Pascual:"I believe that this is an institution dedicated to peace"CGSC graduates large

By CGSC Public AffairsJune 12, 2009

CGSC presents gift to former ambassador
Lt.Col Mark Bacon (left), class president, and Maj. Lee Moore (center), chairman of the class gift committee, present the class gift to guest speaker Carlos Pascual (right) at graduation ceremonies for Intermediate Level Education at the Command and ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (June 12, 2009) -- Former ambassador to the Ukraine, Carlos Pascual, challenged graduates at the Command and General Staff College to make operational the perspectives he put forth in his graduation address. "I wanted to come here because I believe that this is an institution dedicated to delivering peace," he said. "Of course your fundamental mission is to protect our nation and indeed that is a mission for all of the people ... for we live in a world where protecting our nation cannot be separated from engaging in our global community."

Pascual, who currently serves as vice president and director of Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, addressed the 941 students who graduated from the Army's Intermediate Level Education Course at Fort Leavenworth June 12. Graduates included U.S. Army officers, sister service officers, 65 international officers from 62 countries, and six interagency representatives.

On the eve of the Army's 234th Birthday, the Command and General Staff College recognized several "firsts" in its history including: the first officer from Montenegro attended the course, raising participant countries to 155 at the College; the first class of five warrant officers graduated from the ILE course; the first interagency representative took home the "Outstanding Interagency Student" award; and the first six students graduated from a new University of Kansas/CGSC master's program in supply chain management.

Leaders at the College also recognized those students whose work or performance demonstrated excellence deserving of award.

Award winners for 2009 are:

Maj. Brian M. Ducote, U.S. Army, the General George C. Marshall Award. The Marshall Award is presented to the distinguished graduate in each regular class in recognition of scholarship and leadership.

Maj. Luis Cepeda, Spain, the General Dwight D. Eisenhower Award. The Eisenhower Award is presented to the most outstanding international student for military scholarship.

Kenneth C. Ferris, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, the Outstanding Interagency Student Award. This award recognizes excellence in scholarship and overall contribution to the interagency education in the College.

Maj. Keith A. Kramer, U.S. Army, the General George S. Patton, Jr., Award. This award recognizes the class Distinguished Master Tactician.

Maj. Jason S. Davis, U.S. Army, the Major General James M. Wright Award. This award recognizes the class Distinguished Master Logistician.

Maj. Douglas A. Pryer, U.S. Army, three awards: the General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Award, the Arter-Darby Military History Writing Award and the Birrer Brookes Award for Outstanding Master of Military Art and Science thesis. Pryer's thesis is entitled "The Fight for the High Ground: The U.S. Army and Interrogation During Operation Iraqi Freedom I, May 2003-April 2004."

Maj. Paul Foura, Australia, the Major General Hans Schlup Award. This award was implemented in honor of excellence in international relations.

Maj. Roy V. Rockwell, U.S. Air Force, the Excellence in Joint Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (JC4I) Writing Award. This award is presented to the student who excels in research and writing on C4I subjects.

Maj. Jeffrey K. Blackwell, U.S. Army, Homeland Security Studies Award. This award is sponsored by the CGSC Foundation and recognizes excellence in homeland security research.

Maj. Allen Leth, U.S. Army, and Maj. Dave Abboud, Canada, the Iron Major Award. This award recognizes exceptional physical fitness.

Maj. Andrew J. Watson, U.S. Army, The Father Donald Smythe Military History Award. This award, endowed by Armed Forces Insurance, is presented for excellence in history studies.

Maj. David Lyle, U.S. Air Force, The Brigadier General Benjamin H. Grierson Award for Excellence in Strategic Studies. This award is presented to the top strategist in each class.

Maj. Sean R. Slaughter, U.S. Air Force, the Excellence in Joint Service Warfare Studies Award. This award, endowed by the Military Officers Association America, is presented to the student who contributes most significantly to the study, implementation and spirit of joint-service warfare.

Maj. Jennifer Crawford and William Lambert also received honors as this year's CGSC Military and Civilian Instructor of the Year.

The Command and General Staff College ILE Course is designed to educate and train field grade officers to be adaptive leaders, capable of critical thinking, and prepared to operate in full-spectrum Army, joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational environments. For more information about Class 09-01 ILE graduation and the College, please visit www.cgsc.edu.