Effect of Increasing OCS Commissions on Our Senior Leader Bench.

摘要

As a result of the force drawdown from 1990-1996, the Army established policies to reduce officer accessions. By 1998, the Army began experiencing a shortage of junior officers and increased the number of Lieutenants entering the force. Due to the reduced accession policies put in place during the drawdown, Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) could not meet the demand for the increased requirements. The Army used the Officer Candidate School (OCS) to meet the increased accessions from 1998-2009. Each year the percentage of commissions awarded from OCS increased, and in FY2009, 40% of Lieutenants came from OCS. OCS helped to correct the junior and mid-career officer shortage, but in the future, the Army may see mass retirements of OCS commissioned officers after serving three years in the rank of Major. The Army is already experiencing a shortage of Captains and Majors, and when combined with the retirement possibility of OCS commissioned officers, there could be a significant shortage of Lieutenant Colonels and a limited population to select Colonels from. With a limited population to choose Colonels from, less talented officers may be selected, reducing the talent of the senior leaders of the Army.