Professional Military Education for Today's US Army Captains

Abstract

Abstract : The professional education a captain receives is critical to the foundation of his military career. The Captains' Career Course affords the opportunity to prepare these officers for the increasing responsibilities and challenges they will face, but most importantly, it is the last branch technical training that most officers will receive. Therefore, this educational experience is critical to the officer's development and should receive the attention and resources necessary to develop agile and adaptive leaders. Does the Reserve Component Captains' Career Course provide a professional education comparable to the Active Component Captains' Career Course? This monograph will examine the differences in the types of education received attending either a resident or a non-resident Captains' Career Course. It will examine the methods in which three different courses are administered to both the Active and Reserve Components and compare their similarities and differences, as well as their best practices for administering this phase in the officer education system. In today's complex operational environment, an officer's education, both civilian and military, must continue to develop him personally and professionally. The best method of learning is still through resident training in a collaborative learning environment, where shared experiences and understanding will allow for the best possible experience.