U.S. Officer Professional Military Education Policy ()

Key Chapter Title List

1. Policy Purpose, Scope of Application, and Vision
2. Core Policy Requirements and Educational Principles
3. Division of Responsibilities and Management Mechanisms
4. Key Points of Policy Revision and Major Updates
5. Overall Policy for Joint Professional Military Education
6. Statutory Requirements and Educational Priorities
7. Military Educational Outcomes and Desired Leader Attributes
8. Military Education Continuum and Educational Levels
9. Implementation of Outcomes-Based Military Education
10. Review and Assessment of Joint Military Education
11. Policies and Regulations Related to Students and Faculty
12. Educational Requirements for Joint Officer Management

Document Introduction

This policy document (CJCSI 1800.01G), issued on April 15, 2024, aims to provide comprehensive policy guidance for the Professional Military Education (PME) of officers in the United States Armed Forces, with a primary focus on the development and standardization of Joint Professional Military Education (JPME). As a core policy document authorized by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), its legal basis stems from the military education coordination responsibilities granted by federal law. It replaces the CJCSI 1800.01F version released in May 2020 and applies to relevant entities such as the Joint Staff, Service Chiefs, Combatant Commanders, the President of the National Defense University, the President of the National Intelligence University, and accredited JPME programs.

The policy establishes a vision for cultivating joint leadership in the 21st century, committed to building a PME system highly synergistic with the talent management system, aimed at developing strategic joint warfighters proficient in the art of war and capable of flexibly employing military force in environments of disruptive change. Core policy requirements include maintaining a rigorous joint learning environment, integrating high-level Department of Defense policy guidance, adopting an Outcomes-Based Military Education (OBME) approach, and constructing an educational continuum that spans an officer's career, while also emphasizing the integration of knowledge related to irregular warfare and weapons of mass destruction into the curriculum.

The document details the five formal levels of military education (pre-commissioning, primary, intermediate, senior, and general/flag officer), clarifies the correspondence between the educational focus at each level and the levels of war (tactical, operational, strategic), and standardizes core curriculum content through Joint Learning Areas (JLAs), covering six dimensions: strategic thinking and communication, military professionalism, the competition-conflict-war continuum, the security environment, strategy and joint planning, and globally integrated operations. The implementation of Outcomes-Based Military Education serves as a core mechanism of the policy, requiring clear Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs), authentic assessment methods, and regular reviews to ensure educational quality.

Regarding student and faculty management, the policy stipulates strict student selection criteria, service composition ratios, faculty qualification requirements, and student-faculty ratio standards, emphasizing a diverse composition of military and civilian faculty and the integration of operational experience with academic backgrounds. The review and assessment of joint military education are conducted through the Process for Accreditation of Joint Education (PAJE), forming a closed-loop management system that incorporates common educational standard reports, learning outcome reports, and stakeholder feedback. Furthermore, the document clarifies the educational requirements for joint officer management, the functions of the Military Education Coordination Committee, and the specific course structure of the General/Flag Officer Joint Learning Continuum.

Key revisions in this policy include the addition of the General/Flag Officer Joint Learning Continuum, clarification of general/flag officer education course descriptions and qualification requirements, strengthening the operational and strategic-level cultivation of joint warfighters, updating the educational continuum charts, and incorporating U.S. Space Force JPME programs, among others. These ensure the joint military education system can adapt to changes in the global security environment and the development needs of emerging operational domains, cultivating senior military leadership talent with strategic thinking, critical thinking, and innovative capabilities for the U.S. Joint Force.