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Officer Training - 4. The New Officer Education

Many investigations, government resolutions, reorganisations, and fusions have preceded the changes now seen in officer training. The changes started at the top and are therefore now most pronounced at the National Defence College, which is responsible for the higher education of civilian and military leaders within the Total Defence Forces. The National Defence College is an authority directly controlled by the Ministry of Defence. The three Military Colleges, referred to below, are controlled by the Armed Forces Headquarters.

The presentation below starts with the lowest level of officer training, the Career Officer Programme. For a detailed comparison of times and content in the "old " and "new" educational systems see the Appendix.

Basic education at the Military Colleges

From 1999, the Military Colleges have been located in three places: �stersund, Halmstad and Stockholm (Karlberg). Even if not fully implemented yet, this represents a big difference compared to the former educational structure, when every branch had its own school, and the schools were spread all over the country.

The Career Officer Programme gives a total of 80 credits. Traditionally about 400 cadets have been admitted to start this programme, but in the future this number will be increased by about 150, in order to rejuvenate the officer corps and to meet expected resignations.

As a result of the new, revised duties for the Armed Forces and the need for different specialists, the Military Colleges, which host these officers during the first year are striving to recruit applicants who have varied educational backgrounds. Previously the applicants came from upper secondary level schools with the emphasis on natural and social sciences. Now the applicants can come from all seventeen national school programmes, both theoretical and practical ones.

The Career Officer Programme lasts two years, as before. The first year is joint for the three services, and divided into two parts. The first term is the Joint Service Training Programme, for which 20 credits are awarded. Subjects studied are, for example, leadership, political science, tactical planning, technology/IT, administration, and languages. The second term is called Joint Branch Training, for which a further 20 credits are awarded. The purpose of this part is to provide a broad general knowledge of each branch of the armed forces. The topics included here are leadership, tactical planning, physiology and military history.

In the second year the cadets split up and go to training programmes related to their military specialisation. This second year gives 40 credits. The aim is to provide basic skills in handling the current military systems in service, and special emphasis is put on future position-related training and conscript training.

The major change, compared to the former education system, is the joint training for all three services during the first year. This is due to the fact that a downsized military defence, will need officers even at lower levels who can work together with other officer categories, and who have a more comprehensive view of the picture as a whole. Another change from the former system is a more pronounced focus on international issues, e.g. more studies in languages and political science. The new system also concentrates more on issues dealing with support to civilian society. Even studies in tactics have changed; this topic is now divided into three parts: a) methodology and problem solving, b) military theory, and c) systems study, including management structures and technology. The cadet will also begin to apply tactics, something that was previously taught at the next educational level, the Staff Programme.

The more academic approach also means that much training, which previously was led by an instructor, is now directed towards self-study, and more attention is also put on methodology. 20 credits out of 80 must be for special courses, which can be chosen from a variety of options. The aim here is to give the cadet in-depth knowledge in special areas, such as languages, information technology, history, and economics. The officers can also choose to follow these courses at civilian universities.

After having passed the Career Officer Programme, the cadet will be promoted to Second Lieutenant and be posted to a job, such as instructor at platoon level. After another two years he/she can be promoted to Lieutenant and after an additional minimum of one year, the officer can apply for the next step on the educational ladder, the Tactical Programme. One expected possible problem is that the cadets may need more practical military training; a training that must be given after the official programme has been completed. This in turn may delay promotion to Second Lieutenant.

The Tactical Programme corresponds to 40 credits at university level. The aim of this programme is to develop leadership skills at company level. 22 credits are common to all branches within each service and 18 credits are branch related. The branch related training includes topics such as tactical planning, technology and system analysis. At this level officers practise the tactics that they learnt on the Career Officer Programme. The academic approach is also a characteristic of this programme, as well as a focus on international missions and support to civilian society. After completing the Tactical Programme, the officer is given the rank of Captain and after a minimum of two years' practical service, the officer can apply for the Staff Programme at the National Defence College.

Advanced education at the Swedish National Defence College

There are two programmes at the Swedish National Defence College that qualify the officer for promotion to the higher rank, namely the Staff Programme and the Advanced Command Programme. The college offers also a programme directed towards civilian personnel, the Total Defence Forces Programme (not presented here).

The Staff Programme represents 40 credits at university level. This is a joint service programme, aiming at competence to serve in all types of tactical and international staffs and centres. The programme is preceded by a preparatory course, in order to bring all applicants' knowledge up to the same level, for example in tactics. After passing the programme the officer will become a Major or equivalent.

Two years after completing the Staff Programme officers can choose between two options. One is to join a branch programme (40 credits) to get a deeper knowledge within a certain function or speciality and the other is to apply for the Advanced Command Programme.

The Advanced Command Programme represents 80-100 university credits, depending on whether students attend the regular or the 6 month longer technical course.

The aim of this programme is to prepare the officer for command appointments or staff appointments on a tactical, operational, national or international headquarters. The first year of training is first and foremost characterised by such topics as management, operations, and strategy. The second year is aimed at deepening the officer's knowledge in one of these topics. After passing the programme there is an assessment and selection procedure, after which just over half of the students are promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.