most of you guys are completely missing the point of the officer class.
since i had a big hand in developing the officer class and his kit load out, i can tell you haven't quite grasped it yet.
Yes there are new ideas and features I want to give teh officer class that will have to wait for R2 or R3, but the officer class atm, was designed from teh point of view of the Ultimate teamplayer.
some of his kit items may seem strange if you go y realistic standards (realism is not an issue in a fntasy world) and that is also totaly ignoring gameplay.
the goal Set for the officer class was a Person on teh battlefield that had responsibilities.
he was responsible for issuing objectives for his team.
he is responsible for Informing his team of enemy movements and positions (Squad ping and Binoculars)
He is responsible for the heaviest type of infantry fortification (E-web/MK-ii)
He is responsible for makeing sure his Squad Get from Point A - Objective B, in which case he can keep healing his team mates and resupplying them with ammo (albeit it in a much more limited fashion that the classes that specialise in those areas, namely the logistics and medic) this allows him to make his team more effective.
He is responisble for providing his team with spawn points on teh move (himself) or static (squad beacon) where there are no spawn points or flags.
All of these are his responsibility, and they are ALL in aid of getting HIS squad as a whole from wherever they are currently, TO teh objective's he sets and to Best accomplish those objectives.
Thats the Gameplay behind teh officer class and teh thoughts behind it.
and when he is played with the above in mind (play with a Dev/Tester who has been playing as squad lead for some time now and you'll see how effective he is) he can greatly Effect the Course of battles.