The Department is planning to extend joint training
1.10 In March 2001 the Defence Training Review recommended an increase in the level of joint training. The College is currently working on the implementation of the Review's recommendations for the Junior and Advanced courses. Further change beyond that recommended by the Review is planned for the Advanced course as the Department has agreed that there is no continuing need for a stand-alone single Service phase within the Advanced course (Figure 4).
1.11 The Review also recognised that officers needed to be encouraged at an early stage in their careers to adopt an open-minded approach to their own and the other Services and to the need for jointery. The Review proposed the introduction of short common modules on defence and joint / multi-national awareness from late 2002 as part of Initial Officer Training. The College is to take the lead in this area, although the courses will continue to be single Service.
1.12 In addition, the Review recognised the increasingly important role that Warrant Officers play in delivering operational capability. It considered that the lack of any joint training for these officers was a weakness in the current operational environment. It therefore recommended the establishment of a new Joint Services Warrant Officers School from the end of 2003 to provide Warrant Officers with up to two weeks joint training, to complement existing single Service training. This School is to be part of the College.
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| Command and staff training |
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| Prior to the College Each service conducted its own command and staff training at its own college. The Army's Higher course was partly open to officers of the other Services and there was a small joint course at the Joint Services Defence College.
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| At the College The College provides an increased level of joint training. Certain training, for example one of the Advanced course's three phases, is still delivered on a single Service basis, although on the College's single site.
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| Future structure The College is to devise common modules for those topics which are common to the separate Junior courses. On the Advanced course certain single Service elements will be moved to the Junior Courses and there will no longer be a separate single Service phase, although there will continue to be some separate single Service elements. There will also be new specialist modules on topics such as business management and acquisition.
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