ILE-CC Curriculum

[Van]

Full disclosure: I instruct TASS ILE (the Reserves' "night school" program) here in Hawai'i, and an ROTC instructor as a contractor at University of Hawai'i (the ROTC is a short term contract, I'm back-filling a deployed reservist).

Re:

graduate degree required for promotion to LTC

I would argue that the degree should not be a requirement for promotion, but should be a minor discriminator. That is, an evaluation criteria rather than a screening criteria. It is an opportunity for people who want to go past the tactical/low operational level to 'self-select'. 1- Require or coerce everyone to go after grad school and you devalue the relevance of it. 2- It would be another instance of the Army shoving its duty off on the individual soldier (the Army has a moral, if not legal obligation to train and educate its members). 3- It places a disproportionate value on academic achievement over military achievement.

But most important; it sends a clear message that an officer is actively seeking higher rank and responsibility. Force everyone to do it and this signal is lost in the noise.

As part of the transition from company grade to field grade, officers need refresher (if not remedial) training in the mechanics of writing and education in the content of writing. Senior officers who can't move past their days as a platoon leader are a menace to soldiers, and it seems to me that the ILE/CGSC writing requirements are a necessary part of that transition.

[twotofly]

I agree with Yukon. There is too much writing in the curriculum of ILE. My grades and this post reflect that I could use a refresher course on writing. The last time I wrote a paper is in 1997. I believe that writing four papers and having essay exams does not improve my writing skills. I am just trying to make ends meet by read all of the assigned readings and do my research for the required papers and exams. I believe to improve my skills, as a writer focus on the papers and adjust the written exams to a different type of exam.
It is more important to me to learn from my peers. Just like Yukon states “Time spent at ILE should capitalize on the opportunity to exchange ideas and learn from peer and instructor experience.”

v/r
D. Scooler
Student, ILE-CC at Ft Belvoir, VA.
Staff Group 30-A