What Makes a Military Professional? Evaluating Norm Socialization in West Point Cadets

2021 ◽  
pp. 0095327X2110263
Author(s):  
Risa A. Brooks ◽  
Michael A. Robinson ◽  
Heidi A. Urben
Keyword(s):  
Military Culture ◽  
The State ◽  
West Point ◽  
Military Officers ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Normative Beliefs ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Civilian Leaders

Scholars have contended that norms of professionalism are critical to understanding how militaries interact with civilian leaders and when they intervene in politics. Yet, few studies have directly examined the normative structures of military officers. Through a survey of 1468 US Military Academy cadets, this study evaluates cadets’ views toward professionalism, and in particular what is often presumed to be the dominant framework of those norms based on Samuel Huntington’s The Soldier and the State. We identify five patterns of normative beliefs based on cadets’ views of civil–military interaction and the nonpartisan ethic: orthodox, unorthodox, inconsistent, non-committal, and motivated norms. Cadets fall into each of these categories, but approximately one-quarter demonstrate motivated norms, adhering when convenient, and otherwise dispensing with them when the rules they prescribe clash with their partisan identities. These findings, especially our novel conceptualization on norm adherence, contribute to a greater understanding of military culture and professionalism.

scholarly journals Influenza Before the 1890 and 1918 Pandemics in the US Army and at the US Military Academy

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Dennis Shanks ◽  
Melissa Eslinger
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Influenza ◽  
West Point ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Us Army ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us

Abstract Influenza rates for the US Army and West Point cadets showed that seasonal influenza was not necessarily an annual event, and there was little influenzal illness in the decade before 1918 except for 1911 and 1916. Annual records from 1862–1918 also indicated a similar paucity of influenzal illness before 1890.

West Point

2019 ◽  
pp. 5-36
Author(s):  
Ingo Trauschweizer
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
West Point ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Atomic Weapons ◽  
Limited War ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Mobilization Potential ◽  
Army Officers ◽  
The Us

In the opening chapter I introduce Maxwell Taylor as superintendent of the US Military Academy (1945-1949), where he placed greater emphasis on the humanities for a more balanced liberal education of army officers. This was to prepare them for leadership of a mass army made up of a mix of volunteers and draftees, which depended on one’s ability to communicate clearly and compellingly. At West Point, Taylor also began to formulate lessons of World War II, pondered the changing nature of strategy, which now had to encompass the full mobilization potential of the nation, and considered the effects of atomic weapons. Curiously, he concluded that limited war remained both possible and likely.

Assessment of dietary intakes of cadets at the US Military Academy at West Point.

1996 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
M V Klicka ◽  
N King ◽  
P T Lavin ◽  
E W Askew
Keyword(s):  
West Point ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR CADETS IN US MILITARY ACADEMY WEST POINT

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (194) ◽  
pp. 190-195
Author(s):  
Ruslan Anatskyi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Physical Training ◽  
West Point ◽  
Fitness Testing ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us ◽  
Physical Fitness Testing

The article offers the analysis of the physical training Program for cadets in the US Military Academy West Point. Recently, Ukraine gained access to the best military experience of NATO. An important factor in strengthening the combat potential of the army is the future officers’ physical training. The analysis of the physical training Program for cadets in the US Military Academy West Point will allow the gradual implementation of NATO standards in higher military education in Ukraine. West Point accepts boys and girls, U.S. citizens, ages 17-22. Applicants are recommended to pass the camp Summer Leaders Experience. The governing body that organizes, implements and controls the entire process of physical education is the Department of Physical Education. The guiding document for the entire process of physical education is the physical training Program. The strategic goals laid down in the physical training Program are: cadet skills, teaching staff responsibilities, military skills, program implementation. The physical training Program consists of three sections: the physical education curriculum or "training course"; physical fitness testing; and participation in sports competitions. The first section in the Program has three main courses for cadets’ working: basic motor activities; basic fitness; and daily physical activity. The second section in the Program is regular physical fitness testing, it provides cadets the opportunity to demonstrate personal physical perfection and emphasizes the importance of physical fitness for a military profession. The third section in the Program is participation in competitions, it encourages each cadet during every semester to participate in competitions according to their own abilities and interests: team, club, Inter-academic. The physical education curriculum has four levels for cadets’ training. The transition to a new level is allowed only if a cadet meets all the standards from the previous level. The fourth level provides the development of self-confidence that gives cadets the opportunity to meet the requirements of the Academy and the army in physical training in the future. The third level ensures cadets’ development of basic competence in movement and water skills. The second level designs a final combat experience that is closely related to the Army combat program in the modern army. The first level provides the culmination in one of many cycles in cadet’s physical activity that is cadet’s physical movement throughout life.

scholarly journals Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (47) ◽  
pp. 23499-23504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela L. Duckworth ◽  
Abigail Quirk ◽  
Robert Gallop ◽  
Rick H. Hoyle ◽  
Dennis R. Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Personal Attributes ◽  
West Point ◽  
Predictors Of Success ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Predicting Success ◽  
Achievement Outcomes ◽  
The Us ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

When predicting success, how important are personal attributes other than cognitive ability? To address this question, we capitalized on a full decade of prospective, longitudinal data from n = 11,258 cadets entering training at the US Military Academy at West Point. Prior to training, cognitive ability was negatively correlated with both physical ability and grit. Cognitive ability emerged as the strongest predictor of academic and military grades, but noncognitive attributes were more prognostic of other achievement outcomes, including successful completion of initiation training and 4-y graduation. We conclude that noncognitive aspects of human capital deserve greater attention from both scientists and practitioners interested in predicting real-world success.

Gender Peer Effects in a Predominantly Male Environment: Evidence from West Point

2018 ◽  
Vol 108 ◽  
pp. 392-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Huntington-Klein ◽  
Elaina Rose
Keyword(s):  
Peer Effects ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
West Point ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Group Assignment

There is considerable interest in the success of women in overwhelmingly male environments. One hypothesized determinant of success is the increased presence of other women. However, the theoretical direction of this effect is uncertain. Previous studies of heavily male contexts have had mixed results. We take advantage of random peer group assignment at West Point military academy to identify gender peer effects in the first years in which women were admitted. We find that women do significantly better when placed in companies with more women peers. The addition of one woman peer reduces the gender progression gap by half.

Combatant socialization and norms of restraint: Examining officer training at the US Military Academy and Army ROTC

2021 ◽  
pp. 002234332110108
Author(s):  
Andrew Bell
Keyword(s):  
Humanitarian Law ◽  
Armed Groups ◽  
Officer Training ◽  
Military Academy ◽  
Army Reserve ◽  
Civilian Protection ◽  
Us Military ◽  
The Us ◽  
Reserve Officer Training Corps ◽  
Army Rotc

Can armed groups socialize combatants to norms of restraint – in essence, train soldiers to adopt norms of international humanitarian law on the battlefield? How can social scientists accurately measure such socialization? Despite being the central focus of organizational and ideational theories of conflict, studies to date have not engaged in systematic, survey-based examination of this central socialization mechanism theorized to influence military conduct. This study advances scholarly understanding by providing the first comparative, survey-based examination of combatant socialization to norms of restraint, using surveys and interviews with US Army cadets at the US Military Academy (USMA), Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), and active duty Army combatants. Additionally, to better understand ‘restraint’ from combatants’ perspective, this study introduces the concept of the ‘combatant’s trilemma’ under which combatants conceptualize civilian protection as part of a costly trade-off with the values of military advantage and force protection. Survey results hold both positive and negative implications for socialization to law of war norms: military socialization can shift combatants’ preferences for battlefield conduct. However, intensive norm socialization may be required to shift combatants’ preferences from force protection to civilian protection norms. Study findings hold significant implications for understanding violence against civilians in conflict and for policies to disseminate civilian protection norms in armed groups worldwide.

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