Educational Management Mechanism to Create Commissioned Officer Identity under the Future Threat

Abstract

Research The “Educational Management Mechanism to Create Commissioned Officer Identity under Threat” was aimed at investigating the educational mechanism of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy School, which influenced the cadets' identity formation and advised the educational management mechanism to create the identity of commissioned officers in line with the mission and future threat . This research is a qualitative research collecting information from the interviews with the military officers, Cadets’ commanding officers and the observation from the cadets’ training and educating programs and the researches through the documents from trusted sources included the analysis of data by linking to Michel Foucault's theory, Robert E. Kelley's theory of follower and Kurt Lewin's theory of leadership and Identity concept.

            According to studies, it has been found that cultivate habits, discipline, psychology, and leadership in the military by the Cadet Regiment King’s Guard is the most important mechanism for the creation of military identity. Which created through exhaustion. Pressured From the new cadet system and repeated practice to get used to control. Cadet Leadership System will create a leadership identity for cadets who are going to graduate. Educational mechanisms will create ideology through the motto and vow. Resistance is very rare due to the strict punishment rules and the fear of not being acknowledge by the senior.

            According to a study with the commissioned officers who graduated from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy for less than 2 years, the study in the leadership promotion sector consists of the new cadet system, the cadet commander system, the senior system, and the military ideals bring the identity of commissioned graduates as follows: leadership identity is the hybrid between democratic leaderships, listening to the opinions of the subordinates as a part of the decision, and dictatorship, deciding solely on one’s opinion with no votes. Identity of commissioned officers is the effective followers who can manage themselves, responsible for their own works, and can work without supervision. Identity formed by the uniforms, dress codes, and insignia has created a sense of belonging.

            Future threats change from the confrontation to the battle that both sides do not see each other at all. It is the battle of the mind. Leaders need to know how to adapt their knowledge to match with the situation. The followers are responsible to follow the leader’s decisions and mitigate the mistakes by the leader. Therefore, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy School needs to adjust the educational management mechanism including a screening system to cadet, selection cadets’ system to commissioned officer, teaching methods that focus on critical thinking, To create an commissioned officers identity can respond to threats in all forms.