Monograph
One of the great challenges the military faces is remaining current and preparing the current and future generations of soldiers for inevitable shifts to the geopolitical environment, technological changes, and shifts in both domestic and foreign policies. The importance of preparing officers for the new realities of unpredictable environments and non-state actors cannot be underestimated.[footnoteRef:1] The roles and goals of the AMSP and SAMS have not changed. These educational programs provide the requisite advanced and specialized knowledge to foster critical thinking and strategic analysis among military leaders. What must be remembered, however, is the need for organizational awareness and the willingness to change. [1: Edward B. Bankston, Boards vs. Bureaucracies: Field Grade Officer Education in the United States Army, 1946-1985. School of Advanced Military Studies Monograph, 2013.]
This analysis points out the importance of analyzing post-Cold War realities and adapting AMSP and SAMS programs accordingly to include such things as warfighting function and capacity building.[footnoteRef:2] Some critics have suggested that changes to the SAMS and AMSP program curricula since 2007 and 2008 have been ill suited for the current needs of the military and that SAMS might prove itself irrelevant to meeting the goals and needs of combat in the war on terror.[footnoteRef:3] This has led to the current research that aims to provide an empirical framework for analysis. [2: Eric L. Walker,, Achieving Operational Adaptability. School of Advanced Military Studies Monograph, 2010.] [3: Jeffrey J.,Goble, Wants and Needs: SMAS' Relationship with the Army. School of Advanced Military Studies Monograph, 2008.]
At the same time, adult and continuing education programs have become stronger, and have emphasized the importance for ongoing officer development.[footnoteRef:4] This research on the effectiveness of SAMS officers after three specific conflicts, coupled with a review of literature, shows that the Army has been adequately and fairly preparing officers through their educational programs.[footnoteRef:5] [4: Matthew R. McKinley, An Assessment of the Army Officer Education System from an Adult Learning Perspective. School of Advanced Military Studies Monograph, 2005.] [5: William T. Beck, Developing Army Leaders Through CGSOC/AMSP and BCTP. School of Advanced Military Studies Monograph, 2005.]
To recap for the purposes of analysis, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) is the parent organization to SAMS, which in turn operates AMSP along with several other key educational programs. Ideally, these programs work together under the CGSC rubric to promote the goals of the military by the development and training of capable leaders. AMSP curriculum focuses on a gamut of subject areas including military history, theory, doctrine, and practice. Upon completion of the program, the graduates receive a Masters in Military Art and Science. A degree as lofty and prestigious as the one issued from CGSC is only as good as the paper it is printed on, unless it can be proven effective in action. This research defines effectiveness as perceived preparedness for real life, real world scenarios that were only covered in theory during the courses of instruction. Graduates need to be fully prepared to analyze and strategize based on prevailing facts on the ground, historical precedent, and the nuances of the situation. Most importantly, graduates need to offer clear options to their commanders during military conflicts. Are AMSP graduates capable of thinking critically and creatively? If so, are they able to communicate effectively the various options, the reasoning behind those options, and make strong recommendations based on astute analysis? The effectiveness of the military depends on the decisions made by leaders, who count on AMSP graduates for their role as creative and critical thinkers.
This research revealed the efficacy of the AMSP, especially as curricula have changed to incorporate current and future contingencies in both combat and strategy. For example, the Design and Operational Art (DOA) program offers concrete means by which to engage in conceptual planning; whereas the Future Operational Art (FOA) encourages students to think creatively and critically about potential futures and how to respond to them effectively.
This research shows how AMSP graduates fared in three real-world conflicts: Operation Just Cause in Panama, Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm in Iraq, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. Each of these conflicts presented unique problems, which challenged AMSP graduates and revealed strengths and weaknesses in the educational program and curricula. Based on an analysis of performance after Operation Just Cause, it was clearly evident that SAMS accomplished its goal of training officers in strategy, communications, critical thinking, and creative thinking. Successes on the field,...
Monograph Introduction "I finally got into the habit of study, which I never really had before. I revived what little I had carried out of college…but it was hardest work I ever did in my life…I learned how to learn. General George C. Marshall The School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), based out of Fort Leavenworth, has as one of its main tasks the updating, administration and perfection of the Advanced Military Studies
Military Education SAMS MONOGRAPH PROSPECTUS FIELD OF STUDY The field of study will be a combination of history and operational art. The proposed topic is professional military education at the field-grade level during periods of peace. The training and actions after Armistice and after World War II will serve as case studies to help understand the topic at a deeper level. After twelve years of conflict and two wars, what reasonable quality of training
" (Rand National Defense Research Institute, 2009) It is reported by Rand National Defense Research Institute that when service members and their spouses were polled for the purpose of making an assessment of the readiness of the family for the most recent deployment. Findings state as follows: 65% of service members and 60% of spouses indicated (Rand National Defense Research Institute, 2009) The way that family readiness was defined is stated to however
The relevance of a resilient force cannot be overstated. As a matter of fact, as Sinclair and Britt (2013) point out, “many of history’s great armies have distinguished themselves by demonstrating superb individual and organizational resilience” (79). Towards this end, there are various strategies that a CSM/SGM could employ in an attempt to not only manage organizational stress, but also develop resilient organizations. To begin with, it should be noted
In the future, though, the influence the U.S. must wield over nations such as Pakistan that are Muslim yet strive to be part of the international community, is likely to be contingent upon the U.S.' recapitulation perceived moral authority as well as its ability to use economic and military carrots and sticks. American influence is also dependant upon the international population's own perceptions of the U.S. As well as
On page 138 Halberstam explains that the initial American units "…thrown into battle were poorly armed, in terrible shape physically, and, more often than not, poorly led" (Halberstam, 2007, 138). The U.S. was trying to get by "…on the cheap," Halberstam explains, and it Korea "it showed immediately"; Truman wanted to keep taxes low, he wanted to try and pay off the debt from the enormous expenditures in WWII,
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