While the report, released Thursday, asserts that the military education system is "fundamentally sound," it points out a number of areas that warrant improvement. One is the timing of educational programs in an officer's career.

It can be challenging for officers to fit in attending one of the service schools, such as the Army or Naval War Colleges, with other career requirements such as training and deployments. Tight deployment schedules due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan leave even less time between tours, which the military calls "dwell time," to brush up on skills such as working in joint operations, critical thinking and strategy.

"Dwell times are so short the people are back on deployment without having a chance to go (through military education)," U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., said. "I think that the service branches are aware that that's an issue."

That situation can create inequity between officers' education and their assignments. Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., said officers occasionally are assigned to jobs for which they lack the proper education. In turn, officers may end up spending time in classrooms to fulfill requirements for a promotion despite already knowing much of the material, added Snyder, who is chairman of the subcommittee that compiled the report.

To resolve this issue, the congressmen called on the military leadership to place more emphasis on education programs.

"It needs to be seen as something that is of highest priority," Snyder said. He also proposed lengthening officer's time in service to make room for the necessary education.

The report also urges the service branches to emphasize educating talented officers in strategic thinking and planning. The Air Force and Marine Corps particularly lag behind in formal education for strategists, the report said. For an Army officer, on the other hand, focusing on strategy can hinder promotion beyond the rank of colonel.

"We think the military would be well served … by trying to find those people and probably assisting them with some more opportunities to go to top-notch private schools," Snyder said. An advanced degree from a civilian institution offers critical thinking and analysis skills that complement the education received within the military, according to the report.

The last comprehensive review of professional military education dates back more than 20 years to a panel headed by Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo. Skelton said he welcomes the renewed focus on the issue and advocates an annual review process.

Since Skelton's review, the military education system has expanded and become more complex, while seeking to incorporate issues such as counterinsurgency and asymmetric warfare. Roughly 800 to 1,000 officers each year go through the military schools and academies the report evaluated.

Wittman and Snyder said they don't plan to introduce a bill to address the issue and instead hope to tweak administrative guidelines in a dialogue with the military. To assess whether their recommendations have been implemented, the subcommittee plans a follow-up review within a year.

"I think we need to provide more formal oversight," Snyder said.

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