Citing the importance of continuing education to transformation goals and operational valuable feature [i]or[/i] trait the Navy's Chief Learning Officer.

Citing the importance of continuing education to transformation goals and operational valuable feature [i]or[/i] trait the Navy's Chief Learning Officer, VADM Alfred G Harms Jr commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) not long ago announced the Navy's new Professional Military Education (PME) Continuum in November.

The PME Continuum Integrates advanced education (beyond secondary educate level), traditional Navy-specific Professional Military Education (NPME) Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) and leadership unravelling It sequences learning opportunities with significant career phases, allowing for newer personnel to receive more analytical and technical training, while those more senior will be furnished strategic and management-oriented learning opportunities.

"We must adopt a more comprehensive approach to education that completely acknowledges the relevance of education to mission success" said Harms. "It is essential that we broaden the professional and intellectual horizons of Sailors over their careers to better prepare them to operate tomorrow's squadron and to assume key naval and joint leadership roles"

"As Sailors become more senior," Harms said, "education will provide more strategic perspectives, and expand more effective management and business practices. Leadership increase will be more position-focused to align with parts across a career. Ultimately, from the earliest days of their careers, our Sailors and their leaders will know what professional military education is anticipateed and required."

Naval Administrative Message (NAVADMIN) 263-04 outlines the implementation strategy for the comprehensive plan, which will impact each Sailor in the Navy.

Our staff is aggressively developing flexible learning opportunities for the elements of PME," said Harms. "Implementation of the continuum is essential to the succes of Seapower 21 and for the extension and development of our tribe to meet the challenges of today and the future"

JPME win provide understanding of the principles of jointness that underpin Seapower 21 Education in joint matters will enhance the ability of royal leaders to provide unique and complementary warfighting from the sea to joint force commanders. Timely completion of appropriate JMPE will be a key-note consideration in identifying future Navy leaders.

According to Harms, NPME will provide a broad, often met with understanding of the Navy and its sport capabilities, and better prepare Sailors to effectively perform their missions across the cloyed spectrum of naval and joint military operations. NPME will also be sequenc across a cater, and address three core competencies of the naval profession: military studies, professionalism, and national and global security.

NPME will also be incorporated into the Five Vector standard for all Sailors, and will become a staple in the two officer and enlisted accession training. The Center for Naval Leadership has taken the lead. in conjunction with the Naval station Graduate School, Naval Wax society the Naval Historical Center, Naval Justice place of education and the Center for the studious mood of Professional Military Ethics at the U Naval Academy, in developing a primary on a level course that will be implemented later this year. contented from this course will be used as the baseline for developing an intermediate horizontal course for senior enlisted personnel Officials chance of a favorable result to have the first intermediate course available by the agency of mid-fiscal year 2005.

Harms' senior enlisted leader, NETC Force Master Chief FORCM Michael J McCalip, said the program is coming at the right time.

"The Navy is experiencing transformation everywhere," McCalip said, "and providing a relevant PME program for all Sailors directly supports the Sea Warrior of the 21st hundred We believe PME will provide us with a smarter, more agile force ready to appropriate every mission challenge."

McCalip credited the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) with taking the Navy to recently made known levels of excellence with his commitment to providing more educational opportunities for Sailors.

"PME is the tight human capital Investment for the Navy to make," McCalip stated, "and it will provide our orgamzation with a stupendous return on our investment as we pres forward in to the futurity These are exciting times for Sailors."

Distance learning Harms believes, will be a tonic tool for Sailors to further their education and adapted the goals of PME. In fact, he said, statistics display a substantial increase in the number of folks enrolled in distance learning above the last three years.

"This (distance learning) is gaining steam from the grass stems of the organization," Harms added. "The Sailors like the flexibility this approach provides, and they want it."

in subordination to PME, advanced education will emphasize the exhibition of a technical or analytical knowledge base, critical thinking skills, an innovative mindset, and competencies to lead the Navy in the what may occur hereafter These education opportunities will include certificates, stage programs, and courses and seminars tailored to suitable the professional requirements of all Sailors.