Flight Simulation for the Brain: Why Army Officers Must Write

摘要

Writing is on the decline in the Army officer corps. Thoughtful, precise writing in staff papers has been replaced by hastily composed e-mails and PowerPoint slides filled with bullet statements of incomplete sentences. This deterioration of writing skills is causing a corresponding deterioration of thinking skills. Writing, although valuable as a communication medium, is most valuable as a powerful way of thinking. Writing forces us to order thoughts in a logical and coherent way. It forces us to critically examine our own thinking, which ultimately leads to better thinking, problem solving, and decision making. If the Army wants better thinkers, we should start by educating better writers.