Sometimes I wonder why I bother to listen to NPR on the way to work. I enjoy Bob Edwards and his early-morning manner, but this is his last week. I’m not sure I’ll continue listening when he leaves.
Today, a report on the military and individual support of the war in Iraq. The reporter spoke with several soldiers, including some wounded in action. All were supportive. He said you must dig deep to find someone who isn’t. He then made a comment about the split being along the lines of “professionals” being the ones against it. The term, when spoken in that way, always makes me think someone really means “intelligent and educated”. He interviewed an Army dentist who was against the war because “Bush wasn’t elected by the majority in this country, and it’s all about oil.”
Now tell me again, who’s intelligent and educated?
The reporter also made the point that a very rigorous and well-developed training program in the military produces soldiers who want to go fight because that’s what their comrades are doing.
In the military, officers and NCOs attend various levels of Professional Military Education, PME. At each point, they are challenged to develop their thinking abilities with problem-solving exercises, and learn more history and philosophy of military service. These courses are in addition to job-specific training courses. When I was enlisted, I had standard basic training, but I also attended NCO Leadership School, and introductory course focused on junior NCO issues. I was scheduled to attend the NCO Academy several times, but job requirements kept me from going. Once the workload relaxed, I was on my way to school for my commission. As the Senior Enlisted Advisor told me when I said I now had time to go, “We don’t want any officers knowing this stuff!” He said it with a grin.
Had I continued, I would have eventually gone to Senior NCO Academy.
The officer corps had a similar, though more intense progression. After commissioning, which itself devoted a lot of time to similar issues, officers would attend Squadron Officer School (9 weeks), Air Command and Staff College (6 months), and Air War College (1 year) if selected. Most took correspondence versions prior to being selected. All services have equivalent schools, and people can cross over to attend those from another service if selected. This is common at the Intermediate and Senior courses.
The definition of professionalism is discussed at every level. And what it comes down to is a combination of education, training, and conformity to a code of ethics. Respect among the general population is also a common theme. Debate on whether the military is a profession can sometimes get heated. Personally, I believe it is. A typical officer will have a college degree, and eventually get at least a masters. He will attend numerous professional development courses lasting from a week to a month throughout his career. He will also attend the PME schools, and/or complete them through seminars on post. This is all in addition to job-specific training which goes on continually. The education level of officers in the military is higher than that of lawyers and most doctors. Many enlisted men and women also have college degrees. Some get graduate degrees. The military values education.
They also live by a code of ethics which holds them responsible in their private, as well as professional lives. No other group of professionals except the clergy has that burden. If a doctor crosses the line, his profession may scorn him. If a military professional does the same, he gets a federal conviction and possible jail time.
The military is nowhere near as autocratic as civilians believe. Soldiers don’t jump just because someone tells them to. They jump because they have come to trust the judgement of the person in charge. That comes with time. And it comes from interaction where everyone shares thoughts and opinions openly. It comes from leaders who expect subordinates to make decisions. Arguments occur all the time, but not in a time-critical situation. At that time, everyone knows who the boss is, and what he wants done. Period.
That is the well-developed training program the reporter didn’t understand. And it’s one the dentist has never been through. Medical officers are exempt from all this. Most are civilians in uniform. And most understand and accept that. Some actually volunteer to go through some of the training. They earn the respect of fellow soldiers that others don’t.
The NPR reporter thought this opinion split was odd. I know it to be inherent. But if you want to divide opinions along between professionals and non-professionals, I know which group better deserves the title.