CHAPTER 3 – FORMATION AND UNIT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
A SAMPLE FORMATION PD PROGRAM
The following is a suggestion only. This is a quarterly-based program bearing in mind APS and annual leave in the summer. It contains one major activity per quarter. Key points: (1) completion of material must be tracked; (2) the best products should be openly acknowledged for motivational purposes.
| MONTH | TOPIC | OPI |
| Winter | Command This activity would most likely be conducted after the completion of EX MAPLE GUARDIAN in January. Select any aspect of the command function and organize an activity. It could be a guest speaker, reading a book, addressing command or a simple TEWT. |
Command Team |
| Spring | Joint Operations Plan and execute a war game outside the scenarios assigned to the major training events. It can be of any historical period. The Falklands War makes an excellent war game. The Canadian Army’s operations in the Scheldt during the Second World War are rich in difficult problem-solving. This activity could be conducted via an OPP cycle. |
Command Team |
| Summer | Unit Cos | |
| June | APS/Annual Leave | |
| July | AP/Annual Leave | |
| Fall | Case Study Consider conducting a case study on lessons learned/not learned from previous operations, focusing on the validity of the observations upon which ‘lessons’ are identified. |
Unit Cos |
A SAMPLE UNIT PD PROGRAM
The following is a suggestion only. This is based on ten modules in a 12-month period bearing in mind APS and annual leave in the summer. If this sample program is too ambitious given the unit’s operational tempo, Command Teams can envision it as a quarterly program, selecting one of the monthly topics as the main effort for any three-month period. The late fall would represent the planning and preparation period for the Command Team and unit leadership. Key points: (1) the approach in this specific example is cumulative, building from basic thinking skills to a final unit war game; (2) the approach is modular for flexibility. Members moving in and out of the unit can track their progress and know that they have not lost any work; (3) completion of material must be tracked; (4) the best products should be openly acknowledged for motivational purposes.
| MONTH | TOPIC | OPI |
January Mod 1 |
Introduction to Critical Thinking – could be military-based critical thinking (estimate, etc.) or academic (common logic fallacies for example). | Command Team |
February Mod 2 |
Critical Thinking Exercise – confirm the skill taught by offering serious problems to consider. In a tactical sense the OCs should be given a sub-unit level problem, and so on down to the privates. The exercises can be open-ended (lengthy preparation time to consider the problem) or in a time sensitive way. | Command Team OCs |
March Mod 3 |
Operational Ethics – this can be approached in two basic ways: (1) members can be given an article or an idea to consider and they present their views in an open forum; (2) members reflect on their own experiences with ethical challenges in operations. | Pl/Tp Leaders/Senior NCMs |
April Mod 4 |
Book Review (writing skills practice) – consider a book that speaks to some element of the final war-game scenario envisioned (see Line of Sight Website for book review guidance and Commander Canadian Army’s Reading List for ideas). | Graded by OCs |
May Mod 5 |
War Movie – excellent opportunity to watch a film and identify fundamentals and principles. Members must receive proper D&G on what is expected. | OCs |
| June | APS/Annual Leave | |
| July | AP/Annual Leave | |
August Mod 6 |
Case Study – historical case study at the unit level to draw out certain points of doctrine/command & control. The unit’s history is the obvious default, but Command Teams are encouraged to look at other regimental experiences as well in different conditions. | Command Team/OCs |
September Mod 7 |
Current Technological Challenges – introduce a technological issue that the CA is currently dealing with, i.e., air defence/drones. Printed material/videos can be distributed, but the key outcome is that members of all ranks are afforded the opportunity to offer their solutions. | OCs |
October Mod 8 |
TEWT – a sub-component of the larger final war-game to come in December. This is conducted at the lower levels, platoon and below, affording the NCMs to discuss minor tactics. | OCs |
November Mod 9 |
Culture – an open discussion of the impact of various cultures on how we conduct operations overseas. Should be clearly linked to the environment selected by the Command Team for final war-game | Command Team |
December Mod 10 |
War Game – the Command Teams’ year-end holistic PME event. See Line of Sight website for further information of war-gaming. The key to this exercise is that all members engage with the material/discussions. | Command Team |
Note: In early January of the next cycle Command Teams should conduct an AAR to determine how the unit program can be improved for better D&G, delivery and outcomes.
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