Department of the Army_War College InvitationREPLY TO
ATTENTION OF
Office of the Commandant
Mr. Michael C. Van Milligen
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Dear Mr. .Milligen:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
March 9, 2010
We are delighted to invite you to participate in the 56th Annual U.S. Army War
College National Security Seminar
Each year we cap our academic program by inviting leading
citizens from throughout the United States to discuss national security issues with
our students in a week -long seminar format. Five nationally prominent speakers
will provide the focus for our discussions as they address international, domestic,
and defense issues.
The enclosed prospectus outlines the objectives and organization of the
seminar and provides basic information on our College, its students, and the
faculty. The purpose of the U.S. Army War College is to prepare select officers
and civilians to assume positions of increasing responsibility in the U.S. Army, the
other Armed Services, and throughout the defense community. The Class of 2010
also includes 50 international officers from around the world. A major portion of
our curriculum focuses on developing a deeper understanding of the society these
leaders serve and the interests, issues, and trends that influence the formulation of
national security policy. Every year the seminar has been an outstanding success
made possible by the participation of leading citizens.
As a New Member of the Class of 2010, you. will be our guest for the duration of
the seminar. You will have a student escort, and we will provide all meals,
lodging, and daily transportation for the duration of the seminar. Unfortunately, we
cannot pay for your travel to and from Carlisle. As the seminar draws closer, we
will communicate with you again to determine your travel plans. If you have
additional questions about lodging or transportation, please contact
If you are able to join us, please complete the two enclosed forms. The
post card communicates your commitment to attend. We can only accept 160
guests, and we enroll guests in the order in which we receive their reply post
cards. It generally takes less than 4 weeks to fill the seats, and later replies are
placed on a standby list.
The enclosed biographical form with the accompanying return envelope allows
our students and other New Members to know something about you. Please do
not submit detailed curriculum vitae in lieu of this form.
We hope you will be able to join us. As our students take this opportunity to
synthesize their academic year, it is important that they have an opportunity to
understand your priorities and concerns on issues of importance to our Nation.
While we are aware of the travel costs involved and the significant time
commitment required, we believe your visit will be well worth your investment.
You will find the seminar to be interesting, our students both thoughtful and
Enclosures
-2-
Sincerely,
PROSPECTUS
56th Annual
NATIONAL SECURITY SEMINAR
"Not to promote war, but to preserve peace"
Secretary of War Elihu Root, 1901
Objectives and Organization
The objectives of this Seminar are:
• to reach out to civilian leaders in communities across America,
providing an opportunity for them to become better acquainted
with the U.S. Army War College and prospective future leaders of
our Armed Forces.
• to synthesize the academic year of study through close
examination of current national security issues.
• to create an environment for students and our distinguished New
Members to candidly evaluate current policies and strategies.
• to enhance student learning through exposure to a cross - section
of American society perspectives.
Organizationally, the Seminar depends on the framework of the 20
student seminar groups, each having approximately 17 students. Atotal of
eight New Members will join each student seminar for the week. Each
day's guest speaker will address the major topic for discussion, but the
students, faculty, and New Members within individual seminars have the
freedom to tackle additional issues in their classrooms. It is this time spent
in dialogue with students in the seminar rooms that dominates New
Members' feedback each year.
New Members are not expected to prepare for the Seminar. Their
individual backgrounds, experiences, outlook on important issues, and
personal commitment to our Nation's well -being make them highly qualified
for seminar discussions.
Seminar New Members
Our New Members represent a broad cross - section of American
citizens who have achieved success in various fields of endeavor and who
have personal contact with an even broader measure of American society.
By design, they represent a diverse slice of American life, as we invite
citizens from all regions of the country of widely varying ages, professions,
and personal interests. They also represent a cross - section of race,
gender, and contemporary views, providing a rich learning environment in
the seminar rooms. Each New Member has been nominated by an
individual with close knowledge of our program, including former Seminar
New Members, College alumni, students, staff, and faculty.
Students
The student body is composed of 263 U.S. military officers, 27 U.S.
Government civilian employees and 50 officers from other countries. While
the class is predominantly drawn from the Army, 63 officers come from the
Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, or Navy. The military officers come from
the Active Component, Reserve and National Guard, with the majority in
the grade of Colonel /Captain or Lieutenant Colonel /Commander. The
average age is 45 and length of service is 22 years. Approximately 68
percent of the officers have commanded at the battalion level while 65
percent have served in Iraq and 32 percent in Afghanistan. Approximately
78 percent of the students have graduate degrees, and 6 international
officers are Brigadier Generals.
Faculty
The resident College faculty consists of officers, civil service
professionals, and civilian professors. While predominantly Army, the
faculty also includes officers from the other Services. Faculty are selected
on the basis of formal education, training, and career experience that
qualifies them as expert in one or more of the various fields that comprise
the military art and science. The resident faculty is augmented by the
distinguished researchers of the Strategic Studies Institute, as well as other
leaders and educators who commute to conduct
advanced courses during the year.
1
Monday
7 June
Tuesday
8 June
Wednesday
9 June
Thursday
10 June
Friday
11 June
8:00 am:
Optional Tours
(led by student
escorts)
8:30 am:
Address
8:30 am:
Address
8:30 am:
Seminar
discussions
8:30 am:
Seminar Time
10:00 am:
Seminar
Introductions
9:15 am:
Q & A
9:15 am:
Q & A
9:30 am:
Address
9:30 am:
Address
11:30 am:
Lunch (LVCC)
10:15 am:
Seminar
discussions
10:15 am:
Seminar
discussions
10:15 am:
Q& A
'
10:15 am:
Q & A
1:00 pm:
Commandant's
Welcome
11:30 am:
Lunch (LVCC)
11:30 am:
Lunch (LVCC)
11:30 am:
Lunch
(LVCC)
11:00 am:
Commandant's
Closing
Remarks
1:15 pm:
Keynote
Address
12:40 pm:
Noontime
lectures -
(optional)
12:40 pm:
Seminar
discussions
0
12:40 pm:
Noontime
lectures
11:30 am:
Lunch
(optional, Joint
Deli)
2:00 pm:
Q & A
1:30 pm:
Seminar
discussions
2:30 pm:
Gettysburg
Tour (optional)
1:30 pm:
Seminar
discussions
4
3:00 pm:
Seminar
discussions
6:00 pm:
Commandant's
Reception
(Qtrs 1)
2:45 pm:
Commandant's
Farewell to
Class
6:00 pm:
Buffet
(LVCC)
4:30 pm:
Retreat
Ceremony
7:00 pm:
Seminar
socials
.
Tentative Schedule
LVCC: The Letort View Community Center on post
1
Mission - Curriculum
There are few issues of greater significance to the long -term
readiness of our military forces than the professional military education of
the Officer Corps. The U.S. Army War College serves as the capstone
institution for the development of Army and other Service leaders who will
serve in senior positions for the remainder of their careers. More
specifically, the College provides the Army and the Nation with senior
leaders who understand the role of the military professional in a democratic
society, who can advise civilian on the use of military forces as one
of several elements of national power and who can lead those military
forces in achieving national objectives.
The curriculum is designed to provide the students with a broad,
strategic perspective and to equip them with the personal and professional
qualities they will need to operate confidently and competently in a strategic
environment. For many of our Nation's most senior military leaders, their
year of senior -level professional military education provided their last
opportunity to reflect deeply on the important issues of their time and to
focus on intellectual and personal growth. The College challenges
students to think critically and creatively while also further developing their
writing and speaking skills.
The College purposefully integrates military history, strategy, .
operational planning, and ethics throughout the curriculum. Recognizing
that the Army cannot fight and win wars as a single Service, more than 75
percent of the curriculum is devoted to joint, national or coalition warfare,
and related topics. Core subjects in the curriculum include theory of war
and strategy, strategic -level leadership, national security policy and
strategy, joint doctrine, theater campaign planning, and the processes
involved in developing and fielding unparalleled U.S. Iandpower.
Additionally, distinguished guest lectures, a 25 -page Strategy Research
Project, a crisis- oriented Strategic Decision Making Exercise, and a
selection of elective courses serve to enhance both the depth and breadth
of intellectual growth during the year.
The National Security Seminar provides the culminating event of the
academic year to analyze current issues from the broadest perspectives,
while also allowing students to compare their views with those of the
society they sere.
History
The U.S. Army War College is the Army's senior educational
institution. It was founded by Secretary of War Elihu Root in 1901.
Secretary Root presented a vision of the long -term philosophy of the
College in words which have served as its motto ever since.
"Not to promote war, but to preserve peace
through intelligent and adequate
preparation...this institution is founded."
Except for the period of the 2 World Wars, the College has operated
continuously for more than 100 years and has graduated 25,852 students.
Among its many illustrious graduates are President Dwight D. Eisenhower,
General John J. Pershing, General of the Army Omar N. Bradley, Fleet
Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr., General George S. Patton, Jr., General
Matthew B. Ridgway, General Maxwell D. Taylor, General H. Norman
Schwarzkopf, General John. M. Shalikashvili, General Tommy R. Franks,
General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, USAF, General Richard B. Myers, USAF,
Lieutenant General John A. Lejeune, USMC, and Ambassador Rodger P.
Davies, Ambassador Francis T. Underhill, and Ambassador Oliver L. Troxel.
Almost one -half of the international officer graduates have been promoted
to General or Flag Officer.
Carlisle Barracks
Carlisle Barracks was founded by Colonel John Stanwix of the British
Army on May 30, 1757, and initially hosted a battalion of British Regulars
and provincials from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The Artillery
School, the Army's first educational institution, started in 1778. The post
later hosted the School of Cavalry Practice and was both occupied and
burned by Confederate forces during the Civil War. From 1879 to 1918, the
post was home to the Carlisle Indian School, an academic and vocational
school that also produced such famed athletes as Jim Thorpe and Charles
Albert "Chief" Bender. From 1920 to 1946, the post was the home of the
Medical Field Service School and from 1946 to 1951 there were a number
of schools here— Chaplain, Adjutant General, Army Security Agency, and
Armed Forces Information School. Since 1961, the post has been the
home of the U.S. Army -War College.
Location
Commercial Transportation