Center of Military History

¶ … submerge him or herself in protecting the country as their job, they should also fully understand the interpretation of war and conflict as well. Due to this reason, the grasp on the professional education is very important. A person should be able to understand why the conflict and the war have ultimately taken place as well. It has been noted that the composition of this sort of education plays a very big role in the formation of further competencies tin the military. It allows the personnel to play their part in the use of violence on behalf of the state[footnoteRef:1] [1: John Hackett, The Profession Of Arms, 1st ed. (Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1986).]

As it would be observed, there is a very thin line between violence and violence on behalf of the state. Those persons enrolled in the army should be able to define and act upon that line and that can only be instilled in them with the proper military education. It has been seen that to crucial to a professional military education is the comprehension of the competencies to the profession of arms used in the army. Therefore, the advanced professional military education has been linked to education about arms in their curriculum. In this education, the relevant relation of interpretation of war and types of conflict is mad. The people who are being trained for the future of the army should be shown how military activities are arranged throughout to attain the goals that they have attained. Furthermore, it is also very important to inform about activities such as diplomacy, economic initiatives and informational agendas. Many countries and states have considered the use of arms as their last resort. The decision to finally go on to this option is made when their politics and diplomacy at coming to peaceful terms have not been successful.

It's been stated that the war and conflict results when the other instruments which as politics and diplomacy for attaining peace have not been successful[footnoteRef:2] This shows that there is an obvious and rational connection between the military activities and policy that is accepted in many countries. Even though many people think that the government and the army are two separate entities. Their major aim is to maintain peace and prosperity for the country. Keeping this in mind, the army trainees should understand the roles that are played by not only the politicians but the senior military commanders and their staff. Therefore, they should have a grasp on how intellectual influence and professional culture organizes the military and its reluctance or enthusiasm to be militarily active. History is important but not all the skills and competencies be learned through history. Therefore, it is through professional military education that the army officers learn all these competencies. [2: Carl von Clausewitz and J. J Graham, On War, 1st ed. (Champaign, Ill.: Project Gutenberg, n.d.).]

Another reason why professional military education is important is because of the proper comprehension of the roles of every person in the military. Being in the military doesn't mean to be strong and fit physically. A person can fight all he wants but he won't be beneficial to the army and the country at the end if he doesn't understand his specific role in the military. For instance, the staff officer is therefore to devise solutions to all the military problems that can occur. In the modern times, when conflict and chaos is becoming more common all over the world, the staff is becoming more specialized. The main function of mental activity is to figure out what will happen, how it will happen and what you can do in the event that will happen. All of this information is not just revealed to any attending staff officer. This sort of information, prediction skills and decision making powers are therefore taught to the officer. In other words, they are told more about their roles and how to perform in those roles as the need arises. In order for any person to become a competent member of the military staff, they should demonstrate they are proficient in what they know. Therefore, they should complete these programs that will eventually go on to make them intellectually competent as well.

Another reason why professional military education is needed because the military needs to have a firm grasp on the civil military relations. These relations are crucial because they include dealings with both ordinary people and institutions that have a great impact on the military [footnoteRef:3]These institutions ultimately include the legislative debate over the funding of the military, the regulation and the use of the military and the bargaining between the military and civilian lines as I is relevant to implement the national security policy in the country. As a democratic nation, it is very important for the military to identify and solve all the problems that go on to hamper the civil and military relations [footnoteRef:4] [3: James Burk, 'Theories Of Democratic Civil-Military Relations', Armed Forces & Society 29, iss 1 (2002): 7 -- 29.] [4: Donald B. Connelly, 'The Unequal Professional Dialogue: American Civil-Military Relations And The Professional Military Ethic' (2010).]

The staff colleges that go on to give professional military education are vital for the mental and intellectual development of the officers. They basically go on to reinforce the professional aspects of empiricism, administration, specialized knowledge and decent knowledge about arms. Furthermore, enrolling in professional education, the students also get an opportunity to form good relations with military practitioners. They are able to interact with both the students and the teachers. These professional relations that are created in this way aid these students in the long run and facilitate in the formation of transnational community bonds. It has been speculated that these bonds help in the transmission of knowledge between the linked military. Furthermore, they also make a good impact on the influence on armed forces on both national and international levels.