Report of the RMC Board of Governors By the Withers' Study Group
Balanced Excellence Leading Canada's Armed Forces In The New Millenium
4500-240 (ADM (HR-Mil))
24 September 1998
Cross-reference p. 1 of 63 of official printed copy of report
The end of the Cold War resulted in massive change to the international context in which military force is employed in support of the national interest. With the demise of the direct monolithic Soviet threat, Western industrial democracies have significantly reduced the resources devoted to the military component of their national security operations. At the same time instability and deadly conflict, inimical to their security and economic well being, emerged in a variety of new forms. The international order may be new and the threats more ambiguous, but the need for an effective, responsive military instrument has been amply demonstrated over the past decade.
Characteristic of this environment is a range of new military and quasi-military operations sanctioned by the international community. These have usually been conducted under the overall auspices of the United Nations. Operations frequently involve intervention in conflict situations, not explicitly between states as in the past, but whose origins are internal. Such intra-state conflicts are complex, brutal and multi-dimensional. They have challenged governments and military establishments everywhere to re-examine their policies, doctrines, training standards and educational programs.
Canada has had extensive experience in this new setting. Multi-dimensional operations or, as they are sometimes called, peacemaking operations continue to generate considerable debate concerning the kinds of military forces required. The issue of leadership is at the centre of this debate. What are the new challenges shaping the nature of leadership required of the officer corps in the Canadian Forces and how should the military select, train and educate its leaders are key questions. The ideal higher education for officers has been a matter of some debate, as has the added value of providing it at RMC for a significant fraction of officer intake of the CF.
The ongoing process of reviewing the experiences of the CF over the past decade, around the globe, illuminates both the strengths and weaknesses of a force moulded by the exigencies of the Cold War. This culminated in a report by the Minister of National Defence to the Prime Minister in March 1997, outlining the current state of the CF and making a series of recommendations on a wide range of issues. There were a number of these on the subject of leadership, training and education. Recommendation number 12 directed a thorough review of the undergraduate programs at RMC to ensure that this institution responded effectively to the new operating environment facing the CF.
The RMC Board of Governors undertook to conduct this review. To ensure an impartial perspective, the Board commissioned a Study Group composed of members external to RMC, possessing the requisite expertise in academic and military matters. The Study Group was chaired by a former Chief of the Defence Staff, General (ret'd) Ramsey Withers. It began work in December 1997. This report is submitted in accordance with the Terms of Reference issued by the RMC Board of Governors (henceforth called the Board), pursuant to Recommendation 12 in the MND Report to the Prime Minister.