"Steven James Forsberg" wrote in message
...
: Part of the problem is the Navy's culture of leadership, or lack
: thereof. As I understand it, other services begin training people in
: leadership at the E-3 level. In the Navy, leadership training barely
: starts at the E-4 level. Until a Sailor makes E-5, they get very
: little formal leadership training. Sailors are not taught to command
: or make decisions. They are taught to simply read the tech manual/PMS
: card/work package and obey it. Learning is by rote memorization of
: facts and figures. So now we have a whole generation of Sailors -
: people going up for the Chief's board - who don't even know how to
: make a simple decision without referring to documentation. Those who
: know how to make decisions are afraid to for fear of reprisals from
: above.

It seems that part of this stems from the very "specialness" of
the CPO itself, as viewed by the enlisted community. In my experience, a
PO was PO was PO. There were only really two types of enlisted people,
Chiefs, and everyone else. Thus, as pointed out, from E4 to E6 really
wasn't much more than a payraise. Indeed, going from seaman to PO was
really no more than a payraise plus a 2-day "petty officer
indoctrination".
I would contrast this with, say the Marine Corps, where in my
experience the difference between an E4 and E5, let alone E6, could be
night and day. In terms of job responsibility, accountability, treatment,
etc. etc. In the navy, other than people looking to punch you on the
shoulder, getting a promotion often meant absolutely nothing to the
command
nor how you were treated.
[ SNIP ]

In the Marine Corps, a PFC or Lance Corporal (E-2 or E-3) is already
considered to be a leader. By the time you become a corporal or sergeant you
will likely have formal junior NCO training. As a staff NCO, you certainly
will have formal schools.And yes, you're quite right, the difference between
every rank in the Marine Corps is large. In one sense, though, it's not,
because every Marine is taught to be a leader right from the start. If your
gunnery sergeant goes down, the corporal is expected to be able to manage
the situation.

AHS