Interesting topic, but can I ask an obvious question?
Officer training schools (like the German Army/SS schools) produce commissioned officers right? So they start as a candidate, then lower NCO, then higher ranked NCO, then officer (if they get that far)?

I read somewhere that NCO ranks were combat field promotions for enlisted men. So then an enlisted man could achieve rank of NCO through his actions in combat? I may be wrong here. If this field promotion idea is correct, then what would be the difference between a field promoted NCO and a schooled NCO? Would they carry the same edged weapons and have the same uniform?

Von zwei �beln w�hlt man besser das, was man schon kennt.