GIFT

The United States military is essential to national security, and its activities have significant implications around the globe. The Department of Defense (DoD) is the nation’s largest employer, and though not always appreciated, it is one of the largest providers of training and development for adult learners. Throughout history, learning has been a key priority for the military, and continuous growth and development of military members ensures the ability of the United States to remain innovative and competitive over adversaries in the face of an unpredictable future. Moreover, continuous growth and development are paramount given the ever-changing and complex operational landscape within which the military operates, including
increasingly uncertain, volatile, and chaotic environments around the world—on land, at sea, in
the air, in cyberspace, and in outer space.

Continuous learning in the military has never been more important than it is today. From the communication skills needed to work effectively with team members and foreign allies to operating complex technology worth millions of dollars, military members need to acquire a wider breadth of competencies, retain them over the course of their careers, and be ready to respond and use those competencies at the right time and place. Success in learning—and the ability to retain and transfer what is learned to military missions—is inextricably linked with operational success and the success of our nation.

Given the essential role of learning in the military, the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences and the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an expert committee charged with examining the adult learner within the military context