The U.S. Naval War College’s College of Maritime Operational Warfare, in coordination with Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development (OPNAV N7), began a new program for newly commissioned U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps officers from the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, the first class of 26 graduating on June 25.
The U.S. Naval War College’s College of Maritime Operational Warfare designed and taught the program’s course. The course was students' first introduction into Navy planning procedures, specifically the Navy planning process and its associated six steps.
“Our focus for this course is establishing a planning mindset for problem resolution. The Navy planning process focuses on clearly articulating the problem prior to developing recommended solutions,” said professor Eric Dukat, director of operations, College of Maritime Operational Warfare. “These newly commissioned officers will now join their first command with a mindset for their role in assisting their commanders to reach informed decisions.”
“The two-week program was designed to be flexible and fill gaps in the new accessions’ training pipelines. While waiting for their primary training to begin or in transit to their assigned command, these officers were given the opportunity to learn about these important Naval planning concepts. The course was taught in the virtual environment.
"We are excited for the opportunity to teach the planning process to these newly commissioned officers,” said Michael White, dean, College of Maritime Operational Warfare. “The students' new skills will be used throughout their careers, no matter where their careers take them. These important skills will enable their future success and, equally important, their command's success."