The Pentagon's controversial plan to hire civilian experts as officers

[Berkut]

I don't see this as a big deal.  In the USAF (and other services too, I bet), for medical officers, you can often come in at Major/Lt Col (O4-O6) rank, just by having the required education and a quickie not-even-OTS "here is how the military works and how to salute" course, and you're in working as a military doc.  Just do the same for cyber/programmers.

The hardest part will be that they still have to pass the fitness test.

The docs come in because they get their med school debts paid off.  What is the motive for a computer guy to join, even as an officer?

Yeah, I am trying to imagine how large the set of people might be who:

A> Have the skills needed, and
B> Want to work for the military, and
C> Only want to work for the military if they are actually soldiers.

Group A is not large.
Group B is a small fraction of B.
Group C is a very small fraction of B, I am guessing. Like maybe 5 people.

[DGuller]

Maybe they should instead form penal battalions from all the Anonymous hackers caught in the act.

[Berkut]

That would make a great movie.

[frunk]

That would make a great movie.

Then they had to play a soccer match against the camp guards, and Pele shows up...

[OttoVonBismarck]

I don't understand why they need military people for this - it makes no sense.

Just bring them in as civilians at G-whatever rank. Why do they think they will attract some person based on them getting an actual military rank rather than the current civilian working for the military structure that is already in place?

This, bring them in as GS-15, and there's also special pay bumps you can give people in addition. No reason for them to be given a commission, warrant, or enlistment. And plenty of reasons not to.

[jimmy olsen]

I don't see this as a big deal.  In the USAF (and other services too, I bet), for medical officers, you can often come in at Major/Lt Col (O4-O6) rank, just by having the required education and a quickie not-even-OTS "here is how the military works and how to salute" course, and you're in working as a military doc.  Just do the same for cyber/programmers.

The hardest part will be that they still have to pass the fitness test.

The docs come in because they get their med school debts paid off.  What is the motive for a computer guy to join, even as an officer?

Couldn't the military offer them the same? None of the guys applying are actually going to be selfmade millionaire college dropouts.

[Admiral Yi]

Is it possible right now for unformed personnel to take orders from civilians?  If so, I don't really see the point of the proposal.

[grumbler]

Is it possible right now for unformed personnel to take orders from civilians?  If so, I don't really see the point of the proposal.

Yes.  In fact, the entire military is under a civilian.  In the case of a military member working for a civilian, there will also be a separate military chain of command, for evals/fitreps, discipline, and that sort of thing, but the military chain of command is distinctly secondary when a member of the armed forces is assigned to a non-uniformed command.

I must admit that I don't see the point of this, either.

[grumbler]

Couldn't the military offer them the same? None of the guys applying are actually going to be selfmade millionaire college dropouts.

You can already do that; you just start as an O-1.  Presumably the experts they want to commission as O-4s to O-6s have long since paid off their college debts (and if they haven't, who would want them?)

[Razgovory]

Maybe they should instead form penal battalions from all the Anonymous hackers caught in the act.

The last two weeks of service take place in Iraq, where the whole unit is sent to capture an ISIS outpost.  Wave after wave of fat nerds wearing those stupid masks charging an enemy position.

[Valmy]

Couldn't the military offer them the same? None of the guys applying are actually going to be selfmade millionaire college dropouts.

Well computer pros usually only have a bachelor's degree and typically did not get it at a private school so I would bet crippling student debts are not really the same issue they are with Doctors.

[DGuller]

Maybe they should instead form penal battalions from all the Anonymous hackers caught in the act.

The last two weeks of service take place in Iraq, where the whole unit is sent to capture an ISIS outpost.  Wave after wave of fat nerds wearing those stupid masks charging an enemy position.