Joint education to become mandatory for Navy officers.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.

The Navy increasingly will encourage junior officers to pursue joint military education programs. Eventually, however, the plan is to make joint military education a prerequisite for every officer.

"We are increasing joint education opportunities," said Capt. Don Quinn, the Navy's director of aviation officer distribution at the Navy Personnel Command.

Meanwhile, discussions are under way among Navy leaders to make joint education mandatory, Quinn told naval aviators at the 2003 Tailhook Convention, in Reno, Nev.

Before any such policy changes are firmed up, he said, the Navy will need to ensure that every officer has adequate means and access to joint military...