Some Peculiarities of Forming Professional Culture in Future Officers in US Military Institutions

Abstract

Abstract The necessity to research the problem of forming a professional culture of future border guard officers using the experience of military personnel training in the United States has been identified in the article. It has been found that professional culture and professionalism are an important part of the US military education system. The peculiarities of vocational training in the leading educational establishments of the United States of America, first of all the Military Academy (West Point, New York), have been studied. It has been determined that the priority of the academy, as a whole system of military vocational education in the USA, is attention to what is needed in the combat situation: analytical mind, leadership, theory and practice of management, knowledge of military history, operational doctrine, national defense policy, ability to plan and make decisions, perform legal duties, and abide the professional ethics. Experimental, case-based, interactive training with the extensive use of imitation devices and practical applications prevails in teaching methodology, which is needed to improve officers’ ability to analyze and solve problems, effectively interact and apply operational doctrine. To enhance the level of professional culture and military identity in military schools, great attention is paid to the development of officers’ intellectual potential, the ability to think and critically perceive the information needed to act in situations of ambiguity and uncertainty, to achieve intellectual superiority over the enemy. In accordance with the philosophy of military education in the United States, it is stipulated that a graduate of a military school should be first and foremost a highly intelligent person who, in many respects, must outperform a graduate of any civilian university, quickly acquire the chosen specialty. In addition to training for character education, military identity, the US military estalishments also intends to work hard to develop communicative skills and abilities through speaking and writing practice.