Getting your graduate degree is like having kids: there’s NEVER a “good time.” There may be “better times” but never a “good time.” If you wait until it’s convenient, it’ll never happen.

Army leaders, take note. A staff officer doesn’t have any more time than a green tabber.

So stop saying “there will be time for that later.” There’s not, outside of a few very specific and very competitive programs. And maybe your young officers don’t want to put their careers on hold for two years at grad school and then owe the Army 6 more.

There’s not a “good time” to get your graduate degree there are barely “better times” in the Army. That PL is gonna be an XO and then a commander and then maybe an S3 and then off to CGSC (which doesn’t grant a degree for some reason) and then primary staff. When’s a good time?

Don’t talk to us about being an “Iron Major” while you tell lieutenants their schedules will free up later. I mean, I could’ve sworn our leadership manual says something about developing subordinates and supporting their personal goals.

Oh, and another thing you’re not considering: you telling officers (or enlisted!) to “wait until later” means you’re asking them to put their career ahead of their family. When I was an LT, I had a single small kid. When I finally got around to a “better time,” I had three.