Vietnam: Incorporating Lessons Learned into the Curriculum of USAF PME
Abstract
A well-known criticism of the United States military, and of other militaries around the world, is that they are always preparing to fight the last war. One way military organizations attempt to keep this from occurring is through a comprehensive system of military education. An objective of the professional military education (PME) system of the United States Air Force (USAF) is to teach its officers how to use air power more effectively in future conflicts. It can therefore be assumed that to apply air power effectively in future wars, the institution must learn the lessons of previous conflicts. The question this paper asks is whether the USAF, and specifically Air University (AU), put forth the necessary effort to teach the lessons of the Vietnam War. It will focus on the five years from 1973 to 1978. Although the purpose of this research paper is not to determine whether or not air power was successful in Vietnam, it must examine to some degree what the USAF as an institution believed it learned from the war. Only then can the PME curriculum be examined to determine how effectively those lessons were passed to future leaders. After evaluating the curriculum, the paper will try to answer the question of whether the USAF chose to emphasize only positive examples of air power s success versus examples of its failures and limitations. These questions are significant because of the crucial role air power continues to play in our nation s defense. If the USAF does not take a critical look at its performance in past conflicts, it will enter future conflicts ill suited to fulfill its role successfully.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA396488
Entities
People
- Michael S. Duperier
Organizations
- Air University