2016 Annual Conference

This paper reviews the adult learning theories-in-practice that have influenced the way adult learning is supported today in the U.S. military. In particular, it reviews the military’s adult learning voluntary education programs from 1943 through present day and discusses how the adult learning theories-in-practice have influenced the programs.

The target audience for this roundtable is adult educators, human resource development professionals, adult education policy analysts, and adult learning center program managers.

In today’s austere environment of budget cuts in adult learning/human resource development (HRD) programs, educators, program managers, and policy maker must study those adult education programs that are effective, efficient, innovative, and have survived the test of time –like the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) voluntary adult education program—sometimes referred to as continuing education. Voluntary education programs for military personnel are defined as continuing, adult [basic educational skills], or postsecondary educational programs of study that military personnel elect to participate in during their off-duty [non-working] time. With a workforce of approximately 3.2 million people, performing over 800 types of occupations, the DoD is the largest employer in the world. In order to attract and retain top quality personnel for its workforce, the DoD operates one of the largest continuing education programs in the world, supported by 204 education centers located globally. Consequently, the DoD voluntary education program offers rich opportunities for the adult education and HRD communities to study and adopt adult education “best practices” and “bench marks.”