US Army Combined Arms Center Army University

SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Army University and

The Army Learning Strategy
Dr. Keith R. Beurskens
 US Army Combined Arms Center Why Army University?
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

PROBLEM: The present Army education system, while among the best in the
world, is inadequate to address the growing complexity of the 21st Century
security environment and requirement to develop leaders who can win in a
complex world.

LTCs and COLs value experience over education based on 13 years of war.

2 3

Current system is
4 predominantly
Industrial Age and
5 does not develop
agile, adaptive, and
innovative leaders
 US Army Combined Arms Center
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE
Army University Chancellor
Training and Doctrine
Commanding General
Army Univ. Vice Chancellor
Combined Arms Center
Commanding General
Army University Provost
Army University System
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Edu.
Army War College*
Reserve Cadet Command Specialized Training
Training Centers (ROTC) (Medical, Chaplain,
Legal, SOF)
United States Military
Academy*
Fires (Artillery, Air Defense Artillery)
Aviation
Cyber (Cyber, Signal)
Intelligence
Centers of Excellence
Maneuver Support (Military Police, Engineer, CBRN)
Defense Language
Inst. and Schools Maneuver (Infantry, Armor)
Sustainment (Quartermaster, Ordnance, Transportation)
Mission Command
Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff School
Army Management Staff College
Warrant Officer Career College
Sergeant Major Academy
School of Advanced Military Studies
TRADOC Culture Colleges and Schools School for Command Preparation
Center Western Hemisphere Institute for
Security Cooperation
 US Army Combined Arms Center Army Learning Strategy
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Talent
Management
Strategy

The Strategic Business

Army University Plan
US Army White Paper for the Army
DRAFT Learning Concept University

Vision:
An Army of professionals who meet readiness challenges today and tomorrow by learning faster, adapting more
quickly than adversaries, and who have the leadership, technical, tactical, and problem-solving skills to thrive in
complex and chaotic environments.

End State
Enhance learning
across the Army by
creating a learning
enterprise that
develops agile,
adaptive, innovative,
and trusted leaders
who are able to build
cohesive, competent,
professional teams
capable of successfully
accomplishing all
assigned missions.
 US Army Combined Arms Center LOE 1: Learning Environment
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Persistent, blended, adaptable, tailorable, mobile, accessible, learning ecosystem that

optimizes learning outcomes
 US Army Combined Arms Center Competency Pyramid, Army Learning
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE Areas & General Learning Outcomes
Aligns the Army’s critical learning requirements with its missions as partners within the Joint
community through individual Soldier competency. The Army Learning Area (ALA)/General
Learning Outcomes (GLO) Framework horizontally and vertically aligns learning activities across
Officer, Warrant Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer, and the Army Civilian Corps.
 US Army Combined Arms Center Competency Based
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE
Education
Assess, capture, recognize, and translate critical military competencies into measured
and validated competencies that others can understand and apply to support
readiness, talent management, and transition to Soldier for Life.
US Army Combined Arms Center Enterprise Classrooms
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Provide instructional technology to support instructor-centric, student-centric

training and Distributed Learning to deliver training “anytime, anywhere” from
TRADOC proponent Centers/Schools
Wireless to support training anywhere Classroom Programs

Instructor Workstation Components

 US Army Combined Arms Center Federated Library Suite
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Ties all TRADOC libraries together in a cloud environment. Reduces costs and # of
contracts for library services. Initial investment, but SOME off set later from adjusting
ITRM of schools.
 US Army Combined Arms Center Research Collaboration Tool
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Align Army research priorities with the wide body of researchers and research teams
to combined and joint research forums, promote research collaboration with
partnered institutions, improve synchronization with academia, and promulgate Army
research

Professional Profiles

Research & Academic

Partners
 US Army Combined Arms Center LOE 2: Learning Leaders
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Accessible subject-matter-expert, world-class teachers, coaches, mentors, facilitators

blended throughout the learning ecosystem
 US Army Combined Arms Center Faculty Development
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Design and implement an end-to-end faculty and staff development

program for the Army education system
1 Faculty Talent Management

2 Common Faculty Development Course (CFDC)

3 Faculty Development and Recognition 4 Common Professional Development

Program (FDRP) Program (CPDP)
Basic Senior Master
Self Development Opportunities
 US Army Combined Arms Center LOE 3: Assessments &
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE
Evaluations
Rigorous and relevant curriculum; assessed and validated learning outcomes; and
continuous evaluation of the learning system
 US Army Combined Arms Center Learning-Common Operating
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE
Picture
A Learning Common Operating Picture that provides comprehensive awareness of all
aspects of training and education in the Army, spanning all cohorts and components.
 US Army Combined Arms Center Learning Management
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE
System
An enterprise learning management system (LMS) that improves the quality,
relevance, and effectiveness of face-to-face learning, as well as extends the learning
environment throughout the career-long continuous of learning.

 Discoverability
 Accessibility
 Playability
 Tractability
 Flexibility
 US Army Combined Arms Center
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE Registrar Suite
Record learning outcomes from Army schools, operational assignments, and academic
Registrar
courses into individual training records. This suite mustSuite Required
be perform Capabilities
degree audits,
records management, establish archival records process, and maintain comprehensive
metrics reporting capabilities and official records processing capabilities to support
Soldiers reintegration into academia and/or industry as part of the Soldier for Life
program.

data input,
archives

Enterprise-level
“dashboard”: A
managed solution to
student education &
training records
administration

export-
transcript/reporting
capabilities
 US Army Combined Arms Center Learning Profile
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

A learning profile is a digital portfolio of related training, education, and experiential

information that provides a snapshot of a Soldiers' professional competencies.
 US Army Combined Arms Center Individual Assessments
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Leverages data-driven techniques to define and measure the talent requirements and
inventory of all organizations and employees, creating the highest levels of talent
alignment possible to optimize the performance of its manpower and teams.

Talent Assessment Milestones

CDT LT CPT MAJ LTC COL GO
Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
COM TNG PL/XO/Staff CCC Staff KD CMD Broadening ILE Staff KD S3/XO Broadening/Staff CSL CMD SSC Broadening CSL CMD Staff / Broadening

Acquire Develop / Retain Develop / Employ Develop / Employ Develop / Employ / Retain

Prior Learning Assessments

Standardized Exams: e.g., College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

3rd Party Evaluations: e.g., American Council of Education
Individualized Assessments: e.g., Portfolios and/or Demonstrations
Institution-led Exams or Assessments: e.g., Challenge Exams
 US Army Combined Arms Center 2 + 2 Degree Pathways
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Academic partners that provide enlisted Soldiers a clear pathway to completing an

Associate’s Degree in their assigned discipline, technical field or leadership. Associates
degrees aligned to a bachelors program.
 US Army Combined Arms Center The Army Credentialing
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE
Program
The Army's credentialing strategy is focused on creating opportunities throughout the
Soldier's term of service or career; increasing Army readiness, improving the
professionalism of the force, and preparing career-ready Soldiers.
 US Army Combined Arms Center Contact Information
SOLDIERS AND LEADERS - OUR ASYMMETRIC ADVANTAGE

Dr. Keith R. Beurskens, Deputy Vice Provost Academic Affairs & Center for Teaching and
Learning Excellence
keith.r.Beurskens.civ@mail.mil
913-684-2090
COL Joseph Schafer, Chief Information Officer, Deputy Vice Provost Learning Systems
joseph.a.schafer.mil@mail.mil
913-684-7488