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Officer professional military education: Army

The Officer Education system has two distinct components – one for branch commissioned officers, and another for warrant officers.

Immediate post-commissioning and post-appointment training includes basic courses that are a combination of common-core and branch and specialty training.

The next level features the Captains Career Course and Warrant Officer Advanced Course, with both providing branch-specific and branch immaterial training at service schools.

Mid-career branch, staff and command training for commissioned officers is provided through the Intermediate Level Education System, which for most officers is the 10-month Command and General Staff Course.

The equivalent level of training for warrant officers is the four-week Warrant Officer Senior Course. Taught at the Warrant Officer Career Center (Fort Rucker, Ala.), the course focuses on advanced branch-immaterial staff skills.

Capstone training for senior field-grade officers is provided through senior service college courses and fellowships. Resident courses are 10 months long, while the Army War College offers a two-year distance education course. Capstone training for warrant officers is provided through the two-week Warrant Officer Senior Staff Course at Fort Rucker.

Here are online links to additional information about officer education programs:

• Officer Leader Development Division, Human Resources Command, for links and information on education and training programs - https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/protect/Active/opfamdd/LDD_Home.htm

• AR 350-1 (Military Training and Leader Development), the governing regulation for the Officer Education system - http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/r350_1.pdf

• Training and Doctrine Command homepage for links to Army schools and training centers - http://www-tradoc.army.mil/

• Warrant Officer Career Center for links and information about warrant officer courses and schools - http://usawocc.army.mil/

• Command and General Staff College for links on the Intermediate Level Education System - http://www-cgsc.army.mil/

• Army War College, links and information about the Army’s capstone courses for branch commissioned officers - http://www.carlisle.army.mil/