A frequent debate within the pages of this publication concerns the professional development of strategic thinkers—strategic corporals to strategic colonels. Many contributing authors generally agree that waiting until war college matriculation is too late to learn strategic thinking. However, junior officers are rightfully focused on developing their tactical expertise and, more importantly, fighting the current war. So when do we provide a strategic education?
Assignments that expose junior officers to the political and strategic perspectives of national security; e.g., congressional fellowships, military assistant positions, and other political-military assignments, are rare, highly competitive, and geographically limited to the national capital region. The professional military education institutions provide some relief, but it is still an officer’s individual responsibility to self-educate or learn vicariously through individual effort. Self-education has limits due to time investment in perfecting the craft. Think of the library of books an officer must read to become a good tactician. Then the officer must reread these books because the great tacticians were often poor operational artists. When exposed to strategic issues, military history supplements studies in economics, current events, demographics, finance, industry, technology, future trends, culture, politics, and the list goes on. While officers can always subscribe to Foreign Affairs, the Department of Defense in general and the Marine Corps in particular can, and should, do better.
In 2008 the National Defense University’s Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) instituted the Program for Emerging Leaders (PEL) in order to develop a community of rising U.S. Government leaders with the awareness and skill set for responding to the dangers of WMD. This program develops an appreciation of the variety of WMD threats and the full range of means, processes, and organizations that addresses them and builds an interagency network of next-generation leaders who understand the role of WMD in U.S. national security. PEL activities are designed to allow participants to remain in their current assignments with minimal disruption to their duties during a 3-year, nonresident fellowship and include classroom seminars/lectures featuring expert-led discussions on topical WMD issues and site visits to agencies and departments with responsibilities related to WMD.
Granted, the Marine Corps is not a member of the nuclear triad, is rarely exposed to strategic weapons, and is very busy with the current fight in Afghanistan. However, an enlightened commander should recognize that this program provides our Marines with unique perspectives and access to senior national security professionals that will prove invaluable to our Corps in the future. As a member of this program, I had unique opportunities to participate in interagency workshops, participate in seminars with senior policymakers, and make site visits to meet with senior practitioners within the national security community. The greatest benefit, however, was the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with joint and interagency peers who are serious about their responsibilities and will eventually assume leadership roles in the national security community.
In February 2009 a panel of senior national security leaders selected 25 applicants for PEL membership from a highly qualified and competitive pool of 200 Service and agency nominees. No Marines were selected. In February 2010 the panel convened again without selecting a Marine. The next selection board convenes February 2011??? SHOULD THIS BE 2012? and the pool of nominees is expected to increase significantly. PEL members are competitively selected from early to midcareer U.S. Government employees (GS–9 through GS–13 civilians or captain through major military ranks) and possess at least 3 years of professional experience since receiving a baccalaureate degree. While a background in WMD is not required, applicants to this program must have responsibilities related to national security, have leadership potential, and demonstrate an interest in WMD issues. Applicants submit a short personal statement explaining their interest in the program and a resume outlining their experience, and they must have nomination letters from senior members of their Service or agency. Ideally, a candidate for this program should reside in the national capital region. Most important is that the candidate’s commander provides time to fully participate in the program.
Commanders considering this program for their Marines are welcome to contact me at philip.cushman@us.army.mil for further information, or they can access the program’s website at http://www.ndu.edu/WMDCenter.
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