Are U.S. Military Academies Preparing Graduates for Today’s Wars?

Just_A_Mom said:
Interesting article - not sure I agree with all of it -
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Not sure I agree with any of it. The goal of education should be to teach one how to think, not what to think. Any time spent on teaching current wars will be obsolete before students have a chance to employ the lessons.

Not sure about USMA, but the Academy teaches math and engineering to all students. During a Navy career, most officers will find themselves working closedly with engineers. The Navy is a technical field. Many will spend a tour or more in procurement and systems development at NavSea, NavAir, or NavSub. A thorough understanding of engineering is imperative in performing these jobs. Leadership is taught. Leadership doesn't change with differing strategies to fight one's enemy. Both the history and basics of tactics are taught. However, tactical acumen is learned in OJT. Being there and doing that. When one gets beyond his specific platform and community, the War Colleges provide an in-depth overall understanding of joint warfare, hardly the regime of an Ensign-to-be.

Me thinks these people know not of what they talk.
 
I agree with USNA69 at least from a point of view from someone who will commission into the army. In the army there are few MOS's where one who had taken two semesters of chemistry and calculus would prove useful. Rather than learning the nuts and bolts of what bonds with what and how to find the limit of X taking these courses teaches you how to solve problems, which in my opininon is an absolute necessity of any officer in the army regardless of their MOS.
 
"Not sure about USMA, but the Academy teaches math and engineering to all students."

Same at the USMA, the nations oldest engineering college.
 
Yep.

Remember, also, that it was Time Magazine (or was it Newsweak?) predicting the immenent coming of a new ice age in 1974. :rolleyes:

I wonder if journalism schools are re-evaluating what they teach their students in light of recent goings-on in that industry?

Nah. Never happen. :rolleyes:
 
With all that, I still loved the article

-The reference to the then current congressional appointment system, which hasn't basically changed, as being screwed up.

-The reference to vision problems.

-The reference to the liberal arts curriculum being a total of one course.

-That the whole article, beginning and end, was the invocation of a prayer. Never happen in today's PC world. ALCU would be all over it.

-That midshipmen learned pride bordering on arrogance.
 
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LMAO! You have no idea how ironic it is that you posted the ice age thing about newsweek Zap. A guy (moron I might add) in my history class read that article in class today. I love it.
 
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