Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.
Issue link: https://chemical.epubxp.com/i/533676
21
Summer 2015
By Lieutenant Colonel John S. Leahy
T
he Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is now offering a
distance learning graduate certifcate in Nuclear
Weapons Effects, Policy, and Proliferation (NWEPP). The
education of the nuclear workforce is a top U.S. Air Force
priority, and the Air Education and Training Command,
U.S. Air Force, conceived of the program to reinvigorate
nuclear-related education for the Air Force nuclear enter-
prise. The frst class was welcomed in the fall of 2011.
The NWEPP Program targets "nonquota," midcareer of-
fcers, noncommissioned offcers, and government civilians
who have current positions—or who may receive future as-
signments—with the Department of Defense (DOD) nuclear
enterprise and who would not normally have any other way
to pursue a formal education in the nuclear weapons arena.
The program is open to students in residence at AFIT and
candidates who are nominated by the Deputy Chief of Staff
for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Offce
(A10), Air Education and Training Command, in consulta-
tion with the Air Force Global Strike Command. Interested
students who are outside the Air Force Global Strike Com-
mand must coordinate their attendance through AFIT and
A10, Air Education and Training Command. U.S. Army nu-
clear and counterproliferation (Functional Area 52) offcers
coordinate through the U.S. Army Nuclear and Countering
Weapons of Mass Destruction Agency. All students must be
U.S. citizens. However, the only academic requirements are
the completion of an undergraduate degree with an overall
grade point average of 3.0 or higher and a college algebra
level mathematics course with a grade of C or higher. There
is no requirement for a science or engineering background.
There is also no residency or security clearance requirement.
The NWEPP Program consists of three courses—each of
which can accommodate up to 40 students, is 10 weeks long,
and is worth 4 credit hours. Participants work indepen-
dently and in groups to perform educational investigations
of a broad range of topics encompassing weapon
effects, nuclear technologies (including the fuel
cycle), nonproliferation challenges, and the evo -
lution of U.S. nuclear weapons policy since the
Manhattan Project.
1
Students should plan to
spend at least 16 hours per week on coursework.
They will acquire the skills necessary to develop
and provide advice on future nuclear strategy
and policy. In addition, they gain an understand-
ing of technical issues that will allow them to in-
terface with the technical communities within
DOD and the Department of Energy regarding the main-
tenance of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. They also learn what
makes nuclear weapons unique. Finally, they develop an un-
derstanding for how these unique weapons have enabled the
United States to deter war throughout the past 6 decades.
Dr. John McClory, director of the NWEPP Program, sum-
marized his experiences by stating, "I have been gratifed by
the enthusiasm, knowledge, and dedication of our distance
learning students as both an instructor and as the program
director. Our students bring a wealth of knowledge on nucle-
ar deterrence tactics, operations, and strategy—which they
share and which elevates the level of discussion. Student
contributions, along with our structured course material,
make the program a valuable resource for those of any Ser-
vice preparing for a position in the national nuclear enter-
prise."
The entire NWEPP Program can be completed in as little
as 9 months, but must be fnished no more than 2 years after
beginning the frst course. Those who complete the formal
program with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 receive
the AFIT graduate certifcate.
For more information about the NWEPP Program,
please visit the AFIT Web site at