Challenges of Leadership Development in the United States Army: Part II: The School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS)

摘要

As the United States Army enters the 21st Century, it is focused on transformation of the force to meet the challenges of the future. The Army is spending large amounts of resources to organize and equip the Initial Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT) at Ft. Lewis, Washington along with its continued digitization of the III Corps at Ft. Hood, Texas. Transformation's main effort has been centered on equipment and organizational issues. Some changes have occurred in officer leadership development, primarily in officer management and assessment with the advent of OPMS XXI in 1997. The United States Army has not given the same focus to the most essential element of combat power, leadership. Surveys indicate decline in officer morale. Record number of lieutenant colonels and%colonels are getting out early or turning down command. Officers attending the Command & General Staff Officer Course (CGSOC) are voicing their concerns. The Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki, convened a 'Blue Ribbon' panel in 2000 to investigate shortcomings in leadership and training. This monograph asks should the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) have a leadership development program and if so, what should it look like. This monograph concludes that SAMS does need a leadership development program. SAMS graduates are leaders within staffs and units that require effective leadership abilities. SAMS graduates can be the 'seed corn' to improve leadership not only in the United States Army but other services as well. The SAMS Leadership Development Program (SLDP) is an embedded program that establishes a process to provide individual feedback to the students attending the Advanced Military Studies Program (AMSP) and the Advanced Operational Art Studies Fellowship (AOASF). SLDP assesses, counsels (informal & formal), coaches and mentors students toward improving their leadership 'blind spots' in a learning free environment.