Military education and training is a process which intends to establish and improve the capabilities of military personnel.

The most commonly known example of this is Basic Combat Training, otherwise known as 'boot camp'. Boot camp attempts to instill the basic information and training in techniques necessary to be an effective servicemember.

NOTE: For purposes of this article, the term servicemember shall mean soldier, sailor, airman, marine, or otherwise any person serving as an enlisted person, officer, or non-commissioned officer in the military forces of a country.

After undergoing basic training, many servicemembers undergo advanced training more in line with their chosen or assigned specialties. A common next step in the US is Advanced Individual Training, which teaches specific skills according to their MOS(Military Occupational Specialty).

In the US, many colleges and universities have a program called ROTC, which stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps. This program teaches military subjects as college classes, although these courses may or may not count towards a college degree like a Bachelor's degree. Examples of available classes offered by a ROTC program include 'History of Air Power', and 'Concepts of Military Management'. As an example, the course description for the latter is: "(3 credit hours) Introduction to the military management system with special attention to the functions, organizations, and operations of military training, logistics and administration."

Many large countries have several military academies, one for each branch of the service, that offer college degrees in a variety of subjects, similar to other colleges. However, academy graduates usually rank as officers, and as such have many options besides civilian work in their major subject.

Higher ranking officers also have further eductational opportunities. The United States operates several War Colleges, including the Battle Command and Training Program (BCTP) out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the United States Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

The BCTP program is aimed at junior grade officers, including the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, and Major. This training and education is aimed at helping them achieve the higher ranks towards being a colonel.

The Carlisle Barracks War College is aimed at providing education to majors and colonels to assist them in becoming general officers.

Similar advanced colleges exist for all the services (Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy).

(HELP PLEASE, DOES SOMEONE KNOW: do the coast guard and merchant marine have their own post-academy training and education programs?)

This system of advancement is similar in many different countries.

References and Links

• Unversity of Kansas Army ROTC List of Available Classes (http://www.ku.edu/~kuarotc/about/curriculum.shtml)