[Eddie]

Originally Posted by HorseSoldier

Post-nuke the bureaucratic niceties will tend to be mostly out the window and I would think that in most units the promotion process would become decidedly irregular by modern standards.

I don't know. I think it could go the exact opposite where those in charge try to hold on to every aspect of "normalcy" that they can in the face of nuclear war. I've ran both types of settings in my campaigns in the past. Some were fun, others weren't, but the group dynamic is the important part.

Without a steady supply of replacement personnel from CONUS, which doesn't exist circa 2000, the US military in Europe would have to look inward for any replacement junior officers anyway. They'll either end up commissioning proven NCOs, or they'll have proven NCOs doing officer's jobs without the benefit of the rank (which can work in a pinch for a platoon leader, but much higher up the food chain and it gets problematic).

I think it would be the latter here. OCSs aren't something that they can just throw up anywhere due to Congressional constraints. As ties back to the US get strained and the real government splits into its various factions, I think direct commissioning would become more utilized. The officer corps as it is has a strong jump in with both feet and sink or swim mentality where professional development is concerned.

I think NCOs would just be given the jobs without the benefit of the rank, though. The precedent already exists and the confidence in the NCO corp is too strong. The common thought processes are that NCOs are technically capable in most aspects other than doctrine and Powerpoint. Those tend to be the realm of the O's while techniques and procedures fall to the NCOs. This is what I would see utilized more in the Twilight War, Techniques and Procedures and less Tactics, as one of my old platoon sergeants used to delineate them.

For enlisted promotions, I suspect by 2000 it just boils down to the unit commander and some key subordinates having a huddle and deciding who they want to advance to fill an NCO leadership position. Issues like points, time in service, and actually being MOS qualified for the job by 2000 are going to take a backseat to demonstrated ability to deal with the requirements of soldiering in the year 2000.

Agreed.

At the same time, I could also see a lot of stagnation for others in the system. By Y2K, the US military "up or out" system is going to be a thing of the past, and some guys may end up being career privates, particularly if they have behavior issues off duty/in garrison and such.

Agreed again. There will always be a need for more Privates through Specialist than any other rank.