Professional Military Education for Air Force Officers: Comments and Criticisms - Evolution of Doctrine World War II to Post-Vietnam, Air University, Defining the Officer Corps, Success and Failure

This excellent report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. Professional military education (PME) has played an important part in the career development of US Air Force officers since the USAF became a separate military service in 1947. Although PME is now well established and considered successful, the system has drawn much criticism over the years. In an attempt to produce a reference source for future evaluations of PME, a special study team at Air University's Airpower Research Institute undertook an objective examination of the evolution of professional education in the Air Force. Their research, begun in 1987, ranged over hundreds of primary documents and yielded a vast amount of information, both historical and analytical. This book, edited by two members of the original team, is a distillation of more than 40 years of PME appraisals that were unearthed by the larger study. Such valuations—caustic as well as complimentary—are presented here in the belief that they are ultimately beneficial to PME. If the aim of Air Force professional education is to produce capable officers, then it should be flexible enough to accommodate changes which pursue that goal. Readers of this book will discover that PME continues to serve the best interests of the Air Force because of—rather than in spite of—the steady gaze of critical eyes.

CHAPTER 1 - CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND * Inception Phase, 1946-50 * Trans- and Post-Korean War Phase, 1950-57 * Post-Sputnik Phase, 1958-65 * Vietnam War Phase, 1965-74 * Post-Vietnam War Phase, 1974-79 * Defense Resurgence Phase, 1980-87 * Summary * Notes * CHAPTER 2 - EVOLUTION OF PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION DOCTRINE FOR AIR FORCE OFFICERS * Purpose of Air Force Professional Military Education * Original Intent * Stated Purpose * Broad versus Specialized Education * Air University's Professional Military Education Charter * Original Charter * Informal Guidance * Changes in Air University Regulations * Defining Air University's Goals for Professional Military Education * School Curricula and Mission Statements * Air War College * Air Command and Staff College * Squadron Officer School * Notes * CHAPTER 3 - COMMENTARY ON AIR UNIVERSITY, 1946-87 * Commentary, 1946-67 * Faculty * Curriculum, Educational Philosophy, and Teaching Methods * Research * Student Selection Procedures * Funding Commentary, 1968-87 * Faculty * Curricula * Nonresident Professional Military Education * Teaching Methods * Criticism of Criticisms * Board of Visitors * Air Force Educational Requirements Board Task Group * Self-Development * Notes * CHAPTER 4 - REFLECTIONS ON PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION FOR AIR FORCE OFFICERS * Professional Military Education and Its Environment * Professional Military Education's Foundation: Defining the Officer Corps * Professional Military Education Successes and Failures * Recommendations * Conclusion * Notes