Evaluating the Effectiveness of CAS3 from the Perspectives of the Students

摘要

The Combined Arms and Services Staff School (CAS3) is a 6-week course for ArmyCaptains that teaches the skills necessary to function as effective staff officers. The U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences helped in the evaluation of CAS3 by collecting feedback from students regarding their experiences in the course. One week before graduation CAS3 students completed a survey that assessed improvement on a variety of skills and asked for the students' perceptions of the course. This report is based on the students' most and least valuable experiences at CAS3 as well as their recommendations for change. Although interacting with other branches was viewed as one of the most valuable experiences at CAS3, students listed poor group dynamics as one of their least valued experiences at CAS3. The results are discussed in terms of recent changes at CAS3 and the importance of the combined arms concept.