Continuing education and professional development. .

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, April-June, 2004 by Harvey Crockett

The focus of this article is to provide information on the opportunities available to MI professionals to continue their education and professional development during this time of rapid change and war. While the Enlisted and Warrant Education Systems await their turn for major change, the Officer Education System--the first to go through the Army Training and Leader Development review--is moving rapidly forward with change.

We have captured the changes below and we have also provided some additional information on methods to attain civilian degrees and other career enhancing training; then we discuss opportunities for the warrant officers and enlisted soldiers as well. Take a minute to review the information below to inform yourself better on what educational opportunities exist to ensure you always remain out front, relevant, and ready.

Officer Actions

The point of contact (POC) for officer actions is Ms. Borghardt; readers may contact her via E-mail at charlotte.borghardt@hua.army.mil.

Officer Professional Development: Changes to the Officer Education System (OES)

Within the next few years, we will see major changes in educational training strategies for both Lieutenants and Majors. The Captain-level training had some proposed changes; however, they are on hold. The current Captains Career Course training strategy remains unchanged.

Basic Officer Leadership Course (BOLC). This training concept will replace the current Officer Basic course, as we know it. This new approach will expose Lieutenants of all branches to the same common training as well as training together in a common location. BOLC training will be in three phases. Phase I will be the pre-commissioning phase taught at the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), the U.S. MilitaryAcademy (USMA), and Officer Candidate School (OCS). Phase II will be the field leadership training phase with emphasis on building confidence and leadership and developing rigor and toughness in junior officers. This phase is currently scheduled to be conducted at four locations (Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Bliss, Texas; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma). Phase III will be the actual Branch-specific training phase with officers going to their respective Branch schools; implementation of this training should begin in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2006 (FY06).

Majors' Intermediate-Level Education (ILE).

The concept driving the changes to ILE is the need to ensure that all Army Majors receive the same quality education. All officers will attend the 12-week common-core phase of this training. The Operations officers will attend the training at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, while the other officers will attend the common core at a satellite campus. The training at the satellite campuses will be the same curriculum taught at Fort Leavenworth and taught by Fort Leavenworth instructors. Phase II of the ILE experience will be the Advanced Operations and Warfighting Course at Fort Leavenworth for the Operations officers. This phase will be 28 weeks. The Information Operations Career Field (IOCF), Operational Support Career Field (OSCF), and Institutional Support Career Field (ISCF) officers will attend their functional area training. Two pilot courses run in FY03 were at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and Fort Lee, Virginia. Both met with very favorable review. Full implementation should be in the fourth quarter of FY05.

Career Field Designation (CFD). The officer should not confuse the CFD process with the Functional Area Designation process, which occurs between the officer's fifth and sixth year of service. The CFD process takes place immediately after the Major selection board for that year group (YG) (in the 10th or 11th year). An officer's personal preference is a heavily weighted factor during this process. However, previous functional area experience and Advanced Civil Schooling also contribute to the CFD board decisions. All officers must select a career field, even if they wish to remain in the Operations career field.

Upcoming Officer Selection Boards

The Senior Service College selection board meets in April and the Major selection board will meet from mid-April to mid-May. The Career Field Designation Board for YG94 will meet in mid-June.

Warrant Officer Actions

The POC for Warrant Officer actions is Chief Warrant Officer Five Castleton; readers can contact him via E-mail at Ion.castleton@hua.army.mil.

Professional Development Opportunities

Civilian education is an important part of a warrant officer's career progression and personal development. The Army goal is that all warrant officers have at least an Associate degree and obtain a Bachelor's degree by the time they reach Chief Warrant Officer Four. Many MI warrant officers have earned Master's degrees. Below are several methods available to allow you to earn your civilian degree.

Degree-Completion Program (DCP). This program is for soldiers who have enough credits from an accredited university to earn a degree in 12 months or less. The Human Resources Command (HRC) homepage has all of the information on this program or contact your HRC assignments manager for details. Warrant Officers incur an active duty service obligation for participating in this program.