U.S. Army War College - An Analysis of Class and Seminar Composition and the Impacts of OPMS III

摘要

As the U.S. Army transforms, the United States Army War College (USAWC) endeavors to determine whether the right officers are attending the USAWC and what defines the experience base of arriving students. This paper provides insights into the characteristics of the current and recent resident USAWC classes by examining the mix of branches and functional areas among the Army Active Competitive Category (ACC) officers. An overview of the processes that affect the selection and slating of officers for Senior Service College provides insights on the ACC officer distribution at the USAWC. Analysis shows the impact of the new officer management system (OPMS III) on the USAWC class and the changing characteristics of students in terms of operational depth and specialization skills. Additionally, the overall class mix is examined in terms of Reserve Component, sister service, civilian, and foreign officer representation. The examination of the overall mix is extended to show the student distribution of these groups within the seminars that comprise a class.