Army Officer Corps Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Foundation Gaps Place Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Operations at Risk - Part 3
Date
2023-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Countering WMD Journal
Abstract
This is the third and final article of the series where the
authors have outlined potential risks the Army may face
in future Joint operations due to the shortage of STEM
competencies in the Army Officer Corps. To assess this risk,
we utilized the Joint Operational model, Notional Phasing for
Predominant Military Activities, from JP 3-0, Joint Operations
as the framework. In parts 1 and 2 we described how the
current efforts in Phase 0 (Shape) and Phase 1 (Deter) were
insufficient to develop the STEM competencies in the Army
Officer Corps at large. As the United States Army is not
directly engaged in a direct or decisive action conflict, our
assumption is that we are currently in Phases 0 and 1. During
these phases, the focus is on the ability of military leaders
to understand the operational environment and develop
competencies in preparation for offensive operations. In
this article, we shift to address the potential future conflicts
and how the lack of STEM competencies could impact the
Army’s ability to win our Nation’s wars. During Phase 2 (Seize
the initiative) and Phase 3 (Dominate) the focus for military
leaders is on executing offensive operations and the abilities
of those leaders to develop an operational plan leading to
mission accomplishment. In Phase 4 (Stabilize) and Phase 5
(Enable Civil Authority) the focus shifts to stability operations
and the leaders’ abilities to use information to enable local
leaders to re-establish authority and control of the operational
environment. With the continued introduction of innovative
technology, it is critically important that military officers at
echelon have foundational STEM competencies in order to
effectively integrate the technology into operations.
Description
item.page.type
Scholarly papers
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Keywords
Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, CWMD, STEM education, Higher education, Officer education, Joint operations
Citation
Lagasse B, Bowers P, Kick A, Gettings M, Chin J, Calangi N, McMahon R, Burpo FJ. Army Officer Corps Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Foundation Gaps Place Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Operations at Risk – Part 3. CWMD Journal. 2023; Spring / Summer 2023(26):43-51..