SAMS Class of 2024 graduates 147

The U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) Class of 2024 graduated May 3, 2024, in a ceremony conducted in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth. Totaling 147 graduates, the class was comprised of every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, including one officer from the U.S. Space Force, 16 international officers from nine countries, and three students representing the interagency from the United States Agency for International Development.

Brig. Gen. Marne L. Sutten, deputy chief of staff, G-6, U.S. Army Forces Command. and a SAMS Class of 2009 graduate, addresses the SAMS Class of 2024 during the graduation ceremony May 23, 2024, in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth.

Of the 147 graduates, 111 students graduated from the Advanced Military Studies Program (AMSP) and 16 from the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program (ASLSP). Additionally, 20 officers in the Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program (ASP3) were recognized on-screen for receiving their doctorate degrees during this academic year.

Introduced by SAMS Director Col. Andy Morgado, graduation guest speaker Brig. Gen. Marne L. Sutten, deputy chief of staff, G-6, U.S. Army Forces Command. and a SAMS Class of 2009 graduate, spoke about the Army’s emphasis on innovation and how the new SAMS graduates might fit into a changing organization.

“As you sit here today, poised on the cusp of a new challenge, remember the profound impact that you can have as a SAMS planner,” Sutten told the graduates. “Embrace the lessons learned, lead with integrity, and remain open to diverse perspectives. SAMS plays a pivotal role in the shaping of our future Army, cultivating leaders who innovate, adapt and excel in the face of adversity. To each and every one of you I say embrace the unknown, embody the spirit of SAMS excellence, and remember, be more than you seem.”

After Sutton’s remarks class awards and degrees were presented by CGSC Commandant Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., Brig. Gen. Sutten, Army University Deputy Provost Mike Johnson, CGSC Dean of Academics Dr. David Cotter, and Col. Morgado, the 18th Director of SAMS.

Maj. Audley Campbell, right, receives an engraved officer’s saber for the Col. Thomas Felts Leadership Award from CGSC Commandant Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., during the SAMS Class of 2024 graduation ceremony at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, May 23, 2024.

Maj. Audley Campbell received the Col. Thomas Felts Leadership Award for the top AMSP student. The award is presented to the student who best exemplifies all the desired attributes of an Advanced Military Studies Program graduate and is considered the top award in SAMS. The award is named in honor of Felts who graduated from the Advanced Military Studies Program in 1998 and the SAMS senior program in 2005. He was killed in action in Iraq in 2006.

Other awards presented:

Best Advanced Strategic Leader Studies Program monograph – Lt. Col. Jason H. Adler

Best Advanced Military Studies Program monograph – Maj. Brigid C. Rauch

Col. Arthur D. Simons Center Interagency Writing Award – Melinda A. Roberts, USAID

Iron Leader – Maj. Dayna E. Sanders, Kentucky Army National Guard, received the Iron Leader Award for achieving a perfect score on the Army Combat Fitness Test

Harding Project Award – Maj. Brian Hamel (student) and Dr. Luke Herrington (faculty) won the Harding awards for distinguished published written work in professional military journals.

Women Peace and Security Award – Holly Schippers, USAID, won this award which recognizes excellence in a SAMS monograph based on principles of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which was adopted by the UN Security Council in October 2000, to reaffirm the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding.

Lt. Col. Michael “Scott” Flurry Award – Maj. Moises Rendon, U.S. Space Force, was presented with the Flurry award as the top joint service officer for academic excellence, physical fitness and bearing and superior leadership.

Iron OPT Award – This award was presented to the best AMSP seminar with the highest cumulative score across several academic and group performance categories and volunteer engagement events throughout the academic year. AMSP Seminar 7 won the award.

The CGSC Foundation sponsors the awards for SAMS graduates.

The SAMS Class of 2024 included 16 international officers from these nine countries: Australia, Belize, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom. The U.S. military services represented included: active Army, Army National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force. This is only the second year of U.S. Space Force representation.

The Advanced Military Studies Program (AMSP) is a 10-month course and is a graduate level education program to develop innovative and adaptive leaders who excel at operational art and are willing to experiment and accept risk. This is the oldest, most populous and well-known SAMS program. Program graduates apply critical and creative thinking to solve complex problems, demonstrate mastery of joint and Army doctrine, and anticipate the future operational environment. They synthesize the elements of U.S. national power in joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational operations, and demonstrate effective communications. All students graduating the AMSP receive a Master of Arts in Military Operations (MAMO). MAMO completion entails completion of the 10-month curriculum, basic preparation in research methods, and the submission of an approved monograph of about 10,000 words or longer. Successful students will defend their monograph and pass an oral comprehensive examination.

The Advanced Strategic Leader Studies Program (ASLSP) is a senior service college program, equivalent to the Army War College, which focuses on planning and executing the full spectrum of unified land operations with government and nongovernmental agencies and international partners. Its students comprise senior lieutenant colonels, colonels, and their civilian equivalents. Military class members have typically commanded a battalion-sized unit in the armed services. Graduates of the ASLSP receive a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies (MASS). To receive the degree, the students must write a publishable research monograph of about 10,000 words or more and pass an oral comprehensive examination. Students in this program will normally remain for a second year, during which they will serve as a seminar leader for AMSP students.

The Command and General Staff College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to award the graduate degrees. The students’ completed monographs are published electronically by the Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library.

The Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program (ASP3) is a multi-year program that develops selected field grade officers as strategic leaders through a combination of practical experience, senior level professional military education, and a doctoral degree from a university in a field of study related to strategy to produce broadly networked leaders with strategic acumen, skills, and credentials. As of May 2024, 88 officers have completed the program.

For more photos from the ceremony see the CGSC Flickr album

Watch video of the complete ceremony on the ArmyU Facebook page

See the ceremony program

U.S. School of Advanced Military Studies graduates sing their respective service branch songs during the Armed Forced Medley at the conclusion of the SAMS graduation ceremony May 23, 2024, at the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth. The 2024 SAMS class represented each branch of the United States military to include Space Force, international militaries from nine countries and a federal agency.