FA59 Education Opportunities

By its nature, strategy is more demanding of the intellect and imagination than most other military and policy competencies. Strategists must possess highly developed analytical and problem solving skills to rapidly conceptualize and develop creative feasible solutions to complex strategic challenges. Further, they must succinctly convey complicated conceptual or analytical material in a manner that is clearly understood by decision makers.

Army strategists combine excellence in military planning and policy development with broad, liberal education backgrounds. Most Army strategists embrace life–long learning and possess graduate degrees in strategy–related fields (History, International Relations, National Security, Public Affairs, Foreign Policy, and Regional Studies). Their unique skills and operational experiences enable strategists to diagnose complex issues, develop viable strategies, lead execution, and assess effectiveness. To prepare our officers for this challenge, FA59 offers a diverse and rich variety of military, civilian, and fellowship education opportunities.

Civilian Education.

The FA59 population is one of the best educated career fields in the Army. The percentages to the right depict only part of the overall FA59 education picture. Almost 20% of FA59 officers possess multiple graduate degrees. The degrees vary, and FA59 encourages degrees in history, strategy, policy, international affairs, international security, regional specializations, economics, and advanced military topics.

We are aggressive in creating opportunities for our officers to achieve those degrees. FA59 retains a robust ACS program (to include opportunities at Navy Postgraduate School); a dedicated annual position at Johns Hopkins SAIS; strong representation on the U.S. Military Academy faculty; dedicated billets at the Joint Military Intelligence College; stabilized assignments that enable officers to leverage local universities; and numerous opportunities to attend degree–producing command and staff programs.

The HQDA G3 Proponent for FA59 is also developing initiatives to assist future FA59 officers who are pursuing PhDs. FA59 allocated its first PhD ACS allocation in late 2007. Dependent upon the success of the program, we may expand PhD ACS opportunities. If you are a LTC who is ABD in a PhD program, then contact LTC Sledge.

Military Education.

Most FA59s attend Intermediate Level Education (ILE), followed by the Basic Strategic Art Program (BSAP) before their first FA59 assignment. In addition to this core track, officers are encouraged to complete the Defense Strategy Course (DSC) and a service Advanced Military Studies Program (AMSP—also called SAMS, SAW, JAWS, etc).

Intermediate Level Education. Army Intermediate Level Education and other service command and staff colleges educate and train intermediate level officers to operate in full spectrum Army, joint, interagency, and multinational operations as field grade staff officers. The ILE common core course establishes standardized operational warfighting education that prepares all field grade officers for service in division, corps, theater army, and joint staffs.

There is no correlation between resident and non–resident programs and promotability. Completion of MEL–4 education before the LTC promotion board is critical.

According to ALARACT message Subject: Implementation of ILE: Army ISC Attendance Policy, DTG 041338Z FEB 03, Army officers in the following year groups must achieve the following:

    Year Group 94 and subsequent:

• Attend 16 week ILE at one of the course location sites. Most FA59 officers will attend ILE en–route to an FA59 assignment or in conjunction with BSAP.
• Complete through the Advanced Distributed Learning. Officers teaching at USMA or locked into other long–term assignments as FA59s should contact the HRC Career Manager, LTC Sledge, regarding this option.
• Complete the three phase RC ILE distributed learning. Applies to some Limited Call to Active Duty officers.
• Complete another service resident Command and Staff program that confers MEL–4/JPME PH1. For FA59 officers, this is usually Naval Command and Staff College. Officers attending other service programs must also attend a common core course. Contact the HRC Career Manager, LTC Sledge, regarding this option.
• Complete the Joint Advanced Warfighting School. JAWS confers MEL4 and JPME Ph1/Ph2. This is very competitive across the Army, and FA59 cannot guarantee admission to the school. Contact the HRC Career Manager, LTC Sledge, regarding this option.

    Year Group 93 and older:

• Were selected for CSC and completed resident Command and General Staff College.
• Were selected for CSC and completed Non-Resident Command and General Staff College.
• Were selected for CSC and completed another service resident Command and Staff program that confers MEL–4.

For the officers in YG94 and younger who have not attended ILE and are already assigned to units, please try to have your unit send you in a TDY and Return status during a down period in the unit operations cycle. For many officers, we will send them to ILE between later assignments, but the scheduling seriously impedes our ability to send them to JPMEII or other developmental courses required by joint or allied headquarters. For officers at USMA, we recommend that you apply for non–resident ILE.

Course	Dates	Location	Remarks
ILE 701F	27 AUG –14 DEC 07	Fort Belvoir, VA	Full
ILE 701D	2 JAN–18 APR 08	Fort Lee, VA	Available
ILE 701F	5 JAN–22 APR 08	Fort Belvoir, VA	Available
ILE 701E	1 MAY–15 AUG 08	Fort Gordon, GA	Usually not available for FA59
ILE 701F	30 APR–15 AUG 08	Fort Belvoir, VA	Available
ILE 701E	24 JUN–10 OCT 08	Fort Gordon, GA	Usually not available for FA59
ILE TBD	AUG– DEC 08	Fort Lee, VA	ATRRS window opens Winter 08
ILE TBD	AUG–DEC 08	Fort Belvoir, VA	ATRRS window opens Winter 08

Basic Strategic Art Program (BSAP). BSAP is an intensive 14–week program, conducted at the graduate level, by designated faculty members of the U.S. Army War College in CARLISLE, PA. The course educates newly designated FA59s in the fundamentals of national strategy. It also introduces the officers to the unique skills, knowledge, and attributes needed as a foundation for their progressive development as Army strategists. BSAP fills a critical educational requirement for FA59 designated officers, providing them the tools to bridge the gap between their tactical/operational background and the challenges of operating at the grand–strategic and theater–strategic levels of war and policy. BSAP is a mandatory requirement for all FA59 designated officers of YG95 and beyond. Officers in YG94 and older are encouraged to attend if seats are available, particularly if they are CFD transfers into FA59. BSAP is conducted twice per year with an annual throughput of 30 officers from the active, reserve, and National Guard components. BSAP is funded

Most FA59 officers will attend BSAP and ILE within a six month window in a TDY En–route status. Also, we encourage officers to request BSAP if their organizations’ operational cycles permit them to attend in a TDY and Return status. Our goal is to surge AC officers through BSAP in FY07 and FY08, before the Army makes TTHS reductions IAW the Army Campaign Plan. This effort will also open billets to USAR and ARNG FA59 officers as the reserve component increases its TTHS allocations after FY08.

Per HQDA, DAMO-TRC Message dated 1/5/2006, subject: Military Training Service Support Program, the Basic Strategic Art Program is centrally funded. Units pay only the travel costs for FA59s when they are in a TDY and Return status. To enroll in the program, contact the HRC Career Manager, LTC Sledge.

Course Director is LTC George.

Course	Dates	Location	Remarks
BSAP	14 MAY–17 AUG 07	Carlisle, PA	In session
BSAP	8 JAN–13 APR 08	Carlisle, PA	AC filled, RC open
BSAP	15 MAY–20 AUG 08	Carlisle, PA	AC open, RC open
BSAP	AUG–DEC 08 (TBD)	Carlisle, PA	AC open, RC open; Course status pending

Scheduling:

AC	ARNG	USAR
Contact LTC Sledge.	Army National Guard Readiness Branch Individual Training Branch (NGB–ART–I) 111 S. George Mason Drive Arlington, VA 22204 1382	HRC St. Louis AHRC–PAV–BB 1 Reserve Way St. Louis, MO 63132 5200 Comm: (314)–592–0000, ext. 5424

To be posted, FA59 syllabus.

Defense Strategy Course. The Defense Strategy Course is a six–month distance education program provided by the U.S. Army War College in CARLISLE, PA. The course improves student understanding of the role of the Department of Defense in the development of national security strategy. The Defense Strategy Course also addresses the national security policymaking process and the relationship of the national elements of power to defense strategy. The DSC is open to all Army officers who have graduated CGSC or ILE and who have not enrolled in or completed a Senior Service College Program. FA59 officers may enroll in the program upon their CFD—all other requirements are waived. The Defense Strategy Course is conducted twice per year with an annual throughput of approximately 50 active component and 50 reserve component officers per year.

Effective January 2008, the Defense Strategy Course will be a requirement for all officers attending the Basic Strategic Art Program.

Course Director is LTC Fetter.

Course	Dates	Location	Remarks
DSC 07/02	19 JUN–15 DEC 07	Carlisle, PA (Non resident)	Full
DSC 08/01	FEB–JUL 08	Carlisle, PA (Non resident)	AC/RC enrollment starts AUG 07
DSC 08/02	JUN–DEC 08	Carlisle, PA (Non resident)	AC/RC enrollment starts MAR 08

Scheduling:

AC	ARNG	USAR
Contact LTC Sledge.	Army National Guard Strategic Plans Br Attn: MAJ Luebbert, (703) 607–4329 111 S. George Mason Drive Arlington, VA 22204 1382	HRC St. Louis AHRC–PAV–BB 1 Reserve Way St. Louis, MO 63132 5200 Comm: (314) 592–0000, ext. 5424

Red Team University. Red Team University, conducted at FORT LEAVENWORTH, KS, offers a 9 week (Red Team Member) or an 18 week course (Red Team Leader) designed to improve the student’s ability to articulate adversary courses of action. The course includes tactical, operational, and strategic level exercises and practicum designed to train students in applying theory and knowledge to real–world situations. In addition, students will be exposed to cultural and civic paradigms which shape the thinking of our adversaries. Currently, there is one FA59 major authorization at each Corps Headquarters for a Red Team Member. Students who complete the program will receive the Additional Skill Identifier 7G. FA59 officers attending the School of Advanced Military Studies are strongly encouraged to take the Red Team Leader course as an elective. The program is still in its experimental phase and is offered in only in resident format. The course is open to MAJs and LTCs who have graduated ILE.

Advanced Military Studies Programs. The various service programs (SAMS, SAW, SAASS, JAWS) are nine–month programs. These programs educate and train officers in military art and science who are able to prepare and execute full spectrum operations in joint, multinational, and interagency contexts. The curricula integrate military history, military theory, and execution–based practical exercises. These programs dramatically improve students’ cognitive problem–solving and campaign planning skills. These programs are highly recommended to strategists and are open to those officers who have graduated CGSC or ILE. Following graduation, officers will serve a minimum of a twelve–month utilization tour in critical battle staff position. FA59s should follow one of two tracks. Junior majors may apply upon completion of ILE to attend one of these courses. Upon graduation, these officers will likely serve in Tier I assignments at division or corps staffs. Senior majors may also apply to SAMS. Officers should time their course attendance so that they are promotable majors upon graduation. This will allow them to be assigned to Tier II utilization assignments at a regional combatant command or joint task force.

Many taskers to Afghanistan and Iraq require SAMS–qualified officers. Also, many theater army headquarters are requesting low densities of SAMS–qualified officers to meet specific requirements. Though 17% of our FA59 population has attended SAMS, over a third of that population is comprised of colonels and half of the remainder is assigned to joint assignments. This means that SAMS–qualified officers may expect slightly higher frequency of deployments than the rest of the population.

Finally, there is no correlation between attending SAMS and promotability. Current FA59 colonels are disproportionately SAMS–qualified, but they reflect the original core of planners around which the FA59 Career Field originally formed.

It is the goal of the FA59 Proponent that 50% of each year group cohort, beginning with YG2000, attend an AMSP program. During this period, officers will have ample opportunity to complete a masters degree at either a service institution or a reputable civilian program. In addition, officers attending SAMS are encouraged to enroll in Red Team University electives. Officers that complete AMSP and Red Team can expect award of Additional Skill Identifiers 6S (AMSP Grad(Pending)) and 7G (Red Team Member).

Joint & Combined Warfighting School. The JPME Phase II course is a twelve week course taught at the Joint Forces Staff College in SUFFOLK, VA. The course instructs students on the latest joint operational concepts and joint lessons learned. The course is available to officers selected for joint, combined, and interagency assignments that have been coded to require JCWS, and who have completed ILE or its equivalent. Flag officers at the sponsoring command may waive the ILE requirement. Because the JCWS course is not centrally funded, many joint organizations are not releasing their officers to attend. For FA59 officers, we will try to send you TDY en–route to the assignment to ensure you receive the school.

Course	Dates	Location	Remarks
JCWS	9 SEP–16 NOV 07	Suffolk, VA	Open
JCWS	13 JAN–21 MAR 08	Suffolk, VA	Open
JCWS	6 APR–13 JUN 08	Suffolk, VA	Open
JCWS	23 JUN–29 AUG 08	Suffolk, VA	Open

Senior Service Colleges. Senior Service Colleges are ten month courses taught at the various service War Colleges. The programs instruct students on national strategy, national security, strategic leadership, force readiness, regional studies, theater strategy, and campaigning. Commencing in 2006, graduates of Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps War Colleges will receive JPME Phase II certification and MEL–1 credit. All resident senior service colleges and the Army War College distance learning program provide masters programs. Other distance learning programs, senior service college fellowships, and foreign service colleges provide differing levels of education and certification. In most cases, officers enrolled in these programs receive JPME Phase I certification and MEL–1 credit. Enrollment in resident or non–resident programs incurs an additional duty service obligation.

FA59 officers attending the U.S. Army War College are expected to enroll in the Advanced Strategic Art Program. The Advanced Strategic Art Program provides a highly select group of resident students with an appreciation of strategic theory, art, and theater strategy. The course focuses on the nexus between national wartime strategy and theater strategy. This unique program will build upon FA59 officers’ understandings of history, theory, and strategy to develop better informed professional perspectives on joint theater operations.

Competition for senior service colleges or SSC fellowships is extremely competitive—with current selection rates requiring a high percentage of above center of mass OER ratings from MAJ through LTC. Selection for Washington, D.C. senior service colleges and fellowships is even more competitive. Contact the HRC Career Manager, LTC Sledge.

Select FA59 officers may also attend foreign senior service colleges that have been certified to meet U.S. Army senior service college requirements.

Fellowship Opportunities.

To be posted.