SAMS.png

The Goodpaster Scholars (or Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program) is a multi-year program that prepares Army officers for service as strategic planners through a combination of practical experience, professional military education, and a doctorate from a civilian university. Scholars spend up to two years in graduate school satisfying all course and exam requirements leading to acceptance as a doctoral candidate. During these years, officers will also attend professional military education at the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas studying history, strategic theory, and the practice of strategic planning. Once complete with their education, Scholars then serve a developmental assignment in a strategic planning position.

If you have question, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Image+from+iOS.jpg

Program Timeline:

  1. The Year Following Selection. Once selected for ASP3, officers will apply to doctoralprograms at accredited universities in a strategy-related field of study (see para 4.d.). Toprepare for the application and selection process, new selectees will attend an Orientation atSAMS soon after their selection.

  2. First Two Years (1st-2nd). After attending the six-week senior-level military education atSAMS in June and July, officers matriculate at their universities, spending the next two yearssatisfying all course, language, and comprehensive exam requirements, earning “All butDissertation” (ABD) status as a doctoral candidate by the end of the second year.

  3. Subsequent Years (3rd-9th). At this point, a specific officer’s timeline will depend upon theirrank, year group, branch or functional area, command selection, the requirements of theirdoctoral program, and needs of the Army. Utilization of officers in ASP3 is designed to ensurethat they remain competitive for further promotion and command selection. Therefore, selection for a Centralized Selection List position takes priority over other utilization assignments.

    • Some officers will spend a third consecutive year at the university to complete and defend their dissertation. They will spend the next six years in command or utilization assignments.

    • Others will PCS from the university after the second year to command a battalion or brigade or to serve in a utilization assignment. Following this assignment, officers will typically have a one-year dissertation sabbatical during which they will complete and defend their dissertation. They will then serve in other utilization or command assignments.

    • Utilization assignments are typically at four-star level commands or higher, including theWhite House, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, Department of the Army,Combatant Commands, NATO, Army Commands, and the Intelligence Community. Suitable three-star commands include joint task forces and Army Service Component Commands.

  4. Fields of study. Examples of strategy-related fields of study or academic disciplines include, but are not limited to: history, political science, international relations, public policy, information science, computer science (artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity and cryptography, and information and robotics policy), communication studies, systems science, systems engineering, economics, political economy, statistics, political geography, appliedphilosophy, anthropology, sociology, design, public health, security studies, strategic studies,and international law.

  5. Service obligation. Officers in ASP3 incur an Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) of 3days ADSO for every 1 day in residence at school not to exceed 6 years.

Dissertation Topics:

Beginning with the ASP3 2026 Cohort, the Army will identify priority topics of interest for dissertation research to guide the cohort selection and then assign officers to commands that would benefit most from their expertise and skills. This will allow selectees to increase ASP3’s return on investment and maximize the value of the program to the Army. The topics of interest below reflect the needs of strategic leaders across the Department of theArmy, Army Commands, and Army Service Component Commands. While this topic list is not all-inclusive nor listed in any order of priority, these priority Army topics will guide selection of the ASP3 2026 cohort. 

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. Regular Army officers of any branch in year groups 2006-2012 may apply. Reserve and National Guard officers are not eligible. Warrant Officers are also not eligible for the program. Officers who decide to apply should consult their assignment officer for guidance on career timeline assessment, eligibility, and career progression.

  2. Officers in the grade of Major must have successfully completed required key developmentalpositions or career field equivalent prior to starting ASP3.

  3. Officers must be MEL 4/JPME I (CGSOC) complete before starting ASP3.

  4. At the time of application, officers must successfully meet Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), height, and weight requirements. They cannot be on a permanent profile that places the individual in a non-deployable status. Additionally, officers will submit to SAMS a DA Form705 documenting having met ACFT, height, and weight requirements within the four months preceding PCSing to ASP3 or the start of the senior-level military education, whichever occurs first.

  5. Officers must have at least twelve months on station before PCSing to ASP3. Officers will PCS to Fort Leavenworth with duty at their university (i.e., physically reside at the university they are attending).

  6. Officers serving in joint duty assignments requiring a Secretary of Defense waiver for early PCS are not eligible to compete for ASP3.

  7. Officers serving in utilization tours incurred from participation in other programs such as scholarships, fellowships, Advanced Civil Schooling, or Training with Industry must fulfill their utilization for those programs by 01 JUN 2026 to be eligible to compete for the 2026 ASP3cohort (AR 621-1).

  8. Officers should have an Undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 or better.

  9. Officers must have a current Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with minimum scores of 153 verbal reasoning, 144 quantitative reasoning, and 4.5 analytical writing. To be current, scores must be no more than five years old.

  10. Officers must have at least a secret clearance.

  11. Officers with an approved separation date (either from resignation or retirement) are not eligible for ASP3 consideration.

Details on Application: 

  1. Submission of the application packet. The documents required and instructions for each document are listed below.

  2. Board. An Army University board convenes to determine the most qualified applicants to interview.

  3. Interview. SAMS leadership will contact officers selected as finalists to arrange an interview. Only the finalists will be interviewed.

Suspense: See MILPER each year for specifics.

Application Packet Submission

ASP3 CONTACT INFORMATION

66580296_10156609755766267_4511254521812353024_n.jpg
67202143_10156637780561267_3957754819292168192_n.jpg