Professional Education: Key to Transformation

Abstract

Abstract : The Army, as an institution must face up to the new challenges of the 21st century and transform professional education with the same urgency and energy it is applying to develop the Objective Force. The post Cold War expansion of the Army's professional jurisdiction has created a gap between the knowledge that officers receive during their professional military education, and the professional knowledge that they need to effectively complete the missions they are being assigned in today's complex environment. Traditional warfighting proficiency must be combined with these additional skills if our Army is to remain the world's premier fighting force. Technology alone cannot fill the gap or provide the dominance required to win. This paper looks at the strategic environment, and emerging challenges that demand changes in the officer professional military education system. It examines the Army's current approach to officer education, and makes recommendations to bridge the gap between the Army's professional authority and the level of professional knowledge they have to apply to their work.