National Defense University expands joint curriculum.

A growing demand for military officers who are proficient in inter-service issues and joint battle planning has prompted the launch of new educational programs at the National Defense University.

Among them is a "Joint Military Education 101" course, designed for junior officers. Learning the basics of joint operations is important for young officers, who likely will be taking over leadership positions during the next five to 10 years, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael M. Dunn, president of NDU.

"This sets the foundation" for how Joint Task Forces will operate in the future, Dunn told National Defense.

Only five months into the job, Dunn said he quickly is becoming aware of the long-lasting implications that NDU programs have in the development of military leaders. The university is the Defense Department's primary venue for joint professional military education, reporting directly to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

While NDU's main campos--including the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the National War College--is located at Fort Lesley J. McNair, in Washington, D.C., the primary center of joint education so far has been at NDU's Joint Forces Staff College, in Norfolk, Va.

JFSC students typically are majors, lieutenant colonels, commanders or lieutenant commanders. Dunn said those programs are being expanded to accommodate reservists and non-commissioned officers.

Reservists will be able to complete the program online. The new distance-learning classes were scheduled to begin in September, Dunn said. "It would duplicate the instruction at JFSC in Norfolk."

NDU already conducted a twice-a-year course for nearly 200 reservists. But the recent surge in deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan has made it nearly impossible for reservists to attend schoolhouses. Hence the distance learning program, Dunn explained.

The "Joint Military Education 101" program, expected to be up and running next year, is designed for Army, Air Force and Marine Corps captains or Navy lieutenants who are assigned to a Joint Task Force and lack any previous experience in joint military operations. The online course would take about 25 hours to complete. The content could be described as an "introduction to the joint planning system," said James M. Keagle, vice president for academic affairs at NDU.

"The services asked us to develop this course and make it available," said Dunn. "My guess is that there are stone people that are well schooled in this...