Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, told the Commission on National Guard and Reserves committee that there is a serious shortfall in the professional military education arena when it comes to the reserve components. His prepared statement did not address the issue, but Skelton felt compelled to talk briefly about PME, which he said needs “serious consideration.” Skelton noted that only a handful of Guardsmen and Reservists are picked to go to intermediate or senior war colleges. And that, he claims, will not do because Guardsmen and Reservists increasingly are being put in decision-making positions that would benefit from a war college education. Without that, said Skelton, “you might get an erroneous recommendation.”
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…