Officers and enlisted men

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Before I continue my accounts of our preparation for duty in Iraq at Fort XYZ, it might be appropriate to explain the difference between officers and enlisted men.

This difference is basic to how the Army works, and its origins go back to the class divisions of the Middle Ages.

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The enlisted ranks include 9 levels, E-1 through E-9. E-1 to E-3 are privates. The E-4 rank is that of the specialist and corporal. Levels E-5 through E-9 are various grades of sergeants.

Corporals and sergeants are known collectively as NCOs, or Non-commisioned officers. NCOs are the backbone of the Army. It is the NCOs who really get things done.

A soldier begins his journey through the enlisted ranks by joining the Army, going to Basic Training, and then being assigned his regular posting, after which he moves up the ranks. By the time he is ready to become an E-5, he attends a special school. From there on, he goes to a special school before each promotion.

Officers are commissioned. There are several ways to get a commission. One is to graduate from West Point Military Academy, another to graduate from an ROTC program. These officers are thus quite young when they are commissioned, and are placed over older, experienced NCOs. This working relationship is advantageous if handled properly, as the NCO actually helps train and coach the young officer.

There are also Officer Candidate Schools designed for enlisted men who decide to go the officer route. Some enlisted men may actually – if they are qualified – receive a direct commission or battlefield commission.

Officers include lieutenants (O-1 and O-2), captains (O-3), majors (O-4), lieutenant colonel (O-5), colonel (O-6) and the generals: brigadier general ( 1 star), major general (2 stars), lieutenant general (3 stars) and general (4 stars). There is currently no living 5-star general, known officially as "General of the Army." The last 5-stars were the old World War II generals, who have all passed away.

The highest rank ever granted a U.S. Army officer is that of "General of the Armies." That title has only been bestowed upon Pershing and Washington. And, in 1976, President Ford and the United States declared that no officer – past or present – would have a higher grade than that of Gen. George Washington.