** This is the third place post from the Line of Departure Promotion Competition. Look for the rest this week culminating in a summary post on Thursday **
Professional writing in the Army is at a crossroads: Line of Departure isn't just a new platform—it’s an opportunity to transform how Soldiers engage with ideas that shape their profession. While Army journals have long been a vital resource, their accessibility has dwindled over time. Line of Departure changes this dynamic, offering a modern, web-based platform designed to reinvigorate professional discourse and make these resources more accessible than ever.
Growing an online platform takes time and effort. New apps and programs compete against social media giants like Facebook and Instagram. Thankfully, the Army has a unique advantage: its centralized system of professional education. Army schools, attended by Soldiers at nearly every rank for advancement or promotion, provide the perfect opportunity to introduce Line of Departure.
Army schools already incorporate writing assignments into their curricula. For example, during the Advanced Leader Course (ALC), students are typically required to complete essays to “develop their writing skills as NCOs.” However, these assignments often lack direct relevance to Soldiers’ professions and fail to spark deeper discussions. Line of Departure can transform these exercises into tools for meaningful engagement.
Here’s how it could work: students could begin their courses by selecting an article from an Army journal, such as Aviation Digest or the NCO Journal. Their assignment would be to write a response—whether a counterargument, a supportive analysis, or a practical application of the article’s ideas. This approach introduces students to Line of Departure while encouraging personal investment in its content.
CSM Michael Henry, the deputy commandant of the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence, meets with representatives from all of the Sergeants Major Course departments to discuss shaping the institution (Photo Credit: U.S. Army).
Schools often award recognition for exceptional writing assignments. Why not take this a step further? The best articles from each class could be submitted to the relevant journal for potential publication. This creates a powerful cycle of engagement—read, write, submit—that strengthens professional discourse while introducing Soldiers to the resources available on Line of Departure.
This plan requires minimal adjustment. Most Army schools already incorporate writing assignments, meaning the primary change would involve modifying the structure and subject of these tasks. The assignment and Line of Departure could be included in the course’s pre-reading materials, allowing students to explore articles and discuss their ideas before the course even begins.
Reading and writing outside of work requirements often feels cumbersome for the average Soldier. By embedding Line of Departure into Army schools, we can demand students’ attention and connect them with modern, relatable issues they can contribute to solving. Furthermore, while winning a writing award in a school course enhances evaluations, being published in an Army journal benefits a Soldier’s career and brings ideas out of the classroom.
Line of Departure has the potential to revolutionize professional writing in the Army. By embedding it into the curriculum of Army schools, we can create a generation of leaders who not only read but actively contribute to the journals that shape their profession.
Not a lot of people know it, but at the SMA students have to participate in discussion word posts. Usually a minimum of 2 to 4 a week or something like that, I can’t remember. The goal is to participate and have dialogue, albeit in a written online form.
Incorporating the Line of Departure seems to be easily beneficial. Incorporating these articles from line of departure and the discussion board provides many opportunities for Army learners to learn and use Line of Departure.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for the opportunity