Update From U.S. Army War College

I just started the third week of my new visiting professor job at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA. It's been an enlightening and invigorating experience so far. The students that I work with in class are incredible. This is the largest class of its kind in U.S. Army War College history (368 students, including 67 international fellows from 66 countries). Students, all senior officers and civilian leaders being groomed for command positions, are are among roughly 2% of their peers selected to attend this program. Many of the Army and Marine officers have experienced multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some already have their master's degrees and a few even have doctorates. Here's a breakdown of this year's class: 

Military Service Representation: Officers typically have approximately 20 years of service and have reached the rank of lieutenant colonel, colonel, or the equivalent rank depending on the military branch.

• U.S. Army: 210 active, Reserve, and Guard officers
• U.S. Air Force: 32 Air Force active, Reserve, and Guard officers
• U.S. Navy: 15 active and Reserve officers
• U.S. Marines: 18 active and Reserve officers
• U.S. Coast Guard: 1 active officer

Senior Civilian Representation: 25 high-ranking civilians from 

• Defense Department
• Defense Intelligence Agency
• Department of the Army
• Department of State
• National Security Agency
• Department of Homeland Security
• Veterans’Administration

International Fellows Representation: 67 senior officers from Afghanistan, Algeria, Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan (2), the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Yemen and Zambia.

Students will graduate on June 9, 2012, with a master of strategic studies degree and a U.S. Army War College diploma.

I'm also thrilled to be supporting the mission of the U.S. Army War College with my work in strategic communication management. The name of the college is somewhat of a misnomer. No, the college isn't in the business of making war. In fact, Elihu Root, the U.S. Secretary of War under President Theodore Roosevelt who established the U.S. Army War College described its mission as:

"Not to promote war, but to preserve peace by intelligent and adequate preparation to repel aggression...to study and confer on the great problems of national defense, of military science, and of responsible command."

Here is today's U.S. Army War College mission:

"The Army War College develops, inspires and serves strategic leaders for the wise and effective application of national power in a joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational environment, emphasizing development and employment of land power. The USAWC is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools."


Seminar 14 students in action during Boat Yard Wars

I'll comment on my work in the Center for Strategic Leadership later. I'll close this post with a slide show depicting some of the fun had by students, faculty and staff during the first week of orientation for the new class. Some of the photos depict teams of students building boats out of cardboard and duct tape, and racing them against each other in the annual "Boat Yard Wars" picnic ice-breaker family picnic. Who says military officers don't know how to let their hair down (note the buzz cuts, though) and have fun!