Right Bombs, Right Target: Law of Armed Conflict Instruction for United States Air Force Officer Candidates

Abstract

Mixing a discussion of the law with a discussion of pedagogical methods, this article examines the source and scope of the international legal obligation to educate military members on the law of armed conflict (LOAC). United States Air Force officer candidate education systems serve as the vehicle to identify a quantitative and qualitative baseline LOAC education requirement and assess how such a baseline standard is met by Air Force officer commissioning sources. This article asserts that such a baseline is no longer sufficient for professional military officers engaged in modern armed conflicts. The quantitative and qualitative methodology employed by the United States Air Force Academy to achieve an aspirational level of LOAC education is offered as an example of what the new LOAC education baseline should become to properly instruct future officers for the unique nature of modern armed conflict.