Operational Support/Reserve Course

National Security and Decision Making (NSDM)
 
    A 12-day executive development course focused on preparing officers for intermediate level command and staff assignments. Selection of concepts and materials is predicated on the belief that an effective commander or staff officer does not apply discrete disciplines, but rather is required to synthesize many disciplines relevant to different situations. For this reason, the NSDM course employs a multi-discipline approach, synthesizing selected concepts from political science, leadership, psychology, management, anthropology, and other related disciplines. All content focuses on making and implementing critical decisions within the command and staff environment. Areas selected for special attention are:
 
- The tools of national power including Diplomatic, Information, Military and Economic (DIME).
- Regional expertise and cultural awareness from a combatant commander’s perspective.
- An understanding of the tools associated with critical thinking and deciding among complex defense issue alternatives.
- Clear and effective writing skills.
- Staff structures, processes and procedures, and the skills necessary to excel in the staff environment.
- Management techniques and skills that complement leadership skills.
- The defense resource planning and allocation process and its relationship to staff functions.

    Upon successful completion of this course, students will have earned approximately 50% of their NSDM Joint Professional Military Education Intermediate (JPME 1) requirements as determined by the Naval War College, College of Distance Education.

Strategy and War (S&W)

    A 12-day study of the complex, global, and multi-national interactions focusing on strategic and political interests and goals and the way diplomacy and military force has been and may be used to serve those interests and goals. The course content centers on the analytical study of war. It includes the following:

- The study of the works of Sun-Tzu, Clausewitz, Mahan and Corbett.
- The analysis of strategic choices made during various historical conflicts.
- The impact of intended and unintended circumstances evolving from these strategic choices.

    The objective of this course is to acquaint officers with the fundamentals of foreign policy from an historical and contemporary perspective. The purpose of this methodology is to demonstrate the perennial dilemmas facing statesmen and senior officers in exploring the full range of options available to decision makers in the fields of policy and strategy. The student will gain a broader understanding of the strategic environment and enhance his/her capability to participate in it.

    Upon successful completion of this course, students will have earned 100% of their S&W Joint Professional Military Education Intermediate (JPME 1) requirements as determined by the Naval War College, College of Distance Education.

Joint Military Operations (JMO)
   
    Overview: The Reserve Officers’ Joint Military Operations (JMO) Course is an intensive 12 day course consisting of seminars and practical exercises supported by extensive professional reading. The three central objectives are to improve the students’ ability to plan the employment of U.S. military forces across the range of joint and combined military operations, prepare military officers to participate in joint operational planning and to advise senior commanders at the operational level. To this end, students study the art and science of military decision-making in the context of the Joint Operational Planning Process (JOPP). In addition, they study factors, such as the capabilities and limitations of U.S. forces that have an impact on planning.

    Methodology: The course is conducted over a two week period with seminars meeting full days Monday through Friday except for the final Friday which is a half day to facilitate travel. There is no seminar work scheduled for the weekend. The NWC seminar method includes both critical discussion and practical exercise/student group work. Students are expected to prepare thoroughly for each scheduled session and participate actively and positively in classroom discussion and practical exercises. Much of the learning evolves from the process of making operational decisions and from the resolution of differing points of view during group exercises. A tough-minded, questioning attitude and a willingness to enter vigorously into critical discussion are central to the College’s learning method. The reading load for this course is intense due to the compressed nature of the schedule. Students are well advised to budget their time accordingly.

    Prerequisite: This is a short but intense course of study covering the basics of operational art (the art of employing military forces at the operational level of war) and the Joint Operational Planning Process (JOPP) all within a very condensed two week timeframe. To achieve these objectives, students must come prepared with an initial level of awareness of the key concepts and processes. Accordingly, students will be required to complete both an interactive CD-ROM based tutorial/exercise in the planning process and selected portions of the required readings prior to beginning the course. Students who arrive unprepared will not be able to take advantage of the learning opportunities presented by a robust seminar discussion at the analytical level. Failure to complete the prerequisite readings and exercise/tutorial before arrival may result in a student not being allowed to enter the course.

    Upon successful completion of this course, students will have earned approximately 30% of their JMO Joint Professional Military Education Intermediate (JPME 1) requirements as determined by the Naval War College, College of Distance Education.

    Refer questions to the Course Program Manager, 401-841-1325, or email _OSACADEMICS@nwc.navy.mil