Air University Review, March-April 1969

Professional Military Education in the Luftwaffe

Major William Bruenner

Recent events have placed increased responsibility for the defense of Western Europe upon the Federal Republic of Germany. These events have included the French military withdrawal from NATO, past and programmed troop reductions in Germany by the Federal Republic’s allies, and the U.S. military commitment to the conflict in Southeast Asia.

Both the leaders of the Federal Republic and the man in the street have accepted these additional defense responsibilities, although internal developments have had pronounced effects on German military planning. These developments include the passing of the “economic miracle” period, which has forced reductions in programmed military expenditures, and the aging of experienced WorId War II veterans who formed the nucleus of the German military forces during the reconstruction period that started in 1955.

Since the air force traditionally is the service branch requiring the most expensive and complicated weapon systems with the highest degree of immediate combat readiness, these developments, both internal and external, have affected the Luftwaffe. In particular, the declining number of officers with combat experience, a requirement for more effective utilization of limited financial, personnel, and equipment resources, and the concurrent increase in military responsibilities within NATO-all have combined to produce a need for the most competent leadership. This need is reflected in recent trends in the professional military education of Luftwaffe officers. These developments should be of particular interest to the USAF officer who recognizes that his Luftwaffe counterpart represents the strongest continental European military force within NATO.

background

The changes within the Luftwaffe have evolved from factors based on German military and educational organization and tradition. Although there are provisions for the advancement of selected NCO’s to officer status, the majority of Luftwaffe career officers enter the officer training course at 20 years of age upon completion of secondary school (Gymnasium). At that point they have completed 13 years of school and have passed a difficult final examination (Abitur). Only the top 8 percent of the German population in this age group reach this educational level. In terms of the American educational system, the average Luftwaffe officer candidate has completed the equivalent of two years of college upon entry into training leading to commissioning.

The three-year regular officer training course leading to a commission as second lieutenant involves the equivalent of progression through the enlisted ranks. (See accompanying table.) It also involves training and courses at a number of schools and some service with units in the field. Technical training commences prior to commissioning and continues for varying periods afterward, depending on the specialty. While this provides an excellent training program for commissioning, it does not include sufficient academic study to give the young Luftwaffe officer the equivalent of the American college baccalaureate degree, such as the U.S. Air Force Academy grants. This factor has assumed greater importance with the increased sophistication of air weapon systems, command and control methods, and the corresponding staff functions.

Luftwaffe Regular Officer Candidate Commissioning Program

While about 15 percent of USAF’s personnel are officers, only 7 percent of the Luftwaffe’s current total strength of 97,000 men are in the officer ranks. This variance is a reflection of some fundamental differences in leadership philosophy. For example, not all the Luftwaffe’s pilots are officers. The statistics for officer versus NCO pilots are as follows:

The assignment of antiaircraft and missile systems such as Nike Hercules, Hawk, and Pershing to the Luftwaffe, rather than the German Army, has helped to keep the percentage of officers low, since nonflying weapon systems ordinarily do not require the high proportion of officers found in flying units. Furthermore, many of the Luftwaffe’s 6500 officers are serving limited tours of 4 to 15 years. Thus the relatively low input of career officers has made it possible to avoid severe career progression problems as the force matures. On the other hand, this system places great responsibility in the hands of the individual Luftwaffe officer. This is apparent in a comparison of the organization and functions of higher USAF and Luftwaffe staffs. The Luftwaffe staff officer at the working level (captain through lieutenant colonel) must be able to work with considerably less supervision than his USAF counterpart. Preparation for such staff duty requires more emphasis on professional military education.

The weapon systems used by the Luftwaffe in the 1955-60 period included the F-84F, F-86K, RF-84F, and Nike Ajax. The U.S. forces had acquired considerable prior experience in the operation of these systems, which was passed on through American advisers assigned to German units and by the training of German personnel in the United States. Thus it was possible to minimize the effects of the 1945-55 gap, when no German military establishment existed.

The second-generation weapon systems were intended to provide the Luftwaffe the most modern weapons available, such as the F-104G. These systems were considerably more sophisticated than earlier ones and required the most up-to-date operational and management techniques. Thus it is not surprising that the integration of these weapon systems into the force initially imposed severe strains on the Luftwaffe.

The Federal Republic did not re-establish the German General Staff officer corps, which was dissolved in 1945. Nevertheless, because of tradition and the structure of the German military establishment, there is a requirement for selected officers in all services to perform general staff duties. General staff assignment in the Luftwaffe is limited to officers who have completed the two-year course of study at the German Armed Forces Staff College and have subsequently completed at least four months of duty in a general staff position. The importance of general staff officer status within the German military establishment can be judged by a number of factors. General staff officers wear distinctive uniforms, and faster advancement within the officer ranks often takes them further in their careers than their line counterparts. General staff positions are not restricted to the headquarters staff in Bonn or similar levels; there are general staff positions at all echelons above wing level. These positions do not involve command duties-the traditional ideal general staff officer advises the commander and ensures that all staff functions are performed smoothly and efficiently

recent trends

In order to attract the best-qualified individuals for officer careers in the highly competitive market for the relatively few young Germans who have completed the Abitur, the Luftwaffe has readjusted the commissioned service time requirements for promotion. Advancement to first lieutenant remains no earlier than the 2 ½-year commissioned service point. Promotion to captain occurs at the 7-year commissioned service mark for nonflyers (minimum age 27 years) and as much as 2 years earlier for pilots. Normally, promotion to major comes after 12 years’ commissioned service, but some pilots are advanced as early as the 9-year mark.

Technical training continues throughout the career of the commissioned officer, depending on his specialty. Professional military education, however, is adjusted to correspond to the force structure of the professional officer corps.

Currently the initial step on the professional military education progression ladder is the Luftwaffe Field Grade Officer and Selection Course. This starts in the sixth year of commissioned service, with the dual purpose of determining the officer’s qualification for promotion to major and preselecting officers for general staff training. This course covers a two-year period and includes both formal classroom instruction and correspondence assignments while still assigned to a unit in the field. It is concluded with five weeks of instruction at the Luftwaffe Academy and a qualifying examination.

Based on the results of this course, about 85 percent of the participants are considered eligible for promotion to field grade. The top 20 percent undergo a series of further tests and interviews; about half of these (24 each year) are picked to attend the two-year course at the German Armed Forces Staff College in Hamburg. The curriculum there includes:

By comparison with corresponding USAF courses (e.g., Air Command and Staff College), it can be seen that much greater emphasis is placed on academic subjects, so as to provide the graduate with a formal educational level roughly equivalent to that of the American college graduate. Recently heavier curriculum emphasis has been placed on advanced management techniques and operations research methods, in an effort to provide the expertise that the Luftwaffe leadership will need for management of the weapon systems of the 1970s. Joint instruction with army and navy students is presented in 18.3 percent of the curriculum. All students who were not promoted previously are advanced to major upon completion of this course.

The remaining 75 percent of field-grade eligibles attend three-month Luftwaffe staff officer courses. These are being phased out in favor of a joint five-month course to be given at the Federal Field Grade Officers School in Hamburg. These officers are eligible for promotion upon recommendation of their supervisors and a minimum of 4 months’ service in a position calling for a major.

The German Armed Forces Staff College provides courses for Luftwaffe colonels and lieutenant colonels slated for group-level or higher command positions and also provides for the continued upgrading of all general staff officers through short resident courses and correspondence.

The German military structure emphasizes joint instruction at all levels. This not only is cheaper than the establishment of separate service courses but also helps in the conduct of joint operations, thus overcoming one of the problem areas of German World War II military operations

the future

The Luftwaffe plans to place heavier emphasis on the professional military education of its career officers in the future, to the extent that financial and personnel considerations will permit. This is in recognition of the heavy demands that will be placed on the future leadership of the Luftwaffe.

For officers in the third or fourth year of commissioned service, the establishment of a five-month Federal Junior Officers Training Course is planned, with the objective of broadening the educational background of these young officers. This would be similar to Air University’s Squadron Officer School, with greater emphasis on academic subjects.

Some senior officers will attend a six-week Joint Defense Course, at a level comparable to that of the U.S. National War College.

The Luftwaffe is also investigating the possibility of supplementing the commander courses at the German Armed Forces Staff College with nonresident courses similar to those of the U.S. Air War College and Industrial College of the Armed Forces. In this way the Luftwaffe is trying to use USAF experience in professional military education for the benefit of its career officers.

Professional military education as we know it today was founded by General Gerhard Johann David von Scharnhorst in 1810 with the establishment of what was later designated the Prussian War Academy in Berlin. The tradition has continued in the German armed forces right up to the present and is still reflected in Luftwaffe organization and functions.

Today’s leaders of the Luftwaffe are pressed by the increasing complexity of its weapon systems, the additional responsibilities generated by the withdrawal of allied units from Germany, and personnel and budgetary problems. Yet they are increasing the emphasis on professional military education. In an era when each Luftwaffe officer must be prepared to carry a heavier burden of responsibility for the defense of the free world, the Luftwaffe thus prepares her own to do the job.

German Armed Forces Staff College

Contributor

Major William Bruenner (M.S., polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn) is USAF Liaison Officer to the German Armed Forces Staff College. A native of Vienna, Austria, he enterd the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and became a rated aircraft observer (electronic warfare). Subsequent assignments were as RB-66C aircrew member, Shaw AFB, South Carolina; ELINT Officer, Hq TAC, Langley AFB, Virginia; and electronic warfare staff officer, Directorate of Operations and Training, Hq USAFE, Lindsey AS, Germany. He is a graduate of the Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Academic Instructor Course. Until his present assignment he was a member of the Air Command and Staff College faculty. He has taught German for Troy State College.

Disclaimer

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.