Military Review English Edition July-August 2015 | Page 18

The Coming
Educational
Revolution
in the Army
Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)

F

ort Leavenworth has long been touted as the
intellectual center of the Army. It is indeed a
reputation I have shared proudly with all my
colleagues—and with anyone who would listen over
the years. Since my days on the Senate Intelligence
Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee,
I have been working hard to ensure Fort Leavenworth
not only remained the Army’s crown jewel but also was
able to increase its importance within the U.S. Army
Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). That is
why when I first learned of the installation’s pitch to the
Army’s top leadership to establish Fort Leavenworth as
a key component of The Army University, I knew the
answer would be a resounding yes. Who in the Army
could build better leaders for the force of 2025 than the
intellectual center of the Army?
And as the Army begins conducting listening
sessions at installations across the United States to
obtain community feedback on force reduction and
restructuring plans, there is no better time for Fort
Leavenworth to roll out The Army University concept.
With little to critique, bolstering the Army’s intellectual capacity would seem to all but guarantee Fort
Leavenworth’s future role in the larger Army structure.
Unfortunately, we are faced with budget constraints that are causing a downsizing of our military
even as threats continue to spread across the globe.
This will, inevitably, cause the future force to be
spread thinly and will necessitate that it do more with
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less. That is not a situation I take lightly. And, while
Congress continues to debate how to best shape, fund,
and support future U.S. military posture, I believe
TRADOC’s decision to prioritize the training and
grooming of the Army’s best and brightest leaders is
forward thinking. No matter the tools or training,
without competent leadership to bond, inspire, and
compel our fighting force to be the best in the world,
our warfighters would fall short. The men and women
of the all-volunteer force deserve the best leadership
possible. Establishing The Army University will provide just that leadership.
The greatest influence in leadership in my life will
always be my father, Wes Roberts. He joined the U.S.
Marine Corps during World War II. He served honorably with the 27th Marine Division in Iwo Jima and
Okinawa. It was his tenacity and will that propelled me
to serve my country later on, as both a Marine and a
member of Congress.
During my time in the Marine Corps, I was fortunate to be tasked to the Education Center, Marine
Corps Development Center, Quantico, to assist in
writing and editing the Marine Corps’ Fleet Marine
Force Manual 21, Operations Against Guerrilla Units.
This manual enabled the Marine Corps to successfully maintain mission responsibility, and it served
as a leadership tool for training. While working as
an author, I saw firsthand the value of nurturing our
military leaders.
July-August 2015  MILITARY REVIEW