Education & Distance Learning Enthusiasts- Officer development

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Officer development - Log News

Army Logistician - March 1, 2003

The article, "Designing a Lieutenant Professional Development Training Program," which appeared in your November-December 2002 issue, was a good update on an important aspect of officer professional development (OPD)--unit-level or operational training, education, and experience. This always has been recognized to one degree or another as a critical requirement for young, inexperienced company-grade officers. Programs have relied on the entire chain of command being involved and taking the time to ensure that the various requirements are met on time.

Anticipated changes in the Officer Education System (OES), specifically in the way captains complete their educational requirements, will make it necessary to better manage the OPD needs of this group of officers as well. Features include "just-in-time" training and education for captains in a combination of Army distance learning (ADL) and TDY-and-return resident courses rather than the current Captains Career Courses that require a 24-week PCS. Less time will be required to complete the new courses. Segments will include basic and branch-specific staff officer skills and common and branch-specific company commanders training. Commanders, brigade and battalion, will be responsible for managing OPD for captains as closely as for lieutenants who are now at the company and battalion level.

The goals are to reduce the trainees, transients, holdees, and students (TTHS) account; provide officers the skills they require to serve successfully in their immediate future positions; take advantage of emerging technologies, such as ADL; and reduce turbulence within units and families.

My first concern is about the reliance on ADL: We may be educating and training future leaders to lead through electrons. In addition, ADL may not provide the savings expected because of the cost of developing programs of instruction and providing the worldwide connectivity needed for access by the officers.

My second concern is about placing the burden of managing the educational development of captains on battalion and brigade commanders, both for training and operations, in a time of increased deployments. Will these commanders be willing and able to provide officers the time to concentrate on ADL courses when their units are gearing up for combat training center or operational deployments?

Finally, what will we, as an Army, lose by not bringing together young officers to share ideas and discuss experiences?

Lieutenant Colonel Mike Lemm

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

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