Photo By James Foehl | NEWPORT, R.I. (Nov. 4, 2015) Heidi Lane, associate professor of strategy and policy...... read more read more
By Daniel L. Kuester
U.S. Naval War College Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. – The Joint Military Operations (JMO) course at U.S. Naval War College (NWC) conducted its annual two-week educational capstone event, Nov. 2-13.
The students applied educational concepts learned throughout the trimester and examined potential solutions to the current situation in Syria.
“Students learned foundational material, planning, and they looked at contemporary environments,” said Rich Shuster, JMO professor and course director. “This capstone event allows students to synthesize all the material they’ve been given and apply it here in this environment.”
The tasking for the students is fictional, but the situations are real, according to Shuster.
“The students are looking to shape political diplomatic conditions in Syria,” he said. “To do that, we walk them through design methodology and look at understanding the environment, and framing the environment. We ask, what are the drivers of instability?”
The entire class of 228 JMO students took part in the event along with 46 international officers, 50 faculty, and number of subject matter experts. The students were divided into nine groups, each examining the same problem.
Critical thinking in this class is often different from what students have learned as part of their previous military training, according to Air Force Col. Adrian Schuettke, JMO professor.
“We have military planning processes that are linear, and you can pick up a check list and check them off, and you feel very good at the end,” said Schuettke. “And that type of planning works great for many military situations.
“But we find that these traditional military planning methodologies are ill-suited to a lot of real world problems we are encountering today, like Syria. These are problems which are ill-structured and complex. Our methods encourage a lot more discourse and encourage a lot more diversity of thought.”
The students were asked to present an overall plan to stabilize the region.
“For the course, they have learned to think more critically and when they are faced with a problem, can they come up with an effective plan using some of the course concepts we’ve talked about. Hopefully they can draw upon on all the tools we’ve discussed to solve their problems, and plan more effectively,” said Shuster.
Each student group then had to present their plan to a panel of experts who specialize in the area. The students also had to explain their thinking and reasoning.
Experts who worked with the students included Amb. Gerald Feierstein, principal deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of Near East Affairs; Vice Adm. John Miller, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command; Guillermo Barrera, CNO international fellow, NWC; Amb. Deborah Jones, ambassador to Libya; Nirmal Verma, distinguished fellow, NWC; Marine Maj. Gen. Steven Busby, commanding general, Third Marine Aircraft Wing; Paul Jaenichen, maritime administrator; and Rear Adm. P. Gardner Howe III, president, NWC.
The 13-week course draws much of its learning material from the Philippines Campaign during World War II, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
“That battle is a perfect example for studying maritime issues,” said Shuster. “It is a joint setting that is the ideal case to use to understand operational art. An understanding of the Philippine Campaign is a foundation of what joint operational art is and how to use theory on how to plan better, that campaign has it all.”
From this example of state-on-state conflict, the course lessons transition into contemporary conflicts, such as today’s Syria conflict and its complex and changing environments.
| Date Taken: | 11.16.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2015 17:11 |
| Story ID: | 182188 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RI, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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