Do Senior Professional Military Education Schools Produce Strategists?

**Jedburgh** · 06-10-2009

4 Jun 09 testimony before the HASC Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Thinkers and Practitioners: Do Senior Professional Military Education Schools Produce Strategists?

RADM Garry E. Hall, Commandant The Industrial College of the Armed Forces

Maj Gen Robert P. Steel, Commandant The National War College

RADM James P. Wisecup, President The Naval War College

MG Robert M. Williams, Commandant The Army War College

Maj Gen Maurice Forsyth, Commander of the Spaatz Center and Commandant The Air War College

Col Michael Belcher, Director The Marine Corps War College

**Van** · 06-10-2009

Are the politicians competent to interpret the answers?

A gentleman who was on the Republican Party primary ballot in all fifty states in 2008 and I were having a beer in 2007. He was passionate about the need for military action against Iran. When I mentioned something about the other instruments of national power, I got the "bunny in the headlights" look. When I started questioning second and third order effects of military action against Iran, I got the "bunny in the headlights" look.

Nice guy, I'd trust him to watch my kids, but I wouldn't trust him with national strategy, to differentiate between geo-political strategy and military strategy, or to assess the testimony of the officers that briefed the subcommittee.

**Schmedlap** · 06-11-2009

I think it is important to hash out how the question should be framed.

Do we want to produce the folks who devise our national security strategy? Or do we want to produce the folks who devise the military strategy and understand how this integrates with the national security strategy?

ADM Hall starts off by pointing out how many civilians attend the schools, as evidence that this gives the military leaders exposure to non-military folks. The real benefit (which he nibbled around the edges of) is the exact opposite. The benefit is that we give those civilians an opportunity to better understand the military considerations.

It's kind of like when I attended a course on unit level maintenance for our SINCGARS radios. The fact that an Infantry Officer attended a one-week course intended for 31U's did not make the course good by virtue of exposing 31U's to an Infantry Officer. Rather, it was an opportunity afforded to me to better understand the ins-and-outs of my commo NCO's job and taught me how to more effectively use his talents. Same for the civilians at the military schools. The military serves the civilians. Allowing the civilian masters in to better understand their subordinates - that is the real benefit. Not the other way around.

**William F. Owen** · 06-11-2009

From one of the great and good in testimony..

The NWC faculty combines an impressive blend of academic expertise, operational experience, and practical knowledge in the formulation and implementation of national security strategy.

OK, but where does the guidance on that come from? National security strategy is the product of party politics. Sometimes all parties may agree, but what if they don't?

**Bob's World** · 06-11-2009

"Do Senior Professional Military Education Schools Produce Strategists?"

Short answer? No.

We really need to start teaching appropriate aspects of strategy at the 0-4 level; what it is, how to ensure operations support it, etc. Grow leaders to think in strategic terms over their field grade careers, with the Service College being the icing on the cake, and not the batter.