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The 7th Command and General Staff College (7th CGSC) Detachment located in Grafenwoehr, Germany maintains its commitment to strengthening relationships and building interoperability with our Allies and Partners; hosting nine international students for the Command & General Staff Course, Common Core (CGSC-CC).
Nine Officers from Croatia, Kosovo and North Macedonia began a year-long course in July, alongside 39 US Army Officers. During that time, these officers will learn from each other, building interoperability for Joint Exercises and Military Operations. CGSC-CC breaks down into three phases consisting of learning objectives, including intellectual development and growth, joint doctrine concepts useful to understanding and analyzing the international security environment and strategic level military operations.
Phase I consisted of two major blocks of instruction: C100 Foundations of the Army Profession (31 hours of instruction) and C200 Strategic Context of Operational Art (30 hours).
Capt Adam Dubravac from the Croatian Army listens intently while participating in Phase I CGSC.
For many of the international partners, it was their first time interfacing with the US Military in an academic environment. “For me it’s the first time to be in military education with the US Military” stated Captain Tomislav Vučak, from the Croatian Army, “It is quite challenging, because it made me develop my language skills and it allows me to prepare myself in an international environment with NATO partners.”
“It is historic with the enrollment of nine international military students into our CGSC program,” said Lt. Col. David Gladish, 7th CGSC commander. “As the only forward-deployed CGSC detachment, we have a critical mission of educating and developing U.S. Army field grade officers and NATO Allies and Partners. 7th CGSC Detachment is able to take officers out of their Operational units for two weeks at a time, four times a year, to educate them on the importance of interoperability, leadership, and functioning as a joint force and then we put them back in their units to apply what they have learned.”
Major Vedat Shaqiri from the Kosovo Security Forces echoed Lt. Col. Gladish’s comments: “My biggest take away from this class was the importance of interoperability. We never know what the future is going to bring, so by understanding how our partners operate we can be ready to respond as a joint force to any crisis in the region.”
Not only did the international students learn from each other, but they also received a visit from Brig. Gen. Wanda Williams, Commander of the 7th Mission Support Command and Deputy Commanding General of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command. When asked what Field Grade Competencies she looks for in officers, she told students and instructors to write down: “Operationalize.”
Capt. Vučak stated Brig. Gen. Williams' message was received loud and clear: “I heard and listened to BG Williams' speech very carefully. The word that stayed in mind was operationalize. Brig. Gen. Williams wants her future field grade Officers to operationalize knowledge in CGSC. I will try to operationalize what I’ve learned as the Croatian Army continues to build interoperability with our partners.”
Lt. Col. Gladish noted the course model allows for students to rapidly learn U.S. Army and Joint doctrine, while learning from each other and networking in the classroom.
“I would like to thank my classmates and instructors for this opportunity and learning environment,” said Maj. Shaqiri, from Kosovo. “Together, we are stronger.”
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.24.2022 03:26 |
| Story ID: | 427911 |
| Location: | GRAFENWOEHR, DE |
| Web Views: | 198 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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