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Since 1894, when Swiss officer Lt. Henri LeComte became the first international student to attend the Command and General Staff Officer Course, more than 6,000 officers from 142 countries have completed the course. Of thesc graduates, 23 have become their country's head of state. Almost half of them have SPC Christopher J. Dunphy is a staff writer for the Fort Leavenworth Lamp. reached the rank of general, and more than 300 have served their countries as ambassadors or key cabinet members.
"Our alumni are truly international," said LTC Patrick Madden, chief of the Command and General Staff College's International Officer Student Division at Fort Leavenworth, Kant. "We are, in Fact, training the future leaders of the world."
During the 1998-1999 school year, there were 89 officers representing 75 countries enrolled in the CGSOC. The process that determines which Countries and officers are ultimately selected is complex. and is based oil geopolitical considerations. Madden said.
"Each U.S. military regional commander in chief, as part of his theater strategy determines which country he wants to provide training to," Madden said. The State Department controls which countries the CINC can evaluate, but the CINC determines which countries he want to select. He'll then submit that list I the Pentagon, which will put togethe the final list that comes to me.
Madden said a variety of criteria are used for determining which countries are selected.
"Some may be under sanction. Some, we're at war with. Some may not be considered a priority in U.S. national interests." he said. "So it's very fluid. a very dynamic process. it changes quite a lot."
Madden said his staff's primary mission is to support the objectives his higher headquarters, the Security Assistance Training Field Activity a Fort Monroe. Va. SATFA man,es Army Security Assistance Training Program, which oversees U.S. training of international military students across the country and overseas.
U.S. military departments and the U.S. Coast Guard offer more than 1.000 courses at more than 150 military schools throughout the Unit States and abroad. In fiscal year 1998 alone, more than 7,000 international students. Including military personn were trained at U.S. Army installations.
Through training, and close inter tion arm, the United States and selected countries, SATFA hopes to accomplish its primary Focus...