Most senior officers, but truly been successful, can make outstanding academics in the right setting. As a former Department chair, I hired many over my career, and found that they not only work well with students. They also understood organizational structure and very seldom fell victim to institutional drama. They also were outstanding researchers if the topic was one of which they had great interest. My experience is always been positive in dealing with them.

we should encourage these people it is useful knowledge

Interesting enough that many basic concepts in business strategies emanates from the military studies, however, what worries me is the interactive phase where examples from the industry are to be compared. How realistic is this?

Sometimes may be useful 

In Lebanon, the number of research centers which deals with strategic socio-political studies are run by ex-military generals who have pursued their doctoral studies. Many are even frequent consultants to foreign mass communication bodies assessing the Middle East area. so, with time some of the aforementioned are becoming important sources.

Think ex-military individuals who had pursued their doctorates can value add to university students through their experience & exposure in the areas like strategies, tactics, decision making during urgent / difficult scenarios, disciplines, patriotism etc.

It is agreeable that they might lack of certain disciplines like business management, higher education etc. in which doctorate degree awarding universities can include such courses / training / industrial assignments etc so that they can expose to such knowledge domain that they might lack of previously as part of the prerequisites before they graduated with their doctorate degrees.

You are right Han, During one of my training seminars on topics in management out of 20 participants I had 5 generals (retired) who were pursuing their doctorate degrees. With time I met more of them teaching in universities in topics as you mentioned strategic management, supervisory skills, etc...

Agreed with both now we need them badly

Thank you Prof. Muralidharan, however, not necessarily badly except where there is a major lack of PhD holders. And I will add where discipline is lacking.

OK

it depends on the individual personality and their ability to learn

Dear Mohamad

Usually individuals with military service are highly disciplined and organized to seek continuous learning, probably the gap, if any, is dealing with students as if soldiers under their command!  

I am looking at the need for more discipline among students in academia, who I find are coming up with more and more excuses for not meeting assignment deadlines and are preoccupied with their digital devices 24/7, so that it's becoming harder to get their attention even when the mobile phones are not used as part of the lesson. To this end, I welcome ex-military faculty, whom I think would be better able to manage the discipline issue in our classrooms. Whatever "mellowing" that needs to be done can be treated accordingly in faculty orientation.

Many thanks,

Debra

I think the problem you just described is spread everywhere, I myself have to threaten students that I will confiscate their cell phones for the whole semester which I applied once and gave a good impact, so students have to be shown that they will lose something for not behaving. The process goes smooth and within all the boundaries of mutual respect. Simply it is a transaction.

Amid the aggressive environment surrounding us, and as more high ranked officers retire, still the observation is that these officers continue to pursue their higher education seeking doctoral degrees. Moreover, what is observed in the Middle East and North Africa region, in particular, that these graduates before coming to teach become active analysts in the media about war, peace and scientific research. Subjects that add value in the classroom especially that these subjects are researched and deliberated with the public opinion.

I think the answer s yes. They provide discipline and knowledge.

I think it depends on the personality of the military.

I agree Mohannad with you, we cannot generalize personalities. However, as Prof. Talal mentioned such persons exist and like their new role.

There are really excellent academics in these retired high profiled doctoral military officers. They can be great resource persons and academic coaches in strategic management, defence research and other security- based studies and programmes run at the universities. They are great academic assets for countries!

I know several retired generals who continued their doctoral degrees and are now excellent academics. Their contributions are very value adding to education of young generations.

I agree with you Prof. Atrissi, I know some of those professors you refer to.

I don't think an ex military personnel can be useful in academics. Except if flexible.......Autocracy can't work in academics

Agree with you Syed and Abiodun. Surely we are not generalizing here. As in every situation, there are good examples and others who do not belong to education. Those ex-military who continued their education also understood (who were serious about it) that the higher education environment does not tolerate autocracy, unless the University follows strict disciplinary culture (military colleges).

Many retiring generals are still young and conscious about their next careers usually in research or teaching. Some are very good at it, but there are others who do not deserve to go into classes.

Most senior officers, but truly been successful, can make outstanding academics in the right setting. As a former Department chair, I hired many over my career, and found that they not only work well with students. They also understood organizational structure and very seldom fell victim to institutional drama. They also were outstanding researchers if the topic was one of which they had great interest. My experience is always been positive in dealing with them.

Usually I observe that senior officers who moved to teaching love the area of strategy and its applications. And true, David, they have excelled and became excellent analysts a fact that helps bring expertise and real case analyses to the classroom.

They are good but not as the true academics

Dear Dr. Fathy. One may find both good and so/so either in academics or from retired high officers in academics. Sure, we cannot generalize to be fair.

The retired military genrals who are now eductors after earning their PhD degree, are actually doing fine because they apply their own discipline on themselves to prepare and interact further with studnts who are mostly graduate students.

Thank you for your input Prof. Talal. I have met such persons as well.

The retired high ranked officers bring discipline and methodology to what they teach beside the technical knowledge intended.

Dr. Lezzaik, yes there are many who become true academicians but also there are many who fail.