Just wanted to say to all that this is an awesome post for everyone to read...not just those who want to serve.
Dickie,
Sorry to say it, but no matter what service, wherever you are, Lt's are usually seen that way. The one I always loved was "You can't spell LOST without LT!". Being prior service enlisted, it always brings a smile to my face. The fact of the matter is that Lt's are fresh... usually little to no real world experience, much less combat experience (same goes for junior enlisted), and they're thrown into situations where they have to make decisions that can impact their fellow troops. It's all part of the learning process though. One day you'll be saying the same thing about some poor LT with no idea what he's doing! Oh yeah, and a commission pays better too!