The Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program uses a variety of educational programs to promote increased understanding of non-lethal weapons and technologies. These efforts and others are designed to increase awareness on the utility of non-lethal weapons across the range of military operations.
Throughout the year, the Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program, through Old Dominion University, provides a resident Joint Professional Military Education elective class at military academic institutions to increase non-lethal capability understanding among service members.
The course is titled Intermediate Force Capabilities: Supporting the Joint Force Across the Competition Continuum. Curriculum includes discussion applications of non-lethal capabilities across the spectrum of conflict and in escalation-of-force situations. The course not only gives students a better understanding of the applicability of intermediate force capabilities in an operational environment, but also makes them aware of unique factors to be considered during operational planning. The course also provides students an overview of future intermediate force capabilities.
To view a brief video about the course, click here: IFC JPME VIDEO
The course, Intermediate Force Capabilities: Supporting the Joint Force Across the Competition Continuum, includes the following non-lethal weapons instruction:
- Range Day
- History & Policy of Intermediate Force Capabilities
- Current/Developmental Non-Lethal Technologies
- Directed Energy Intermediate Force Technologies
- Political, ethical and public perception considerations related to Intermediate Force Capabilities
- Legal Factors and Considerations
- Operational Case Studies of Intermediate Force use
- IFC Tabletop Exercise
- Intermediate Force Capabilities in Support of Defense Support of Civil Authorities
The course is currently available as a Non-Resident Elective at Naval War College in Spring and Summer, Non-resident elective at the Army War College in the Spring, Army War College Graduate Seminar in the Summer, Resident Elective at Naval War College in the Fall and Resident Elective at the USMC Command and Staff College in Winter. The course will be offered at the Air Command and Staff College in the Fall in 2020.
The course is sponsored by the Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office and all travel, instructor and materials are provided at no cost to any JPME venue which desires to host this elective.
The following military academic institutions at which Old Dominion may conduct the course include: