Course in Keystone National Defense University

The Keystone Course will educate Command Senior Enlisted Leaders (CSELs) currently serving in or slated to serve in general or flag officer level joint headquarters or Service headquarters that could be assigned as a joint task force. CSELs will have an opportunity to visit and receive briefings at the National Defense University, the DJs J7 Joint Coalition Warfighting Joint Operation Module (JOM) in Suffolk, VA, and several Combatant Commands and Joint Task Forces.

Keystone Learning Areas and Objectives

Learning Area 1: National Military Capabilities and Organization:

Comprehend the capabilities and limitations, employment, doctrine, and command structures that contribute to joint operations.

Know the military roles in combating weapons of mass destruction, HLD, and Defense Support to Civil Authorities.

Comprehend the military roles in information and cyber operations.

Learning Area 2: Joint Doctrine:

Know the best practices in the current employment of joint doctrine in joint operations.

Comprehend joint operational art.

Comprehend the Unified Command Plan.

Learning Area 3: Joint interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational Capabilities:

Comprehend the value of joint perspective and the increased capabilities available to commanders through the joint, interagency, and combined efforts.

Comprehend JIIM capabilities and how these are best integrated to attain national security objectives across the range of military operations to include traditional and irregular warfare.

Comprehend the relationship between the military and cabinet-level departments, Congress, the National Security Council, DOD agencies, and the public.

Comprehend emerging concepts that impact the joint warfighter.

Value the comprehensive approach to joint operations.

Comprehend how JIIM information and cyber operations, command and control, the security environment, and the contributions of all national power elements are integrated into the support of theater strategies.

Apply an analytical framework that incorporates geopolitics, geostrategy, region, society, culture, and religion play in shaping the desired outcomes of policies, strategies, and campaigns.

Learning Area 4: Joint Force Leadership:

Analyze how Senior Enlisted leaders can provide relevant assessments of decisions and directives to commanders and staff regarding the joint force's impact.

Evaluate the ethical and legal ramifications of national security decisions.

Value jointness and the increased capability available to commanders through the integration of diverse JIIM cultures, efforts, and teamwork-based upon the Profession of Arms and other shared professional and ethical values.

Apply the Senior Enlisted role in promoting sound ethical decisions in joint operations.

Analyze and apply the Senior Enlisted role in joint warfighting principles and concepts.

Analyze and apply the ability to anticipate, communicate, and mitigate risks.

Evaluate the Senior Enlisted role in developing agile and adaptive leaders who think critically and apply joint warfighting principles in joint operations.

Evaluate the decision-making skills needed to make ethical decisions based on the Profession of arms and other shared professional and ethical values.

Value the ability to anticipate and respond to surprise and uncertainty.