Monday, May 10, 2010

Report of officer education - partial credit

Via Rick Maze at NavyTimes - after a 15 year break, Congress is looking at what to do about officer professional education.

First - the good.
In general, the subcommittee, headed by Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., found that the education system is “basically sound” but has much room for improvement.
...
Sending more officers to civilian institutions early in their careers is another recommendation, and the panel suggests having them study something more than just military-related subjects.
And the bad.
One requirement to reach flag and general officer rank is to complete professional training in joint service matters, an outgrowth of the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act that tried to reduce interservice rivalries.

Officers are getting the joint-service training, but the curricula and depth of what they learn give the impression that completing coursework is more a matter of fulfilling the requirement for promotion than learning something that would actually help in a future assignment. If anything, professional training for flag and general officers is lacking, the report says.

Fitting professional education into a career is difficult, the report acknowledges, but urges the services to find a way to make time.

“There is a tension between the officer’s assignments necessary for career development, the needs of the joint force, and professional military education, whether it is at a military institution or a civilian institution,” the report says. “Officers are finding it increasingly challenging to complete their required [professional military education], which is only compounded by current operational requirements.”
The problem is bracket creep.

There is no reason for anyone to go to a War College or do the dorked-up distance learning JPME Phase I prior to CDR Command. As a recividist Staff Weenie at the Major Command Joint Level - I can tell you that some of the worst Staff Officers had JPME I & II complete. Some of the best had zero JPME and/or War College. There is zero connection to performance at the CDR level and below. Zero. Making CDR and below go through those hoops early actually are a drain on our leadership pool

Let the CDR and below maximize doing what they should be doing - leading Sailors at the tactical level. That way, we don't have issues with CDRs in Command who only have the bare minimum - and sometimes below that - level of experience their primary warfare speciality during their CDR Command. People "too busy" as LT, LCDR, and CDRs to fly or drive ships run off runways or run aground in Command and do a pi55-poor job training their junior officers. We have see enough of both in the last couple of years.

Once you are through with CDR Command - then go to War College. No reason to waste those years prior. Also no reason to tell a young officer that even though he is working 60 hr weeks on shore duty, he needs to work on the JPME on a non-residency basis as well.

For those who desire it - yes more PhD programs before CDR Command. That is fine. Better yet - post CDR Command. There is plenty of time for that. What we don't have enough time though is letting the LT - CDR officers lead Sailors at the tactical level at sea and ashore.

Let's go positive again though. I liked this,
• The panel expresses concern that the services are not growing enough strategists. It calls for sending some junior officers to top-tier universities for doctoral studies in history, political science, international relations and economics.

“All of the services should cultivate strategists to assume positions of senior command authority,” the report says.

The services send people now, but mostly to prepare them to join the faculty at defense or service schools rather than for broader purposes, such as building “a cadre of strategic thinkers for the operating forces and higher-level staffs.”
Though most of my reasons for leaving Active Duty were personal - on the professional side of the ledger was the absolute horror show that was the Community Detailer shop in Millington.

I'll spare you the details, but it is similar to the issues with the last paragraph in the above quote.

28 comments:

UltimaRatioRegis said...

PHIB!

Did you miss the message that all Officers are to be mediocre at everything instead of good at their thing?  Sure, sure, you can sink enemy ships and win battles and wars by being good at the technical and tactical skills of warfighting, but how in hell can you prepare for tsunami relief operations and liaison with NGOs unless you have dulled and neglected your warfighting skills for the more important "jointness" that makes everyone feel good about themselves?

Grumpy Old Ham said...

<span>As a recividist Staff Weenie at the Major Command Joint Level - I can tell you that some of the worst Staff Officers had JPME I & II complete. Some of the best had zero JPME and/or War College.</span>

My experience at CENTCOM tends to confirm this assessment.  Worse, in looking back at that time, I would have to candidly say I fell more in the first category than the second.  Live and learn...

cdrsalamander said...

You're right.  My bust.  I forgot to include that we should do exchange tours with the Peace Corps, Greenpeace, and the kids from Whale Wars.  Let's go get our nipples pierced while we are at it....then again, you do that.  We'll let LBG get a Prince Albert.

Swampfox said...

What's wrong with "the dorked-up" distance learning JPME?  Did you go through it or is this comment based on others' experiences? "Dorked up" sounds pretty bad...

Lobotomized said...

If a junior LT can hammer through the  the gouged up distance learning courses from Air Command and Staff College while serving as a pilot in a deployed squadron while simultaneously completing a "pay your fee and get your B" masters program from Embry Riddell all before finishing their first Sea Tour during wartime you can be  assured that they are not learning and retaining the strategy lessons needed for post CDR Command when the knowledge will actually be needed.  However since he got it done "early and easily" it puts pressure on everyone else to get it done in order to "compete" for the next EP fitrep.  That's dorked up. 

YNSN said...

'joint'...

Another word for wearing a different uniform than you're used to and having to accept things like no one will ever know how to actually address you as "YN2".  Not YN, H20, Sergeant and Sir.

Thought it will never get old hearing my CSM try to get it right.     

I feel for the LT that is out here as well.  Army CPTs will call him on the phone and start talking down to him almost instantly, not knowing he is of equal rank.

Swampfox said...

OK...Air Command and Staff has that rep for the online course, or CD course...I thought he were talking about the seminar courses that require in-class attendance and are essentially the same courses taught on-campus.

But I thought all of the "new media" people were in favor of on-line education?  You know, "knowledge management", etc....

Retired AC1 said...

Instead of all the "book learnin" where are our leaders? Picture Halsey or King being told they have to get their tickets punched at these poultry defication schools. Me think there would be some punching but not tickets! Just my $.02 but there is to much "schooling" and not enough deckplate skills OR leadership training

UltimaRatioRegis said...

Yeah, but the flip side is more than one stay in VIP quarters at a Navy BOQ for identifying myself as "Captain". 

Mike M. said...

Two points....

First, I think a sharp line should be drawn between the nonresident programs and the online courses.  The former are quite good.  If anything, you can get some very good class discussions going, as the students aren't spouting the schoolbook answers...and you get some students who have unusual backgrounds.

Second, I'd look at the civilian sector for strategists, as well as at the military.  Naval strategy, in particular, has profited greatly from civilian thinkers.  Julian Corbett, for one.

ActusRhesus said...

Ugh.  In Iraq I always had to make a point to identify myself as NAVY LT. Or, Hi this is LT Rhesus...Captain Rhesus in your language...

UltimaRatioRegis said...

That's okay AR.  Everyone from SSgt to SgtMaj in a Marine uniform seems to be "Gunny". 

LBG said...

That would be faaabulouth.  US Navy, it's not a job, it's not an adventure, it's all about how you feel about yourself. 

LBG said...

At this point, my mom and Kristen are thinking, "What the heck is a Prince Albert?"  Do NOT google it.  :)

C-dore 14 said...

URR, One of the reasons I always tell them "Captain...O-6" when we reserve a room at a USMC BOQ on our occasional visits to see the grandkids.  Hasn't failed yet. ;)

C-dore 14 said...

Damn...don't know how I got through my first Pentagon tour (dealing with Joint matters no less) without War College, JPME, etc.  Of course back in those days a "Navy-sponsored" masters degree was all the education that they figured you needed and you weren't going to NWC if you had one.  

That all changed in '86...

UltimaRatioRegis said...

What? And miss the experience of cold and cold running water, the shared head, green wool blanket and Korean War vintage sheets and stained pillowcase? 

xformed said...

I know...i got the call:  "This is your detailer, your orders to NPGS have been cancelled...."

Sux when your relief bones up his INSURV and his CO cancels his orders, and the snowball effect begins.

On the other hand...I was "forced" to read all that history... :)

Grandpa Bluewater said...

Overheard at Between Kirtland AFB and NWEF Albuquerque in the 1970's (speaker phone on). 
AF Sgt: Pardon me, sir,  are you a first Lt or a second Lt? 

NESEP post DH (FBM Weapons Officer) ex ETC(SS): Son, I am a REAL
LT in the real US Navy, put your air force captain on the line. 

Never knew you could pronounce lower case letters and capitalized words over the phone, but it can and was.  And in a completely genial tone to E4.

SCOTTtheBADGER said...

Man, you a bunch of sick people. 

C-dore 14 said...

xformed, It doesn't suck as bad as picking up the San Diego "Union" and reading that your relief has been murdered by his wife's ex-husband.

Chap said...

That's my gig except for the piercing part (leave that to my EM div back in the day to take care of and oh do I have stories).  I'm yer dude for the weird liaison crap; we're good at translating cultures and such.

Chap said...

Prince Albert: In the can?

Chap said...

Best mil ed I had was the old correspondence course when I didn't know to look at only parts of the book while they sent me boxes of books new to me like Clausewitz and such.  Great education in spite of the program.

C-dore 14 said...

URR, Thanks...I had that experience at military boarding school when I was a teenager.

UltimaRatioRegis said...

It was for your own good, Commodore!

C-dore 14 said...

"It's only a lot of reading if you do it."

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