This is a general term covering the full range of instruction in the art and science of war, from basic military training to higher education at master's and doctoral level. Military education embraces the instruction given to military monastic orders, and to medieval squires aspiring to become knights, the professional training given to officers which became increasingly common in the 18th century, and the continuous process of training and education which modern professional servicemen and women undergo throughout their careers. The term also embraces many great works of military thought, which were designed as manuals for the instruction of officers, generals, and princes.
The warrior monks of ancient China, forbidden to carry weapons, were feared because of their prowess in unarmed combat. One young man joined the order, hoping to learn its secrets. For two years he was given menial duties, including carrying a heavy cauldron of water which he then had to empty each day by repeatedly striking the water with the palm of his hand. After two years, he went home on leave. His family wanted to hear all about his education, but he became angry. He could not understand why all he had to do was carry heavy weights and empty the water. In a rage, he struck the family's massive oak table with the palm of his hand. It splintered, and he realized why.
Sun-tzu's the Art of War of 400-320 bc and Vegetius' De Re Militari of ad 390-410 are among the first systematic treatises on military affairs which clearly had an educational purpose. After the fall of Rome, theoretical studies on military science continued in the Byzantine empire and in the Arab world. One of the first western treatises on the art and science of war was Walter de Milemete's De Regis Misericordia, written in 1327 for the young Edward III of England, which includes probably the first ever picture of a cannon. Meanwhile the first military academy in Asia was established in Vietnam in the 14th century.
Until the 18th century, most military officers were landed gentlemen whose innate skills in hunting and other rural pursuits equipped them pretty well for field command. The technical arms—the artillery and engineers—required formal training and academies were established throughout Europe. By the end of the 18th century it was clear that infantry and cavalry officers also needed some formal instruction in the increasingly complex art and science of war. Cadets were very young—in their early teens—and general education played a large part in the syllabus. The standard, particularly in relevant modern subjects such as geography, mathematics, and science, was often higher than in the most prestigious civilian institutions. The British scientist and inventor Sir Michael Faraday, for example, taught at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich, which trained young artillery and engineer officers.
Formal military education was limited to preparing boys and young men for commissions until the 19th century, after the Napoleonic wars, when military education expanded with the creation of staff colleges for older, serving officers, to prepare them for staff duties. During this period, officers in military command appointments also increasingly undertook professional studies. In 1831 Wellington founded the Royal United Services Institution, for the continued professional advancement of naval and army officers, the first such institute in the world. The award of essay prizes contributed to encouraging officers to study their profession seriously. As with all education, teaching at advanced level requires continued research and development of the subject.
The emergence of mass, conscript armies helped make ‘military education’ more élitist. Officers who attended military schools and academies intending to pursue a military career were differentiated from the conscript soldiers and short-service officers who formed the bulk of the armies. The latter underwent military ‘training’—but hardly ‘education’. The majority of those who fought in both world wars were in this category. With a few exceptions, the generals and admirals on all sides were all the products of a professional military education. But one of the positive legacies of the world war experience was the introduction of first-rate education for non-officers. The increasing complexity of military technology meant that soldiers, sailors, and airmen had to do complex jobs which required quick thinking, initiative, literacy, and numeracy. Many gained an education they had missed out on in civilian life, as examinations in basic educational skills accompanied selection for promotion to senior, non-commissioned ranks.
With the end of conscription in the armies of the developed world, military education is more important than ever in attracting and retaining high-quality recruits. Increasingly, armed forces try to ensure that, besides gaining the necessary qualifications to do difficult military jobs, those skills are recognized with the award of equivalent civilian qualifications, which will help the serviceman or -woman on return to civilian life.
— Christopher Bellamy
