After more than a decade of persistent counterinsurgency conflict (COIN) and multiple simultaneous responses to several natural disasters, the United States Army finds itself at the crossroads regarding the professional training of its officers and enlisted force. Given that overseas contingency operations in Iraq are scheduled to end in December 2011 and in 2014 for Afghanistan, it is plausible that strategic planners are considering the future composition of what will constitute the Total Armed Force to include new educational criteria for what could be a smaller force than was needed for current operations. While this may be speculation about "peace dividends", there is precedent for the military to re-evaluate its force structure and personal qualification requirements after each major conflict of the last century. . Although defense budget reductions are expected to reduce the Army's equipment priorities, training postponements due to continued contingency operations have hampered enlisted professional development, even as counterinsurgency operations require refocused training of Soldiers to enhance their sense of situational understanding and application of observable operational ethics through conceptual assessment efforts of enlisted leadership. .Reversing a Culture of DeferralThe operational requirements of the Army during overseas contingency operations have been considerable. The Army Force Generation Model (ARFORGEN) has proven effective in meeting persistent mission requirements by ensuring units are operationally ready to deploy. Commanders and Senior Noncommissioned Officers (SNCOs) responded professionally to the ARFORGEN process by building and maintaining cohesive units, ready to meet the stringent demands of COIN operations. U...... middle of paper ......Services Committee Subcommittee on Professional Military Education. Washington DC Powers, J. (2006). Civil-military operations and professional military training. Southeast Asian Studies (p. 55). Hurlburt Field. Robinson, P. (2007). Ethics training and development in the military. Parameters, (Spring), 23-36. Salmoni, BA, Hart, J., Mcpherson, R. and Winn, AK (2010). Growing strategic leaders for future conflicts. Parameters, 72-88. Scott Efflandt and Reed, B. (2001). Develop the warrior-scholar. Military Review, (August), 82-89. Snider, D.M., Toner, K., & Oh, P. (2009). The Army's Professional Military Ethic in an Age of Persistent Conflict. Safety (p. 30). Carlisle. Wertheim, M. (2005). Thinking About…Learning in the DOD; Change the culture. Williamsson, S. (1999). A description of the promotion system for enlisted personnel in the United States (p. 25). Washington, D.C..