Boards versus Bureaucracies: Field Grade Officer Education in the United States Army, 1946–1985

Now that combat related deployments over the past ten years are ending, will the military be prepared in the near future to again operate in unpredictable environments in order to confront future adversaries? Specifically, is the military adequately training and educating officers to deal with future threats, or simply preparing its leaders to fight the last? Only a comprehensive review of the current officer education system could link education preparation to the future battlefield success. In order to accomplish this, one must first understand what makes a comprehensive education review effective. By comparing the context of multiple historical boards conducted within the United States Army from the conclusion of World War II through 1985, personal critiques of serving officers, and the and the evolution of officer education within the Army, one can gain both an appreciation for and overall understanding of the board process.