U.S. Army Officer Regular Duties
In the United States Army, officers are leaders with a great deal of responsibility. On a daily basis, the officers are the ones who dictate who will complete which task and how it will be done. Being an officer can be both a challenging and rewarding career.
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Becoming an Officer
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All members of the U.S. Army are required to go through nine weeks of basic combat training. After completing basic training, which teaches you how to be a soldier, those who have already signed up to become an officer are shipped off to Officer Candidate School. In order to be considered for this school, recruits must be at least 18 years old but no older than 40 and a college graduate.
After School
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Upon completion of Officer Candidate School, the recruit will become a commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and will wear a single gold bar. He will then receive his assignment and duty station, which will be wherever the Army feels an officer is needed.
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New Officers
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Second lieutenants, commonly referred to as "butter bars," are often assigned as platoon leaders. In this position, the officer will work directly with the chain of command and the highest enlisted soldier in the platoon. Officers are, by definition, leaders and are responsible for making sure their soldiers are taken care of.
Advancement
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While an officer starts out as a second lieutenant, he can advance and take on more responsibilities as he progresses through his military career. To be considered for promotion, the officer must demonstrate leadership skills and show he can care for his soldiers.
The Next Step
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Often, as officers move up the ranks, they will move into the position of being the executive officer, or XO, and then a company commander. With each move up the promotion ladder, an officer is responsible for more and more soldiers.
Responsibilities
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Being an officer means that you have to work both with enlisted soldiers and officers in order to keep things moving. Officers need to know about and deal with any issues their soldiers have and move the issue up the chain of command if needed. There is a lot of responsibility with being an officer because it is a respected leadership role. Officers carry a lot on their soldiers and often work longer hours than the enlisted soldiers.
Enlisted vs. Officer
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Enlisted soldiers are soldiers who do the hands-on work, while officers hand out the assignments and oversee the job. Both career paths can be rewarding and challenging.
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