Closing the Discovery Learning Gap

Failed or failing states present a significant challenge to United States security in the early years of the 21st Century. Army units increasingly find themselves deploying to far-flung regions of the globe to conduct a variety of missions under the umbrella of Stability and Reconstruction Operations (SRO). However, current Institutional Domain education and training methods for company grade officers fail to adequately address the variety of challenges these officers face during operational deployments. As such, the officers embark on discovery learning during the deployment in order to accomplish the unfamiliar tasks and missions set before them. The U.S. military cannot afford such a haphazard approach in the context of the Contemporary Operating Environment, as it prosecutes the Global War on Terror, or as it seeks to alter perceptions and beliefs about American interests abroad and protect our citizens at home. Division Commanders must take a more active role in the development of company grade officers within their organizations. The change comes as a result of the significant role these young officers play in the conduct of SRO. Three areas within the existing Army division require change in order to better prepare company grade officers for operational deployments involving SRO. These areas include the role the division commander plays regarding company grade officer development, the content and context of existing leader development and training programs, and an overarching systems and cultural change within the division. Incorporating these changes increases individual and organizational learning and knowledge, provides a division-wide common level of understanding, instills a culture embracing SRO as a core mission set, and better utilizes scarce resources. This monograph examines the nature of the COE and the increased role company grade officers play during the conduct of SRO. Further, it identifies the learning gaps that exist in current leader develo