HQ Facilities
System of Instructions
- With the average age and service experience of
the officers attending the National Security and War Course, it is hardly
possible or appropriate to “teach” anything in the ordinary sense of the
term. At that age selected officers with future potential must educate
themselves. The course merely provides the time, opportunity, environment,
facilities, orientation and guidance for this process of self-development
and education by profiting from each other’s knowledge and from the clash of
ideas emanating from minds of varying make-up and caliber.
- The system of instructions has, therefore, been
carefully adopted to suit the capacity and experience of officers attending
the course and the high level of studies of the course. Hence the method
used is completely different from that adopted at the Command and Staff
College. Such subjects as elementary tactics and battle procedures, the
techniques of staff duties and minor details of staff work find no place on
the course. Staff problems are considered in essential detail to the extent
that these influence the concept of operation and command decisions. The
main emphasis is on originality of conception, practical out-look, logical
and creative thinking, command decisions, flexibility in mental process,
clarity in expression, solid professional knowledge and breadth of vision
and grasp of essentials.
- There are no fixed solutions known as “DS Solution”. Originality of
thought and unorthodox solutions are particularly encouraged so that
officers have complete intellectual liberty to express themselves freely,
provided such views are constructive, practicable and are supported by sound
reasoning.
- Officers will frequently find themselves as chairman of syndicate
discussions under the overall guidance and advice of the Commandant and the
Directing Staff. Being a self generating course, the system of instructions
cover broad professional studies for stimulating creative thinking. The very
process of comparison and analysis of cause and effect relationship I the
evolution of thought on professional matters is an excellent training for
the military mind. It also gives an insight into the professional problems
under study that can be hardly acquired in any other way.
- The literature to be studied is culled from wide ranging sources (and
issued as such) to widen the scope of studies and to permit comparative
analysis leading to concrete practical solutions applicable to our
conditions. This literature should, therefore, be regarded purely as raw
material for professional study and is not to be taken to reflect official
or accepted service doctrine which can come only from the services
headquarters. Current teachings contained in service pamphlets and papers
etc are, of course, the only authoritative sources of official doctrine.
- The supplement officers’ professional studies, the College arranges a
series of talks and discussions with eminent speakers. These discussions are
designed to focus attention on national security and defence problems of Pakistan and thus foster a deep
understanding and appreciation of these problems amongst the
officers.
- Conclusions arrived at by members will take the form of recommendations
on various matters, to be forwarded to services headquarters as the ‘fruit’
of the studies carried out during the course.
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