Structuring Naval Special Warfare's Lead Chief Petty Officer's Combat Leadership Course

Naval Special Warfare NSW does not currently have a professional military education program for the enlisted community. There have been courses developed by the U.S. Navy, which all NSW enlisted members are required to attend in order to progress in rank, but there are no courses specifically designed to increase the tactical and operational effectiveness of the enlisted Sea, Air, Land, SEAL community. The current wars experience show few deficiencies in our way of battle, and there is an increasing interest in NSW to create programs designed for NSW by NSW in order to maximize the enlisted communitys professionalism and capabilities on the battlefield. With the current demands on the NSW community, and the increased pressure to increase our ranks, the development of our SEALs must be a priority, and it must be a continuous process in order to maintain the quality of the force. Through analysis of a survey of Naval Special Warfare officers and enlisted men this thesis attempts to determine what educational topics are critical for SEAL Chief Petty Officers. The results of this thesis will help determine the focus of the recently introduced Lead Chief Petty Officers Combat Leadership Course.