Joint Emphasis at the Primary Level of Officer PME

The United States Armed Forces have made continuing strides in becoming a truly joint military over the past two decades. This theme of being truly joint at all levels has clearly been one of the visions of the United States Department of Defense (DOD). Change within officer Professional Military Education (PME) is one of the avenues the DOD has used to help further this cause. In 1999, a study group for the DOD conducted a two-year evaluation of Joint PME (JPME) that led to a change within the officer PME system with respect to jointness. With today's changing context, perhaps it is time to reevaluate the emphasis of JPME within the officer PME structure again. Several salient points suggest that the movement toward being joint has been evolutionary in nature and that a shift in the officer PME system to put increased emphasis on joint knowledge and practice at earlier phases in officer PME could cause a revolutionary movement toward becoming truly joint within the DOD. On the other hand, many arguments suggest that the current method is working well and that the military does not need to change anything.This paper will present both points of view in this puzzling question of if the military needs to emphasize joint PME more in the early stages of an officer's career, in particular, at the Primary level of PME. It will begin by reviewing policy and guidance of the current officer PME and its associated JPME construct. It will then discuss and provide some rationale behind why the military has decided to structure and execute its current system. In essence, it will advocate the current methodology. Next, the paper will shift to the other side of the argument and offer reasons as to why the military needs to emphasize jointness earlier in the officer PME system.