what were doing first. Then we'll get critical and creative and try to act outside the box.
CSA 105 said:
I also recall plenty of folks able to be successful naval officers, command armour, infantry, artillery sub-units and units, fly planes, conduct logistics activities, etc without the benefits of a university degree footed by the taxpayer and granted to a group that has yet to prove itself in actual service.
There are plenty of folks, I'm sure, who
are successful naval officers, command armour, infantry, artillery sub-units and units, fly planes, conduct logistics activities, etc, without the benefits of a university degres and who couldn't handle getting a university education. Whether this is a lack of ability or simply an animosity towards school is moot. The point is, being granted the opportunity to obtain a university degree, whether off the bat with ROTP, or later on with a CFR, is incumbent upon both academic ability and military potential.
Interesting question: Are there any cases, and if so, what were the results, of a NCM gone CFR and been unable to successfully obtain a university degree?
CSA 105 said:
I'm all for degrees - but don't think 2Lts (less doctors, dentists, padres, etc) need them. The opportunity to earn a degree should be granted to officers and NCOs as a reward for good performance, dedication, skill and as an investment in their future, based on proven performance in the CF.
I'm all for degrees as well. Anyone, Officer, NCM, civilian, who is capable of getting a university education should do so. People should always be looking to improve themselves. Their knowledge, their cognitive abilities, their social characteretc... That's what education does, it improves you in many way. The more Officers and NCMs we have with university educations the better. I suppose, however, that the pressure is on for Officers to have university degrees because of the job they have to do. I am not saying that the jobs of those who aren't required to have a university degree are less important, but that a university degree must help officers with the type of job we will have to perform. If we must wait until we have proven ourselves before we are awarded the opportunity to pursue a university education, than the Officer Corp will be missing out on a great deal of training and experience.
CSA 105 said:
Said degrees should be "real" and earned from actual universities inhabited by a cross-section of Canadian society, not from a quasi-military cloister on the banks of the Cataraqui.
Are you implying that the education one receives at RMC is substandard compared to that which one would obtain at a civilian university?
CSA 105, I'm not trying to spark hostilities here. I'm just trying to defend my unit and to affirm my belief that my obtaining a University education has an important and tangible purpose.