Aliens as curriculum at military academies..hehe..why not ?
Our system here in Norway ( not that it is anything to break out the champagne for all in all ) revolves around our institutions of military advancement ,and two types of ranks .
1 Commissions : you can get one after schooling .You start out as what we call a cadet or "aspirant" at the NCO school with the typical selection process hardships .
After that is completed -usually 2 months - there is an additional 6 -12 month schooling process.
You are then an NCO of corporal or sgt rank and a mandatory 6-12 month practition /"experience " period ensues at your unit based in country/domestic.
After that ( 12 months -2 years as an NCO) you are given a commission as either a sgt or a 2nd lt.
You can then serve in that capacity formally -but to get platoon command or company command , a furter 2 years of schooling at the national military academy for your branch is needed .You will then end up with a commission as a LT.You are then set for a career at low to mid level -but additional schooling is required to get ranks above captain.
Field commissions : meritious advancement as some call it - able minded and bodied personell might be promoted temporarily to ranks that come with the job that the unit needs filled. Example : a platoon leader might be down , and if the situation dictates ,a replacement is made form say the 2nd LT nr 2 in the platoon -even though he has not gone through military academy until a formal replacement can be deployed .
Or say a private makes squad leader the same way .
As a rule no officer or NCO without "operational experience" ( tours abroad or the whole military academy thing ) are allowed command in combat operations .
Exceptions happen all the time though - including one of my PLT leaders back in 97-98 in my second tour .
He was a cronie of the COY cmdr -and landed his job that way .I would have had no problem with that if he hadnt been a ..well incompetent .
( After all - he was a welcome change from the previous LT who had to be removed from his position -highly competent but just crazy / no judgement).
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Originally Posted by Webstral
"Aliens" remains my favorite movie of all time because there is just so much going on in it told in a quality way. I've seen the extended versions, and I have to say I'm glad the theatrical release was released as it was.
Gorman couldn't have done any better than he did because he is a statement about butterbars in Vietnam specifically and the commissioning process of the United States military (the Army in particular) as a whole. He received plenty of training, what with several dozen simulated drops. Training only goes so far, though. Gorman is a classic "gentlemen officer" of the sort epitomized by West Point: a great attitude about getting in there and fighting the good fight but too little experience to make good decisions under pressure. His personal gear, his weapon, and his role as observer and coordinator make plain the idea that he is not one of the Marines. (Also, his little work station in the APC makes a nice reference to the hive command structure of the enemy.) Had Gorman done things the right way, he could not have served as such a powerful indictment fo the commissioning system we "enjoy" in the US.
The indiscipline of Drake and Vasquez serves to illustrate the effects of a breakdown in trust and effective command resulting from having a buttterbar in charge of a mission that clearly requires field experience. Also, while I appreciate that there might be some extended footage showing the drop ship causing the problem with the reactor, without that footage we are forced to conclude that Drake and Vasquez cause the problem. Again, the problem goes back to the mission leadership. Gorman failed to make good decisions, thereby creating the window of opportunity for the catamity that befalls his command and the mission.
Note that as a private, Gorman's not so bad. He plays well with the team when he's no longer in charge. He fights bravely. Had he been obliged to enlist and go on a few missions first, he might have made an effective lieutenant.
No officer should ever be commissioned without being a private first! Neither West Point nor ROTC nor OCS should take anyone with less than two years of enlisted time--preferably as a rifleman with one combat tour under his belt. Anyone who makes it through that and still wants to lead has a much better chance of being effective than a ring-bearer or a 90-day wonder.
Have I beaten this horse into hamburger?
There are other very powerful Vietnam-esque images woven througout "Aliens". The enemy is an archetype of the NLF/NVA. He has inferior technology but superior morale. He uses the terrain to his advantage, striking when the conditions are right for him. He prefers close combat that reduces the effectiveness of American firepower. His internal cohesion is superb. His commitment is superb. His willingness to absorb casualties for the sake of the mission is superb. The attack in which the enemy is crawling through the ceiling is a very nice turnabout of the underground infiltration techniques employed by the NLF/NVA.
Not surpirsingly, some of the same Vietnam-esque imagery appears in "Avatar". I'm sick of Cameron's Vietnam references at this point, so I'm probably not as appreciative of all that in "Avatar" as I might otherwise be.
Gorman, ah Gorman! He serves his literary purpose, as does poor Apone. All prospective West Pointers should be obliged to watch "Aliens" to see if they get the message.
Webstral
P.S. Of course, there is far more going on in "Aliens" than the military commentary. I find the nuclear family and competing reproductive themes even more fascinating.
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