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2013-08-01
Finest military education at strategic level
By: Staff Major Yousef Jumah Al Haddad
1/Lt Khalil AL Kaabi
The United States Army War College is an Army school located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on a sublime two km² campus at historic Carlisle Barracks. It caters to high-level military personnel and civilians and prepares them for strategic leadership responsibilities. A large number of students are from overseas. NATION SHIELD has obtained an exclusive interview with commandant of the war college, Major General Tony Cucolo. During his distinguished career he served alongside UAE troops in Afghanistan and held them in the highest regard.
When was the college established and what were the guidelines and requirements when it was set up?
We began in 1901, founded by Secretary of War Elihu Root, as a part of the United States’ military reforms to improve our ability to execute operations overseas to conduct modern warfare. In 1901 we didn’t have the level of staff or the level of professional thinking resident in the military to do it. The reforms were called the Root Principles. The war college was not to promote war but to preserve peace and confer military science and what was called “responsible command” on issues of national security.
Initially, it became an additional part of the army staff, then its great value was seen during World War I because its graduates were skilled in large-scale operations and studying strategy and the like. It grew after World War 1 because America saw its value in producing graduate students who could think at the strategic level. Over the years its purpose has changed, but not much. My job today is much like the 1901 job and that is to produce critically-thinking, complex problem-solvers who can give their best military advice at the strategic level.
What is the vision and mission of the college and what are its objectives?
The mission is to educate and develop military and civilian leaders for service at the strategic level. It is also about advanced knowledge in the global application of land power – primarily army, marines and special operations forces. We achieve the advanced knowledge through research and we engage in public discourse. Perhaps we argue with those who have different views, but we want to be in the discussion about how the nation applies its military power. The vision, quite frankly, follows on from that. It is to provide a world-class, professional military education at that strategic level. And it’s the United States Army’s think factory – not a think thank – where we produce thought and research at a strategic level to help the US Army.
There’s no doubt that the college plays an important role in the preparation of leaders. Can you outline your broader plans and strategies plus tell us what is happening in this regard.
Aside from the primary purpose of graduating strategic leaders each year, I have several elements here besides the School of Strategic Land Power which handles the education. One of those is the Strategic Studies Institute which is the research arm. It has an important role, not just in the research and advancement of knowledge about land power, but in international relations because there are similar research organizations in other countries and we engage them. Incidentally, their website gets two million downloads a year.
I also have an organization here called the Center for Strategic Leadership and Development, a small operation that does war games at the strategic level. Indeed, they’re called war games but they’re actually high-level academic discussions with stake-holders, key people from the region if we can get them, who take part in discussing the possible futures. Every six weeks we pick a topic or issue that is a challenge right now facing the United States.
Here are some recent examples: there was a strategic level war game on Syria, also a strategic level war game on Mali, another on the Democratic Republic of Congo, and we conducted one on cyber warfare and its impact on US financial institutions. We also did a war game on North Korea without leadership. We have a very experienced student body and we have magnificent international officers who can come and help Americans see things through a different lens, a regional lens, not just the American view.
Another outfit here is the Army Heritage and Education Centre which is essentially the national archive for the US Army. It is where we conserve documents and artifacts from our pre-revolutionary war, the early 1700s, and the early 18th century through to today. It’s a wonderful military history research library.
There is also the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute. It’s a small organization involved with the international association of peacekeeping training centers. It is the US Army’s door to UN peacekeeping.
Each of these mentioned comes under the US Army War College.
The number of international students at the college out of the total?
We have 71 international students in a population of 385. Our desire is to have 80 from foreign countries and I think we will have 78 next year. The Army Chief of Staff invites nations to participate and it’s down to the willingness of a country to send them. It’s so powerful for the Americans to be sitting in class with an officer from the UAE, an officer from Bulgaria and an officer from Brazil. It opens their minds. We actually have an international hall of fame as we have had foreign officers here since 1978 and some of those have become leaders of their militaries. Most retain close relationships with American officers who are senior now so when there’s a crisis and political leaders might be at an impasse, military leaders can perhaps discuss the situation with a clearer understanding.
What does the college council consist of, what are its specialities and what are the academic degrees awarded by the college?
The United States Army War College diploma means that US military officers are certified at the senior service college level. This only means something to US officers though. However, if a US military officer at the rank of lieutenant colonel or colonel or navy commander captain level expects go higher they must have senior service college qualifications. Joint Military Education level two means you have attended a school where the faculty is army, navy, air force, marines and perhaps coastguard.
It is a joint facility and it means you have been educated and tested through a curriculum approved by our joint staff. It shows you have learned the capabilities of other services and have learned to do joint war-fighting. These areas are the highest military education. For those who qualify, and not everyone does, we also offer a Masters in strategic studies. We are accredited to a US civilian educational institution that ensures we maintain a certain standard for that degree. We have other offerings such as leader certifications to command a joint task force at one- and two-star level for American and international officers.
The United States Army’s Strategic Arts Programme relates to whether someone chooses to go strategist. If so, they must come here. There is a course of several months’ duration for qualification at basic level. This course tends to be at senior captain/major level. After qualification here you can commence your career as a strategist.
We have a variety of other programs such as a UN peacekeeping certification course. We host it, we don’t run it.
What is the level of co-operation and co-ordination between the college and other military colleges with in the US?
The US military joint staff has a staff section called the J7th that covers training and education. It ensures that all the war colleges’ curricula meet a certain professional military education standard. But primarily it ensures the same level of educational opportunities is provided at all institutions. We share our papers and research and best practices.
We are also reaching out to the international scene. There’s a Nato Defense College as well as the Baltic Defense College for example and most nations have their war college.
Does the college keep pace with the changes in the international arena, particularly what’s happening in Afghanistan, the Iranian nuclear issue, the Arab Spring and events in the Arab world generally?
Absolutely. It would be irresponsible and have no value to have a curriculum that is rooted in the 20th century. I also don’t think my war college students would put up with it. These are 30- and 40-year-old male and female professionals. Rising professionals these days need to see relevance to what they are doing. If I’m making them study something they demand to know why. We refresh case studies and elements of regional studies taking into account the current situation. It’s faculty-led learning and it’s current because of the participants. We’re constantly reviewing and updating our curriculum. I’m always looking for opportunities to send my faculty out to regions. I’ve recently had faculty members return from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sub-Sahara Africa and many other locations.
What are the concepts for studies at the college? Are students limited by the courses?
It’s not limited at all. In the core curriculum, the mandatory curriculum, students will take a course called Strategic Thinking in Leadership which is a mix of critical thinking and leadership at strategic level. They must take the Theory of War and Strategy and they must study National Security Policy. When the core curriculum is completed they have electives on offer and that is where a wide range of topics can be studied. There’s everything from history lessons from the great powers to peace keeping and stability, building partnership capacity, regional studies and more.
A lot of countries are keen to send students to your college – what is the value for the American students interacting with their colleagues from aboard?
Invaluable. We must hold on to it. The word ‘growth’ is key to it all. The benefit of Americans interacting with international officers and their families is immense. The families are here should the students choose to bring them and the vast majority do opt to bring them to the US. Their children are enrolled in local schools. The value of this for officers here moving into the strategic level of their career is priceless. If you are going to be a critically-thinking complex problem-solver you must know everyone’s perception and opinion. The international officers force a re-evaluation of an American officer’s ideas as to what they know and what they believe to be right.
What are the benefits for students going to your college?
There’s something about the profession of arms, or soldiering. There is a common bond and an international language of soldiering. We commit our lives to defending our nation and our people and we follow the orders of our political leaders. What a cadet or senior officer would find by coming to a US school is they would understand that they would make lifelong American friends. They would contribute to the education of the Americans and, almost in an ambassadorial way, promote their nation.
What are the levels of co-operation with other colleges at global level, including the counterpart colleges in the UAE?
Global aspects are vital. Faculty exchange is always open. Some nations are just starting up their war colleges or taking a new look at their war college. Lately I’ve been involved in a lot of exchange of faculty and also outlining the way we try to stay fresh and current with the world situation. We’re not saying ‘do it this way’, we’re offering an exchange of ideas. I’d like to do more with the UAE but at the moment most of our co-operation is participating in military-to-military areas.
What are the main pillars that you focus on in co-operation with future military leaders when they graduate from the college?
The first main pillar is being strategically literate whereby you are at a level of being credible and effective orally and in writing. This means being able to speak and write for policy makers. Second is the critical thinking problem solving – looking a wickedly difficult problem and being able to take it apart and develop solutions. It’s part of being able to challenge conventional wisdom and challenge assumptions. It is our belief that in this incredibly fast-moving world where decision makers at the strategically political level are being bombarded with information, they need an adviser or leader near them who can look at what is being said or assumed, and challenge it. You say, “That might have been correct 10 years ago, but now, no”. It’s imperative to understand an environment. That pillar is that graduates of this institution will stand up in a room and help leaders understand.
The relationship between the US and the UAE has reached a level of maturity that should be a model for many countries. How can the educational institutions of both nations capitalize on the relationship for the promotion of their common purposes?
The relationship between our nations has matured in an extremely positive way. Speaking from a strategic military point of view, I think the UAE is an incredibly important influential element in a region that is so vitally important to the US. We have common value interest in economic security and individual security. There is also the incredible role the UAE is playing in humanitarian aid world-wide which has influence and impact. This globally inter-connected world is going to demand strong relationships built on trust and open communications. Anything we can do to foster this is value-added. Military-to-military, educational institution-to-educational institution, US officers studying in the UAE, UAE officers studying in the US – all of this fosters trust and open communications. This is a role that I think is played by my little corner of the United States Army.
Could you expand on your comments about the UAE and humanitarian aid?
The impression is extremely positive in its scope and scale and application. Regions and sub-regions of the world are at risk as they develop and mature. This is especially the case as the explosion of cell phone usage, the ability to pass video and the surge in social media allows the blinded have-nots of the world to see what the haves of the world have. This opens up developing nations’ populations to be preyed upon by those who would like to expand a negative influence for their personal gain, not the gain of that nation. So, when the UAE provides humanitarian aid to a developing nation it is helping stabilize a region or sub-region. It’s not just providing temporary relief. As someone who has global security concerns, I am greatly appreciative of it.
The UAE has recently established the National Defense College. How important is this college in supporting national security and stability and to what extent can it help maintain leadership among Arab countries?
The college is an example of a source of regional stability by bringing senior security and military professionals from the region to one location to share experiences and study the issues of the day at a strategic level which is well-led across a strong curriculum. That has phenomenal potential for the Middle East and eventually the world. But for now it brings immediate and positive impact to the Middle East. I see the college bringing in professionals from throughout the region and breaking down barriers through communication and busting myths that are a frame of reference of growing up in one area. The exchange of ideas is powerful.
Do you think the information warfare presents additional challenges to the armed forces in general?
Absolutely. It adds an incredible degree of complexity which must be considered in the preparation and execution and anticipated aftermath of every operation. Information warfare can change the character of what you’re doing and even impact a desired outcome. It has forced us to address it in depth. It is a part of our curriculum here where we pay attention to the understanding and impact of information warfare. It’s actually a part of every course. What is studied covers everything from the approach to information warfare itself to the impact of the media, social media on the conduct of operations.
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