Command and General Staff Officers Course graduates June 7

Students and family members form a line to take photos in front of the iconic Fort Leavenworth Lamp outside the Lewis and Clark Center before the Command and General Staff Officers Course graduation June 7, 2024, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Mark H. Wiggins)

Nearly 1,100 officers graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officer Course June 7, 2024, at the Lewis and Clark Center. The graduating class included mid-career officers from all American military services with the exception of the Coast Guard, as well as 120 international officers representing 94 countries and three federal government civilian employees.

CGSC Foundation Director of Operations Laurie Morgado, left, and Foundation Programs Assistant Elizabeth Hill, back left, man a mobile Foundation Gift Shop in the atrium of the Lewis and Clark Center during the Command and General Staff Officers Course graduation June 7, 2024, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Mark H. Wiggins)

Students, faculty and guests of the Command and General Staff Officers Course Class of 2024 gather in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center prior to the start of the graduation ceremony June 7, 2024, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Mark H. Wiggins)

Introduced by CGSC Commandant Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Commanding General Gen. Gary Brito delivered the commencement address.

“Your first responsibility as a professional officer is to master your trade and demonstrate character, competence, and commitment,” Brito said. “Our Soldiers deserve your absolute best, in fact their lives may often depend on it. This means being a professional every single day and leveraging that education and training you received over this past year.”

“It also means building trust by demonstrating your core competency as that iron major…to help units train to be able to fight and win our nation’s wars. You are truly a valuable organizational leader now. Your challenges will be different and often broader in scope than your previous responsibilities, but I know you’ll be ready for it.”

“Your job is not one of selfish needs, but more one of selfless actions that empower the force to be ready for combat…Take what you’ve learned here and simply apply it…you will be brilliant…Because at the end of the day, pardon my language, there is no substitute for damn good leadership, period.”

The 10-month Command and General Staff Officers Course develops war-fighting and adaptive leadership skills necessary for military officers to be proficient in Unified Land Operations. The College is an educational center of excellence renowned in the study of leadership, the conduct of joint and combined land warfare, and the application of Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational organizations to synchronize all elements of power to achieve national objectives.

International military students received the CGSC International Officer Graduate Badge during a ceremony June 6.

“To our sponsors and student ambassadors…to our instructors…to all the students…to all those within the International Military Student Division staff, the College at large, across all the installation, who did all those things that allowed us not just to survive, but to thrive, we thank each and every one of you,” said Canadian Major Jay Leclerc, International Student Chief of Staff, in his remarks during the ceremony. “As we journey forward and reconnect with loved ones from around the world and embark on new adventures, let us remember the valuable friendships that we’ve nurtured and the insights that we have gathered during our shared experiences. These are the treasures that will enrich our lives forever.”

International military student participation in cooperative military studies in the United States originated at Fort Leavenworth in 1894. Since then, international military students have become an integral part of the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course. More than 8,700 international officers from 167 nations have studied alongside U.S. military and government civilian counterparts at Fort Leavenworth.

CGSC Commandant Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., provides welcoming remarks during the CGSOC Class of 2024 graduation ceremony June 7, 2024, in in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Mark H. Wiggins)

U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Commanding General Gen. Gary Brito delivers the commencement speech during the CGSOC Class of 2024 graduation ceremony June 7, 2024, in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Dan Neal/ArmyU Public Affairs)

Major Marc C. Beaudoin receives the General George C. Marshall Award from Gen. Gary Brito, honoring him as the top United States graduate in the Command and General Staff Officers Class of 2024 at graduation, June 7, 2024, in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Dan Neal/ArmyU Public Affairs)

Major Edward M. Brecht, United Kingdom, receives the General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award from Gen. Gary Brito, honoring him as the top international student in the Command and General Staff Officers Class of 2024 at graduation, June 7, 2024, in the Eisenhower Auditorium of the Lewis and Clark Center on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (photo by Dan Neal/ArmyU Public Affairs)

In addition to completing the graduate-level course, 53 students received the Master of Military Art and Science Degree. Students earn this master’s degree by successful completion of the Command and General Staff Officers Course, successful completion of an oral comprehensive exam, and writing and orally defending a thesis based on original research. CGSC Dean of Academics Dr. David Cotter led a ceremony on June 6, to present hoods to the MMAS recipients, the first time the College has conducted a “hooding ceremony.”

During the graduation ceremony Cotter also conferred the Master of Operational Studies degree to the majority of the remaining graduates. Other students who earned graduate degrees or certifications through cooperative programs with civilian universities were also recognized. CGSC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to award master’s degrees.

CGSOC Class of 2024 Awards

The General George C. Marshall Award is presented to the distinguished United States graduate of each class – Major Marc C. Beaudoin, Judge Advocate General
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the Veterans of Foreign Wars; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award is presented to the distinguished international officer of each class – Major Nicholas F. Barber, Australia
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the David G. Beaham Memorial Fund; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The General Douglas MacArthur Award recognizes scholarship and professional writing on military leadership – Major William C. Happel, United Kingdom
Sponsored by the Douglas MacArthur Foundation

The Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award goes to the student for excellent scholarship and writing in military history – Major Alex T. Gordon, Ordnance
Sponsored by Lieutenant General (Retired) Robert Arter and the Edith and Harry Darby Foundation

The Arter-Doniphan Award goes to the class graduate who earned the highest overall grade point average – Major Marc C. Beaudoin, Judge Advocate General
Sponsored by Lieutenant General (Retired) Robert Arter and the Alexander Doniphan Committee

The General John J. Pershing Award recognizes the outstanding non-resident graduate of the Command and General Staff Officer Course via distance learning – Lieutenant Colonel Wilfredo Velez-Rodriguez, Corps of Engineers

The Iron Major Award goes to the student who finishes first in a grueling series of events designed to test endurance and strength – Male: Major John P. Bergman, Infantry; Female: Major Kaitlyn M. Hernandez, Ordnance

Women, Peace and Security Award – Major Lauren A. Ward, Adjutant General
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation

Military & Civilian Educators of The Year – Dr. Tony Carlson, School of Advanced Military Studies; Lieutenant Colonel Dallas Cheatham, CGSC Dept. of Tactics; and Mr. Allan Boyce, CGSC Dept. of Sustainment and Force Management

Excellence in Information Warfare Writing Award – Major Michael Zequeira, Military Intelligence
Sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association

The Lieutenant Colonel Boyd McCanna Harris Leadership Award is presented for recognized superior research by a resident CGSOC student in the field of Organizational Leadership – Major Hannah M. Smith, Military Intelligence
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Gary and Moira Sinise; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

Birrer-Brookes Award for Outstanding MMAS Thesis – Major Catherine R. Deeter, Logistics
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Mr. Charles M. Fernandez; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The Major General Hans Schlup Award recognizes the importance of relationships developed among the network of friends and professional acquaintances made while attending the Command and General Staff College – Lieutenant Colonel Mofareh Alsubaei, Saudi Arabia
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from the CGSOC Class of 1978; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The General James M. Wright Award is presented to the distinguished master sustainer in each class – Major Jerryl D. Randolph, Quartermaster
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) and Mrs. Robert Myers; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The General George S. Patton Award is presented to the distinguished master tactician in each class – Major Alexander W. Alpert, Armor
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Colonel (Retired) and Mrs. Doug Tystad; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

Homeland Security Studies Award – Major James A. Kovell, Medical Service Corps
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Mr. Charles M. Fernandez; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The Excellence in Joint Forces Warfare Award is awarded to the student who contributes most significantly to the study of joint service warfare – Major Jason M. Stewart, U.S. Air Force
Sponsored by the Military Officers Association of America

The Brigadier General Benjamin H. Grierson Award goes to the student who demonstrates excellence in strategic studies – Major Nicholas F. Barber, Australia
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Colonel (Retired) and Mrs. Roderick Cox; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

The Father Donald Smythe Award recognizes excellence in military history – Major Kenneth E. Russell, Ordnance
Sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance

The Simons Center Interagency Writing Award recognizes scholarship that advances interagency cooperation, coordination, and collaboration – Major Colin J. Hayward, Psychological Operations
Sponsored by the CGSC Foundation through a gift from Mr. H. Ross Perot; CGSC Foundation Alumni Association Life Membership compliments of First Command

For photos of all the awardees and the ceremony see the CGSC Flickr album

For more photos see the CGSC Foundation Flickr album

Watch video of the complete ceremony on the CGSC Facebook page

For photos from the International Officer Badge Ceremony see the CGSC Flickr album

Watch video of the complete International Officer Badge Ceremony on the CGSC Facebook page