Transforming Initial Entry Training to Produce the Objective Force Soldier

摘要

Transformation of the US Army to the Objective Force generates the requirement to transform Army training to produce the Objective Force Soldier (OFS). The OFS will be different from today's legacy soldier, and will need a different set of knowledge, skills and abilities. The requirement to 'see first, understand first, act first, and finish decisively,' implies not only greater knowledge, but also a measure of wisdom normally equated with more senior officers (noncommissioned as well as commissioned). Today's training base, in particular, Initial Entry Training (IET) produces structured learners who perform well in the legacy force, but lack the knowledge and wisdom to be able to perform satisfactorily in the OF. This paper addresses incorporation of underused and unused adult learning theory to transform IET to produce adaptive learners rather than structured learners. Of the many adult learning theories that exist, Situated Learning is the learning model of choice that if adopted can speed the transition of soldiers from today's structured learner to the OF's adaptive learner. Within Situated Learning, the concept of conducting IET under a Cohort model is also explored.